Opinion ID: 2174661
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the cocaine sale

Text: On November 20, 1990, the narcotics unit of the Omaha Police Division was aware that illegal controlled substances were being distributed in a section of the city where the residence of Annette Roddy was located and characterized Roddy's residence as a known narcotics trafficking house. Jimmy Edwards, a cooperating source familiar with the area of illegal drug distribution near Roddy's house, worked with police by introducing undercover officers to individuals suspected of selling illegal controlled substances. Around 11 a.m. on November 20, in a monitored telephone call from police headquarters to Roddy, Edwards asked for a 250 of crack cocaine, that is, a quantity of crack sold for $250. Roddy responded that she did not have any crack, but would see what I can do for you. Angela Grant, who was staying in Roddy's house, was within earshot of Roddy, who, after hanging up the phone, told Grant that Edwards wanted to get some crack. After Grant's insistent urging, `Come on; let's go,' Grant and Roddy departed for a parking lot which was the site indicated by Edwards for the possible purchase of crack. At the same time, Edwards and James Haiar, an undercover narcotics officer, left the police station in Edwards' pickup truck, driven by Haiar. Other officers in the narcotics unit set up surveillance of the parking lot where Edwards and Haiar would meet Roddy and Grant. An unmarked police van was stationed near the parking lot so that police could photograph events at the site. Other narcotics officers were located nearby to record any conversation electronically transmitted from Haiar, who had been wired with a microphone on his person. Edwards and Haiar arrived around 12:30 p.m. and met Roddy and Grant in the parking lot. After Roddy said that she and Grant did not bring any cocaine, the two women offered to flag down passing motorists to find out whether any of the passersby had any crack for sale. Both Roddy and Grant, at times separately and at other times jointly, flagged down passing traffic until Roddy recognized a man known as D.J., who pulled his car into the parking lot and stopped next to Edwards' pickup. Grant and Roddy got into D.J.'s car; Grant sat in the front on the passenger's side, while Roddy sat in the left rear seat. Roddy told D.J. that the men in the pickup wanted 250 worth of crack. D.J. handed a quantity of crack to Roddy, who got out of the car and, closely followed by Grant, went to the pickup, which the women entered. Haiar was seated near the left door, behind the pickup's steering wheel; Edwards was next to Haiar; and Grant was sitting between Edwards and Roddy, who was next to the window on the right side. Roddy was still holding the cocaine in one of her hands when Haiar and Roddy began haggling about the quality of the cocaine and the price being asked. Referring to the cocaine being held by Roddy, Grant said: Put it in my hands. Roddy handed the cocaine to Grant, who remarked that the crack was good stuff and then wrapped the several pieces of cocaine in plastic or cellophane given to her by Edwards. Casey's was printed on the wrapper. Haiar gave $250 in cash to Roddy, who got out of the pickup to deliver the money to D.J. in his car, still parked next to the pickup. Haiar remained in the pickup with Grant, who handed Haiar the wrapped cocaine. Shortly thereafter, Grant got out of the pickup and went to D.J.'s car. Grant and Roddy departed with D.J., who drove the women to Roddy's house. On arrival at the house, D.J. gave Roddy $25 for helping in the sale to Haiar, but Roddy did not give Grant any of the $25. Haiar returned to police headquarters and turned over the wrapped pieces of cocaine to the criminal laboratory section of the Omaha Police Division. Eventually, the several pieces contained in the wrapping were analytically determined to be cocaine. On December 11, 1990, police, pursuant to warrants, arrested Grant and Roddy. Both were charged with delivering the cocaine obtained from D.J. in the parking lot. However, before Grant's trial, Roddy pled guilty to the charge against her, and she was awaiting sentence when Grant came to trial on the charge of delivering cocaine.