Charles Garrett was indicted for possession of diazepam, chlordiazepoxide and cocaine, in violation of §
The facts of this cause will not be recited in this opinion on appeal as they are not germane to the issues raised by the appellant.
The appellant was originally indicted for possession of marijuana, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide and cocaine. He had previously been indicted, tried and convicted for trafficking in marijuana, said marijuana being the same transaction or incident with which he is charged as possessing in this indictment. Appellant filed a motion to dismiss the indictment alleging that he had previously been convicted of trafficking in marijuana. He further argued that this indictment would not stand because it arose out of the same transaction as the trafficking offense. After a hearing on this matter, the trial court granted the motion on the part of the indictment which charged appellant with possession of marijuana, but not as to the possession of the other controlled substances. The trial judge ordered that the charge of possession of marijuana be stricken from the indictment. The appellant was subsequently arraigned on the charge of possession of diazepam, chlordiazepoxide and cocaine, to which he pled not guilty. For aught that appears in the record, appellant did not object to the "amended" indictment at the time of his arraignment. At no time during trial did the appellant object to being tried on this indictment, nor did he object to the indictment in his motion for judgment of acquittal. At no time during trial of this cause was any evidence of possession of marijuana introduced. Garrett did allege such "amendment" was error in his motion for new trial which was denied by the trial court. We fail to see how the action of the trial court prejudiced the substantial rights of the appellant. Thus, we find no error.
"A plea of former jeopardy is unavailing unless the offense presently charged is precisely the same in law and on fact as the former one relied on under the plea, and this is true even if both cases are founded on the same facts, but the crimes charged were not the same in law." Daniels v. State,
Blockburger v. United States,"The applicable rule is that where the same act or transaction constitutes a violation of two distinct statutory provisions, the test to be applied to determine whether there are two offenses or only one, is whether each provision required proof of a fact which the other does not."
In the instant case, the offense of possession of diazepam, chlordiazepoxide and cocaine and the offense of trafficking in marijuana are separate offenses governed by separate statutes, §
This court has opined on several occasions "that the offenses of possession and trafficking were intended by the legislature to be separate offenses warranting cumulative punishments." SeeGreen v. State, *61
It is clear that the trial court did not err in this instance.
Notice of the State's intention to proceed under the Habitual Felony Offender Act is effectuated when the appellant is informed of this fact in open court. See George v. State,
It appears from the record that the appellant was punished pursuant to the provisions of the Habitual Felony Offender Act. The record further indicates that the trial judge fined the appellant pursuant to §
A review of the record in this cause reveals no errors injurious to the substantial rights of the appellant. This cause is due to be and is, hereby, affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All the Judges concur.
