Opinion ID: 1655471
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Was adequate proof offered of the distance between the church and Wansley's trailer?

Text: ¶ 13. Wansley's counsel urges, in the event we find sufficient evidence to affirm Wansley's conviction, that a resentencing hearing be held. It is argued that the conflict between the prosecution witnesses over whether the transaction took place more or less that 1500 feet from the church rendered impossible proof of this element of the crime. The indictment charged Wansley with the sell of a Schedule II controlled substance within 1500 feet of Emmanuel Baptist Church, in violation of Miss.Code Ann. § 41-29-139(a)(1) and § 41-29-142(1), which grants the trial court the discretion of doubling the punishment of an individual found guilty of violating these statutes. ¶ 14. While the record does reveal differing accounts of the distance between Wansley's trailer and the church, it is noticeably absent of any contra-evidence, objection, cross-examination, proffered testimony, or post-trial motion indicating any challenge to the State's charge that Wansley's trailer was indeed within 1500 feet of the Emmanuel Baptist Church. Rather, the first time Wansley challenges the applicability of the statute's enhancement provision is on direct appeal. The State argues that as this matter was not presented to or ruled upon by the trial court, it cannot be considered on appeal. ¶ 15. This Court has repeatedly held that we will not consider matters which do not appear in the record and must confine ourselves to what actually appears in the record. Moreover, we cannot decide an issue based on assertions in the briefs alone; rather, issues must be proven by the record. Medina v. State, 688 So.2d 727, 732 (Miss.1996). ¶ 16. Procedural bar aside, we will address Wansley's claim on its merits. Although the jury was presented conflicting testimony regarding the distance between the church and Wansley's trailer, they were instructed that Wansley could only be convicted under Miss.Code Ann. § 41-29-141(1) if they determined that the distance to be within 1500 feet. As the jury was properly instructed, it was within their discretion to decided what evidence was the most credible. Being unable to say the jury erred in reaching their decision, Wansley's request for a resentencing hearing is denied.