State v. Carriker

Oct 31, 1977
20534
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Per Curiam
Per Curiam:

Appellant, Michael E. Carriker, and a co-defendant were convicted of armed robbery. Appellant was sentenced .to imprisonment for twenty-one (21) years.

Appellant charges ‍​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‍that the trial judge erred in refusing to permit cross-examinaton of a key State’s witness concerning a prior conviction of the witness for possession of stimulant drugs without a prescription and in refusing to permit inquiry into the fact that the witness was on probation ‍​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‍and owed a fine to the State as a result of that prior conviction. The question raised by the first point is whether the mere possession of stimulant drugs without a prescription, specifically dexamyl and dexadrine, is an offense involving moral turpitude. We hold that ‍​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‍it is not, and this holding is limited to the illegal possession of drugs which can be acquired legally with a valid prescription. The second point is not before this Court because appellant’s counsel made no objection on this point at trial. While appellant’s ‍​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‍co-defendant did object, the appellant may not utilize, the objection of another defendant to gain review. 4 C.J.S. Appeal and Error § 251 (1957).

After a full consideration of appellant’s remaining exceptions, we are of the opinion that no error of law appears and that the issues are ‍​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‍governed by well settled principles of law. Accordingly, they are dismissed pursuant to Rule 23 of the Rules of Practice of this Court.

Affirmed.