Opinion ID: 1998303
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The judge's decision.

Text: Based on the foregoing evidentiary findings, and after hearing argument, the judge found both defendants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge stated, in pertinent part, as follows: As to both defendants, what's also relevant, I don't think which has been mentioned, is that they stated that they were in the car on their way back from a party headed home. So, in other words, it's not a case of someone being picked up recently, or someone having just gotten into the car, but that they had been in a car, and on their way back from somewhere, and that they are, in fact, together and acting together. I think that concert is significant. I think that the only testimony we have about the ownership of the car is that Mr. Burwell's testimony . . . that it's his girlfriend's car, not that he had borrowed it for the evening, or that he just got it, but that it's his girlfriend's car. So, I don't think that we can infer that he's not aware of anything in there. So, I believe that the evidence shows beyond a reasonable doubt that he is aware of the marijuana in the glove compartment. That is bolstered by the fact that there is marijuana in several places in the car, in the backseat, on the front floorboards, in the glove compartment, that they're coming home, and that they're coming home from a party together. In addition, that there are shavings of a blunt in the backseat, and, as well, Backwoods' wrappers in the backseat and on Mr. Johnson also, I believe, show a concert of activity in possessing and using the marijuana or preparing to use the marijuana, at some point, that I think that, therefore, Mr. Burwell is knowledgeable about and does exercise dominion and control over the marijuana, certainly in the glove compartment of the car he's driving, and has been driving that evening. And that it's not buried in the glove compartment, but in the front of the glove compartment, and given the other activities of his fellow passengers, I, similarly, would believe that he's knowledgeable of and intended to exercise dominion and control of that marijuana, and, therefore, I find him guilty of possession of marijuana.[ [6] ]