Opinion ID: 877860
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: failure to comply with state v. just

Text: The search of 1014 Elm and the car parked in front resulted in the seizure of a large amount of marijuana, scales for weighing it, and bags for packaging it. This search also resulted in the arrest of the occupant of the house, Michael Isom. The search and arrest were later found to be illegal. See, State v. Isom (1982), Mont., 641 P.2d 417, 39 St.Rep. 137. Throughout the defendant's trial, testimony, exhibits and other evidence were permitted, over defendant's repeated objection concerning the search of 1014 Elm. Seven large garbage bags full of marijuana seized at 1014 Elm were present in the courtroom, although never introduced in evidence. Photographs of various paraphernalia, including a scale and screen seized at 1014 Elm were admitted in evidence. The testimony of the officers is replete with references to the search of 1014 Elm and the arrest of Michael Isom. Of the 44 exhibits entered into evidence, 31 of them had been seized in the search of the house at 1014 Elm and the car parked in front. The State's position at trial was that the evidence from 1014 Elm was relevant to show a common scheme or plan. Notwithstanding this contention, the State made absolutely no effort to comply with the test we set forth in State v. Just, supra, before evidence of other crimes or evidence of a common scheme or plan can be introduced. We stated in Just that a failure to comply with these standards would require reversal. 602 P.2d at 961. Furthermore, the prosecutor, in arguing for the admission of this evidence, repeatedly promised the court that he would offer a cautionary instruction relating to this evidence. This promise was not kept. Assuming the evidence to be otherwise admissible, we must reverse the conviction because of the failure to comply with the Just standards. But neither are we convinced that the evidence was admissible in the manner it was used. Rule 403, Mont.R.Evid., prohibits the introduction of evidence where its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury ... The defendant was charged with possession of ten pounds of marijuana with intent to sell. But the jury viewed evidence of 80 to 90 pounds of marijuana seized in the search of the house at 1014 Elm. The defendant did not reside there, nor did he have any connection to the car parked in front. Although the State should be permitted to show a connection between the marijuana traced to the defendant and the marijuana found in the search of 1014 Elm, the amount of evidence used to demonstrate this connection, and the manner in which it was used, was highly prejudicial to the defendant. But the connection between the marijuana found at the house and that traced to the defendant is obviously a circumstantial factor for the jury to consider in determining whether defendant placed marijuana in his pickup truck when he came out of the house at 1014 Elm. If the marijuana was packaged similarly, there is indeed the greater likelihood that it was marijuana that the defendant placed in the back of his pickup. The State could, however, prove this connection without using the tactics employed in this case. The judgment is vacated and the cause remanded for a new trial. HASWELL, C.J., and DALY, WEBER and SHEEHY, JJ., concur.