Opinion ID: 394125
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Trip to the Valley

Text: 8 The caravan left the Houston area late in the evening of Saturday, August 11. The pickup truck was occupied by Mitchum and the younger half brother of defendant, Randy Hooker. The scout car was occupied by co-defendant Andrea Robertson, defendant's four-year old sister, defendant's twelve-month old daughter, and defendant herself. The record indicates defendant voluntarily assumed her position in the passenger side of the car's front seat, she knew the car was intended to serve as a scout car, and she knew the sole and express purpose of the trip to the Valley was to obtain marijuana for distribution in the Houston area. 9 After arriving in Brownsville, Texas, the six-member group checked into a motel. Co-defendants Mitchum and Andrea Robertson then left in order to make contact with the supplier of the marijuana, leaving defendant at the motel with Randy Hooker and the two small children. After failing to make contact with their source, Andrea Robertson and Mitchum returned to the motel and the group checked out, later checking into a second motel. 10 Once again, Andrea and Mitchum left the motel to make contact with their source. As before, defendant was left at the motel room with her younger half brother and the two small children. On this occasion, Andrea and Mitchum made contact with their source and transacted their business. 11 After the pickup truck was loaded with marijuana on Sunday morning, the return trip to Conroe was discussed. Defendant was present throughout the discussion. It was decided the convoy would utilize Farm to Market Road 1017, traveling north through the LaGloria checkpoint. This decision was made because the LaGloria checkpoint, as opposed to the checkpoints on the other possible routes to Conroe, usually was not open. In addition, since the C.B. radios were not operating, it was decided the scout car, which was to be occupied again by Andrea, the two children, and defendant, would drive through the checkpoint to see if it was open. If it was not open, the car was to continue on its trip to Conroe. If it was open, the scout car was to return and warn the truck loaded with marijuana, which would be trailing eight or nine miles behind. 12 As the convoy left the motel on its way to Conroe, the record indicates defendant voluntarily assumed her position in the scout car. She knew the pickup truck was loaded with marijuana and would be following. She also knew the car in which she was riding was to serve as a mechanism for determining whether it was safe to transport the marijuana to Conroe. 13 The LaGloria checkpoint happened to be open the day of the return trip to Conroe August 12, 1979. The record indicates the scout car containing defendant reached the checkpoint, drove a few miles down the road, turned around, and began returning to warn the passengers of the pickup truck. However, the pickup truck arrived at the checkpoint before the scout car had time to return. The Border Patrol searched the pickup and found the marijuana. 14 While the Border Patrol was dealing with the pickup truck loaded with marijuana and its passengers, the scout car returned to the checkpoint. Of course, this time it was heading south. The Firebird stopped, although automobiles heading south are not required to do so, and the occupants began explaining why they were returning. The record indicates defendant, together with her sister, told the Border Patrol that defendant had left her billfold in LaGloria. While explaining that defendant's identification had been lost, defendant rummaged through her purse as though she in fact had lost something. 15 After acting out this facade, Andrea and defendant proceeded through the checkpoint, returning once again after approximately ten minutes. Because the distance from the checkpoint to the City of LaGloria would preclude a mere ten minute trip, the Border Patrol became suspicious about the Firebird. The car was detained while the Border Patrol checked its registration, and it was identified as a stolen vehicle. The occupants of the car were held while Drug Enforcement Administration officials were summoned. 16 In response to questioning, defendant told the DEA agent in charge of the case she did not know the occupants of the pickup in which Mitchum and her half brother Randy Hooker had been riding. The fact is defendant knew her brother and had known Mitchum for several years. She also repeated the story about her lost identification, and told the officers she had retrieved it. Investigation revealed the store in which she claimed she had something to eat or drink was actually closed. In addition, the officer's investigation revealed that the outdoors area in which she claims she relieved herself by going to the bathroom was quite open and exposed to view. In fact, it was visible to anyone who might be in one of two separate houses and anyone who would have been in the store if it had been open. 17 In addition to telling the officer she did not know her half brother or Mitchum and the fabricated story about losing her identification, defendant provided false information regarding her employment, her married name, and her phone number. She also told a fabricated story about her purpose for being in the Firebird. Defendant told the DEA officer she had gone to Harlingen, Texas to visit some friends of her sister Andrea. However, she was unable to relate the names or address of these people. Additionally, the record indicates that if in fact defendant were proceeding from Harlingen to Conroe, she had chosen to take the longest route available. 18 Sixteen days after the incident at the checkpoint, August 28, 1979, the grand jury returned an indictment against defendant. On that same day, a magistrate issued a bench warrant for her arrest.