Opinion ID: 2279580
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Insufficient Evidence Firearm Possession During Felony

Text: Barnett argues that the record evidence in this case does not support his conviction for Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. [4] The applicable standard of appellate review is whether, considering the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, including all reasonable inferences to be drawn therefrom, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Morrisey v. State, Del. Supr., 620 A.2d 207, 213 (1993); Dixon v. State, Del.Supr., 567 A.2d 854, 857 (1989). Accordingly, this Court must examine the evidence presented to establish that the firearm was accessible to Barnett at the time that the underlying felony was committed. The factual record in the case sub judice reflects that it is more analogous to Gardner than to Lewis or Kornbluth. Barnett was confronted by the police outside of his apartment building. The drugs were found in the backpack that Barnett had left in the car when he fled from the police. The firearm was discovered in Mrs. Barnett's apartment inside of a locked box in the hallway linen closet. No key to the locked box was ever recovered. No drugs were found anywhere in Mrs. Barnett's apartment. In fact, the jury acquitted Barnett of using his stepmother's apartment for keeping controlled substances. The clear legislative policy supporting the enactment of section 1447 is `to discourage the accessibility of a deadly weapon during the commission of a crime, thus reducing the probability of serious harm to the victim.' Gardner v. State, Del.Supr., 567 A.2d 404, 413 (1989) (quoting Mack v. State, Del.Supr., 312 A.2d 319, 322 (1973)). The record evidence does not support a finding that the firearm inside of a locked box in a hallway linen closet was available and accessible to Barnett during the commission of any felonious drug activity. See id. Consequently, this Court holds that, as a matter of law, the evidence was insufficient to establish the physical accessibility and availability of the firearm during the commission of any predicate drug felony. See 11 Del.C. § 1447A; Gardner v. State, Del.Supr., 567 A.2d 404 (1989).