Opinion ID: 1355148
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sufficiency of the Evidence of Possession in Counts 2 and 4

Text: Hunter argues that the evidence presented at trial was not sufficient to support the jury's finding that Hunter possessed a gun and cocaine at the Microtel on March 23, 2005. This finding was essential to his guilt for counts two and four. It must be upheld unless no rational trier of fact could have found the element of possession beyond a reasonable doubt. Lloyd, 10 F.3d at 1210. Because Hunter challenges only the possession element of each offense, and because the standard for possession is the same under each statute, we will discuss the element of possession generally. Either actual or constructive possession is sufficient to satisfy the possession element of these crimes. United States v. Bailey, 553 F.3d 940, 945 (6th Cir.2009) (amended opinion) (discussing 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)); United States v. Welch, 97 F.3d 142, 150 (6th Cir.1996) (discussing 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)). Actual possession exists when an individual knowingly has direct physical control over a thing at a given time, and constructive possession exists when a person does not have physical possession but instead knowingly has the power and the intention at a given time to exercise dominion and control over an object, either directly or through others. Bailey, 553 F.3d at 944-45 (citing United States v. Craven, 478 F.2d 1329, 1333 (6th Cir.1973)); Welch, 97 F.3d at 150 (citing Craven, 478 F.2d at 1333). Here, the evidence presented at trial was sufficient to prove that Hunter possessed the gun and cocaine police recovered from the Microtel on March 23, 2005. Amanda Ward testified that she was with Hunter that night, that the two rented a room together, and that Hunter carried his gun and a bag of cocaine into the hotel room along with equipment he used to process and repackage cocaine. She also testified that he began packaging the drugs he brought in. Ricky Rainwater testified that he met Hunter in a stairwell outside the room that evening. Stafford testified that Hunter called him that night and complained that he left his cocaine, a gun, and a press, and some of his marijuana in the hotel room and couldn't get to it because he locked himself out and Ward was not answering her cell phone. Rainwater received a similar phone call and sent a friend to pick Hunter up. Later that night, police recovered the cocaine and the gun from the hotel room, and Ward told police that these belonged to Hunter and that he had carried them into the room earlier that night. Based upon this evidence, a rational factfinder could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Hunter possessed both the gun and the cocaine either under a theory of actual or constructive possession. A jury could reasonably find that Hunter had actual possession of the gun by carrying the cocaine and gun into the hotel, or that he had constructive possession by having the knowledge and power to exercise control over it while inside. The fact that Hunter left the gun in the hotel room later in the night does not change the fact that he possessed the gun earlier in the evening. Thus, the evidence presented at trial was sufficient to support the jury's finding that Hunter possessed the gun and the drugs at the Microtel on March 23, 2005.