STATE of Florida, Petitioner,
v.
Anthony McCLOUD, Respondent.
Supreme Court of Florida.
Rоbert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen. and Katherine V. Blanco and Peggy A. Quince, Asst. Attys. Gen., Tampa, for petitioner.
James Marion Moorman, Public Defender and Brad Permar, Asst. Public Defender, Tenth Judicial Circuit, Clearwater, for respondent.
PER CURIAM.
We have for review State v. McCloud,
When a double jeopardy violation is alleged based on the crimes of sale and possession (or possession with intent to sell) of the same quantum of contraband and the crimes occurred after the effective date of section 775.021, Florida Statutes *940 (Supр. 1988), is it improper to convict and sentence for both crimes?[2]
We answer the question in the negative and approve in part and quash in pаrt the decision of the Second District.
Anthony McCloud was charged with possession and sale of cocaine in two separate two-cоunt informations. One information charged McCloud with possession and sale of cocaine allegedly committed on August 1, 1988; the other information charged McCloud with possession and sale of cocaine allegedly committed on June 9, 1988. McCloud pled guilty to both counts of sale, and the triаl court granted McCloud's motion to dismiss the possession charges on the authority of Carawan v. State,
In State v. Smith,
Section 775.021(4)(b) of the Florida Statutes (Supp. 1988) currently permits dual convictions and sentences for offenses based on one act, subject to certain enumerated exceptions. McCloud asserts that possession and sale of the same quantum of cocaine is an exception under the category of "subsumed" elements in subsection 775.021(4)(b)(3).[3] In other words, McCloud argues that he cannot be convicted of possession of cocaine and sale of the same cocaine because possession is a lesser-included offense of sale.
The state argues that possession is not a lesser-included offense of sale because under section 775.021(4) (codifying the test established in Blockburger v. United States,
The state further relies on several lower court cases to support its argument. In Portee v. State,
While a seller of marijuana might in the ordinary case also possess the marijuana sold, possession is not an essential aspect of the sale.
Similarly, in Daudt v. State,
An offense is a lesser-included offense for purpоses of section 775.021(4) only if the greater offense necessarily includes the lesser offense. We conclude that because there are situations, as illustrаted by the above cases, where a sale can occur without possession, possession is not an essential element of sale аnd is therefore not a lesser-included offense.
This case, of course, involves a situation where the defendant actually did possess and sell the same quantum of the drug. However, section 775.021(4)(a) specifically states that "offenses are separate if each offense requirеs proof of an element that the other does not, without regard to the accusatory pleading or the proof adduced at trial." (Emphasis added.) Thus, section 775.021(4)(a) precludes the court from examining the evidence to determine whether the defendant possessed and sold the same quantum of cocaine such that possession is a lesser-included offense of sale in any one case.
Accordingly, we apрrove the district court's decision with regard to the dismissal of McCloud's possession charge of June 9, 1988, but quash that part of the decision affirming the dismissal оf McCloud's possession charge of August 1, 1988. We remand for proceedings consistent with this opinion.
It is so ordered.
SHAW, C.J., and OVERTON, McDONALD and GRIMES, JJ., concur.
BARKETT, J., dissents with an opinion, in which KOGAN, J., concurs.
BARKETT, Justice, dissenting.
I dissent for all the reasons expressed in State v. Smith,
According to the Florida Standard Jury Instructions in Criminal Cases, at 219, "`[s]ell' means to transfer or deliver something to another person in exchange for money or something of value." Implicit in this definition is the idea that one cannot "transfer or delivеr something" of which one does not have either actual or constructive possession. To the extent the district court cases cited by thе majority hold otherwise, I simply believe they are wrong. See Judge Cowart's opinion in Davis v. State,
[a]s "possession" is a separate offense, all of the statutory elements of which are included within (subsumed by) the greater offense of "delivery," and as "delivery" is a separate offense, all of the stаtutory elements of which are included within ("subsumed by") the greater offense of "selling," it would appear from the amendment of section 775.021(4) by Ch. 88-131, § 7, Laws of Florida, that the legislature does not intend the sale or delivery of a controlled substance and the possession of that substance be treated as separate offenses subject to separate convictions and separate punishments.
Id. at 1238.
I would approve the district court on all counts.
KOGAN, J., concurs.
NOTES
Notes
[1] The district court previously certifiеd this same question in V.A.A. v. State,
[2] We have jurisdiction pursuant to article V. section 3(b)(4) of the Florida Cоnstitution.
[3] Section 775.021(4) provides in pertinent part:
(b) The intent of the Legislature is to convict and sentence for each criminal offense committed in the course of one criminal еpisode or transaction and not to allow the principle of lenity as set forth in subsection (1) to determine legislative intent. Exceptions tо this rule of construction are:
1. Offenses which require identical elements of proof.
2. Offenses which are degrees of the same offense as provided by statute.
3. Offenses which are lesser offenses the statutory elements of which are subsumed by the greater offense.
