Opinion ID: 1253206
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: coin wrappers and rolls of coins

Text: The defendant's second and third assignments of error cover the admission into evidence and closing argument of the State concerning coin wrappers found on the defendant at the time of the arrest. The defendant argues the coin wrappers found in his pockets at the time of his arrest should not have been admitted into evidence because (1) the trial court failed to conduct an in camera hearing covering questions of search and seizure, (2) the State failed to establish a chain of custody for the evidence, and (3) the evidence was not adequately connected to the offense charged. Furthermore, it is contended that the trial court erred by allowing the prosecution to discuss the coin wrappers during closing argument without any foundation. We find the defendant's first contention that the trial court failed to conduct an in camera hearing regarding the admissibility of the coin wrappers into evidence is misleading. An in camera suppression hearing was held covering two days of testimony. There was uncontradicted testimony that the coins and the wrappers were discovered during a search of the defendant immediately after he was arrested. Testimony of Lieutenant R.M. Hutchison II reveals the following: A: The search continued, again looking for further weapons. And a sum of money was discovered concealed in the clothing of the individual. At that point, knowing that Chief of Detectives Miller was close by, I let him recover the money from the clothing rather than remove it myself and hand it to him. The State, at the suppression hearing, identified the evidence as State's Exhibits 7 and 8: [PROSECUTION]: Judge, as a matter of housekeeping, could I go ahead and mark some evidence so I don't have to keep it in my office? THE COURT: Yes. [PROSECUTION]: We have marked for identification purposes a gun as State's Exhibit No. 3, an envelope with a spent round as State's Exhibit 4, an evidence bag with some .22 caliber bullets inside of it as State's Exhibit No. 5, an evidence bag with with a piece of stocking or hose in it as State's Exhibit No. 6, a blue coin wrapper as State Exhibit's No. 7 and a red and brown coin wrapper as State's Exhibit No. 8. The reason I'm doing that, Judge, I'm going to turn it over to the reporter so I don't have to keep it down in my office all night. THE COURT: Any objection? [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I have no objection to them being marked Your Honor. (Emphasis added). The trial court gave the parties ample opportunity during a hearing on a motion to suppress to raise any relevant issues and to offer evidence in support of their contentions. In fact, defense counsel did ask Lieutenant Hutchison specifically about some of the items found on the defendant at the time of his arrest: [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Lieutenant Hutchison, you indicated that money was found concealed in his clothing?
Q. Are you saying it was in his pocket? A. As I recall it was in his pocket in one of the jackets he was wearing. Lieutenant Miller testified at trial the defendant had a gun, a substantial quantity of money, and lady's stockings on his person when arrested. During Lieutenant Miller's testimony, the State attempted to introduce into evidence a plastic bag containing additional items supposedly seized after the arrest. Defense counsel immediately objected to the State's attempt to introduce a penny coin wrapper and a nickel coin wrapper. The following exchange took place after the State attempted to discuss the coin wrappers and defense counsel and the State approached the bench: [Defense counsel]: Your Honor, I believe counsel for the State was about to refer to two items in his bag, which appear to be coin wrappers, which were not taken up during the suppression hearing. Nobody mentioned coin wrappers whatever during the suppression hearing. [Prosecution]: Judge, there was no motion to suppress any of that evidence. [Defense Counsel]: I make it right now because I don't know if he is going to offer into evidence [Prosecution]: I certainly am. Judge, these are items taken from the defendant when he was patted down in a lawful search incident to arrest. The police have a right to pat down a suspect to make sure they don't have any weapons. THE COURT: They were taken off his body? [Prosecution]: They certainly were, Judge, when they patted him down. THE COURT: Overruled. Note your exception. As the above exchange indicates, defense counsel did not attempt to explain the evidentiary basis for the objection. [16] Following the bench conference, Lieutenant Miller identified the coin wrappers as additional items that were removed from the defendant at the time of the arrest. The judge subsequently asked whether there were any other objections to the admissibility of the coin wrappers. Defense counsel added the additional ground of relevancy. The judge overruled the relevancy objection. Thus, we find the defendant is mistaken when he says that [n]obody mentioned coin wrappers whatever during the suppression hearing. The coin wrappers were specifically identified as State's Exhibits 7 and 8 at the suppression hearing. No reason exists for identifying coin wrappers as exhibits other than the desire to offer them later at trial. Despite the above, the defendant persists in his contention that he did not know the coin wrappers were to be used as evidence and, for that reason, never made a motion to suppress these specific items. We believe the right to an in camera hearing under these circumstances arises only when the defendant has made an objection on the ground of an illegal search and seizure. In State v. Pratt, 161 W.Va. 530, 540, 244 S.E.2d 227, 233 (1978), this Court stated: According to [ State v.] Harr, [156 W.Va. 492, 194 S.E.2d 652 (1973),] then, the right to a hearing out of the jury's presence about the lawfulness of an arrest from which evidence is produced, exists when defendant objects that the evidence was obtained through illegal searchillegal here because it was incident to an alleged invalid arrest. See also State v. Buck, 170 W.Va. 428, 294 S.E.2d 281 (1982). To the extent the defendant wanted a more extensive hearing on the unlawful seizure of the coin wrappers, he was required to make a pretrial motion to suppress these items unless the grounds are not known to the defendant as provided by Rule 12(b)(3) of the West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure. [17] Failure to make this motion will under most circumstances constitute waiver under Rule 12(f) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure. [18] As stated above, the defendant seeks to avoid waiver by arguing he was unaware the coin wrappers were to be used against him at trial. Although we have already rejected this excuse on factual grounds, we believe there are two additional reasons that prevent us from granting the defendant relief under this assignment of error. First, the drafters of the West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure provided a clear remedy for defendants who are unsure of what evidence the State may offer. Rule 12(d)(2) of the West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure provides in pertinent part as follows: (d) Notice by the State of the Intention to Use Evidence.