Court Opinion

ID: 7820030
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-07 17:50:45.867166+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:30:42.970405
License: Public Domain

Conley Byrd, Justice. Appellant Johnny R. White was charged by information with the offense of possessing marijuana for the purpose of delivery allegedly committed on November 22, 1974. The jury found him not guilty of the offense charged but returned a verdict finding him guilty of only possessing marijuana. From a judgment assessing a $250 fine and a one year jail sentence, appellant appeals contending that mere possession of marijuana was not a misdemeanor offense under Act 590 of 1971, as amended by Act 186 of 1973. Act 590 of 1971, being the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, comprises in excess of 38 pages in the 1971 Acts. Section 1, containing 24 different definitions provides in so far as here pertinent, as follows: “SECTION 1. As used in this Act: (d) ‘Controlled substance’ means a drug substance, or immediate precurson in Schedules I through V or Article II of this Act.” Article II of Act 590 of 1971 contained Schedules I through V and marijuana was classified as a substance in Schedule I. Section 1 of Article IV of Act 590 of 1971 provided as follows: SECTION 1. (a) Except as authorized by this Act, it is unlawful for any person to manufactur, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance. (1) Any person who violates this subsection with respect to: (i) a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II which is a narcotic drug, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than fifteen (15) years or fined not more than $25,000, or both; (ii) any other controlled substance classified in Schedule I, II, or III, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than five years, fined not more than $15,000 or both; (¡ii) a substance classified in Schedule IV, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 3 years, fined not more than $10,000.-00, or both; (iv) a substance classified in Schedule V, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than one year, fined not more than $5,000, or both. (b) Except as authorized by this Act, it is unlawful for any person to create, deliver, or possess with intent to deliver, a counterfeit substance. (b) (1) Any person who violates this subsection with respect to: (i) a counterfeit substance classified in Schedule I or II which is a narcotic drug, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 15 years, fined not more than $25,000 or both; (ii) any other counterfeit substance classified in Schedule I, II, or III, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, fined not more than $15,000, or both; (iii) a counterfeit substance classified in Schedule IV, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than 3 years, fined not more than $10,000, or both; (iv) a counterfeit substance classified in Schedule V, is guilty of a crime and upon conviction may be imprisoned for not more than one year, fined not more than $5,000, or both. (c) It is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this Act. Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor. Provided, any person who is convicted of a third or subsequent offense for violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and shall be subject to imprisonment in the Penitentiary for not less than two (2) nor more than five (5) years.” In Act 186 of 1973 marijuana was removed from Schedule I of Article II and placed in a new Schedule VI. No amendment was made at that time to Section 1 of Act 590 which defined a “controlled substance” as a “drug, substance, or immediate precursor in Schedules I through V of Article II of this Act.” However, Act 186 of 1973 did provide: SECTION 2. Subsection (a) of Section 1 of Article IV of Act 590 of 1971 as amended the same being Arkansas Statutes Section 82-2617 (a) is hereby amend-eh to read as follows: ‘(a) Except as authorized by this Act, it is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance. (1) Any person who violates this subsection with respect to: (i) a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II which is a narcotic drug, is guilty of a felony and upon conviction may be imprisoned in the state penitentiary for not less than five (5) years nor more than thirty (30) years or fined not more than $25,000, or both; (ii) any other controlled substance classified in Schedule I, II, III, or VI is guilty of a felony and upon conviction may be imprisoned in the state penitentiary for not less than three (3) years nor more than ten (10) years, fined not more than $15,000, or both; (iii) a substance classified in Schedule IV, is guilty of a felony and upon conviction may be imprisoned in the state penitentiary for not less than one (1) year nor more than three years, fined not more than $10,000, or both; (iv) a substance classified in Schedule V, is guilty of a felony and upon conviction may be imprisoned in the state penitentiary for not less than one (1) year nor more than two (2) years, fined not more than $5,000, or both.’ SECTION 3. Subsection (c) of Section 1 of Article IV of Act 590 of 1971 as amended, the same being Arkansas Statutes Section 82-2617 (c) is hereby amended to read as follows: (c) It is unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this Act. Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor. Provided, any person who is convicted of a third or subsequent offense for violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and shall be subject to imprisonment in the penitentiary for not less than two (2) nor more than five (5) years. Provided however, any person who unlawfully possesses a controlled substance listed under Schedule I of this Act shall be guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the state penitentiary for not less than two (2) years nor more than five (5) years.” Obviously subsection (c) of Section t of Article IV as amended by Act 186 of 1973 does not make the mere possession of marijuana a misdemeanor if the definition in Section 1 (d) of Act 590 of 1971, is substituted for the term “controlled substance.” Under that construction only possession of drugs appearing in Schedule I through V are classified as misdemeanors. To avoid the definition of a “controlled substance” as used in Section 1 (d) of the Uniform Controlled Drug Act, the State makes two arguments — i.e. (1) appellant did not properly raise the issue in the trial court, and (2) “it would indeed he an absurd result to construe the failure of Act 186 to amend § 82-2601 (d) [Section 1 (d) of Act 590] to include possession of marijuana, the crime of which appellant stands convicted.” To do so, says the State, “would clearly thwart the obvious intent of the Legislature.” We find no merit to the contention of the State that the issue was not properly raised in the trial court. Such issues go to the jurisdiction of the trial court and can be raised at any time, even after a guilty plea by certiorari, Switzer v. Golden, Judge, 224 Ark. 543, 274 S.W. 2d 769 (1955). Neither can we agree with the State as to its second contention for the rule of law with respect to statutory construction of penal provisions is that nothing will be taken as intended which is not clearly expressed and all doubts must be resolved in favor of the accused, Bennett v. State, 252 Ark. 128, 477 S.W. 2d 497 (1972). This rule comes to us from the early common law and is well known to lawyers and legislators alike. Consequently, when the doubts as to the construction of the use of the term “controlled substance” in subsection (c) of Section 1 of Article IV of Act 590 of 1971, as amended by Act 186 of 1973, is considered in the light of the strict construction rule, we must agree with the appellant that the mere possession of drugs classified in Schedule VI of Article II of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act as amended by Act 186 of 1973, do not constitute a misdemeanor.(1)  Reversed and dismissed. Jones, J., dissents.   § 82-2601 (d) was amended by Act 305 of 1975 to include Schedule VI.