Opinion ID: 1286606
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Braxton County Charges

Text: During the night and early morning of July 22 and July 23, 2004, Trooper Mark Yost of the West Virginia State Police pulled over a vehicle traveling on Route 5 from Interstate 79 heading toward Glenville, in Braxton County, West Virginia. Trooper Yost observed a headlight out on the vehicle, causing him to stop the car. The Appellant was driving the car. He was accompanied by George Dusky, who was the owner of the vehicle and a passenger in the front seat, and James Bub Jones, who was a passenger in the back seat. Trooper Yost testified that the Appellant did not have a driver's license and appeared to be extremely nervous for a minor traffic violation. The Appellant also gave the trooper a fictitious name, Roger Minigh. After issuing the Appellant a warning, Trooper Yost asked if he could search the vehicle and both the Appellant and Mr. Dusky consented. During the search, the trooper found a shopping list containing ingredients for methamphetamine, including such items as a hose, matches, and lye. The trooper also found a bag of white pills, one gallon of acetone, four 12-ounce bottles of HEET gas line antifreeze and one bottle of Red Devil lye. The trooper further testified that he found numerous receipts with the same date on them for various products all of which are considered methamphetamine precursors. [2] Finally, Trooper Yost testified that when he was removing the items from the vehicle, the Appellant made the spontaneous statement that [t]hat is mine[,] referring to the items being removed. Trooper Yost then gave all three men a Miranda [3] warning and placed them under arrest. [4] According to the Indictment brought in Braxton County, the Appellant was charged with attempting to operate a clandestine drug laboratory, which is a felony offense. The Circuit Court of Braxton County, by Order entered April 13, 2006, dismissed the Indictment against the Appellant, with prejudice. The Braxton County circuit court's Order indicates that prior to trial the Appellant moved to dismiss the Indictment asserting double jeopardy. The circuit court took defendant's motion under advisement, desiring to hear the state's case in chief. The circuit court further stated in its Order: The Court then impaneled the jury and the parties conducted voir dire of the jury panel. The parties each exercised their appropriate strikes of the jury. It appearing proper to do so, the Court then swore in the jury panel. Each party then gave an opening statement. The State of West Virginia by counsel began the presentation of the sworn testimony of its first witness. The defendant, by counsel cross examined the witness. At the conclusion of cross examination defendant through his counsel renewed his motion to dismiss the indictment on double jeopardy grounds. The state did not resist the motion. The Court then granted said motion. [5]