Cornelius v. Commonwealth
2012 Ky. App. LEXIS 45
Ky. Ct. App.2012Background
- Cornelius assisted in a drug buy; Williams in Cornelius's truck, sale completed in a parking lot; marijuana found on Cornelius during a pat-down; Cornelius convicted of tampering with physical evidence, possession, and first-degree persistent felony offender; Mullins v. Commonwealth governs tampering elements and requires intent to impair evidence; Henderson holds concealment locations matter for tampering; on remand, court reverses tampering conviction and PFO due to lack of active intent to impair evidence.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampering element satisfied by pocket concealment | Cornelius argues pocket concealment is not an intent to impair evidence | Commonwealth argues concealment shows intent to impair availability | Tampering conviction reversed |
| Directed-verdict standard applied to tampering | Cornelius contends error in denial of directed verdict | Commonwealth asserts standard supports conviction | Directed-verdict error; tampering conviction reversed |
| Consequence for PFO after tampering reversal | Cornelius argues PFO should be vacated | Commonwealth seeks continued PFO conviction | PFO reversed as consequence of tampering reversal |
Key Cases Cited
- Henderson v. Commonwealth, 85 S.W.3d 618 (Ky. 2002) (confinement of evidence and concealment locations must show intent to impair availability)
- Mullins v. Commonwealth, 350 S.W.3d 434 (Ky. 2011) (no bootstrap of tampering into underlying crime; requires intent to impair evidence)
- Commonwealth v. Benham, 816 S.W.2d 186 (Ky. 1991) (directed-verdict standard for criminal cases)