Leon Vaughn appeals his conviction of two counts of selling marijuana in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
The state’s evidence was sufficient to support the inference that, negotiating through an associate named Jimmy Ray Williams, the appellant arranged on three separate occasions to sell marijuana to Chris Dorsey, an undercover agent with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Each of the transactions was to be consummated at night, behind some trash dumpsters located near the appellant’s residence in Bacon County. Dorsey testified that as he and Williams were driving to the dumpsters on the night of the first sale, which took place on November 23, 1982, he observed a driver whom Williams identified as the appellant pull out from the dirt road leading to the dumpsters. Dorsey then proceeded with Williams to the dumpsters, where he retrieved two plastic bags of marijuana and, in accordance with Williams’ instructions, left $180 in a paper cup. Dorsey testified that on the night of the second sale, which took place on December 6, 1982, he and Williams again observed the car Williams had previously identified as appellant’s on the same dirt road. On the third occasion, Williams was arrested prior to the consummation of the sale, and Dorsey made the trip to the dumpsters in the company of another GBI agent. While other GBI agents and officers from the sheriff’s department conducted a surveillance of the area, Dorsey retrieved the
1. Appellant’s initial contention is that the money should have been suppressed as evidence on the ground that the arrest was unlawful. “A police officer may arrest without a warrant anyone whom he reasonably suspects has committed a felony. [Cit.]”
Hack v. State,
2. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of the sale which took place on November 23, 1982, because it was not charged in the indictment. “Before evidence of independent crimes is admissible two conditions must be satisfied. First, there must be evidence that the defendant was in fact the perpetrator of the independent crime. Second, there must be sufficient similarity or connection between the independent crime and the offense charged, that proof of the former tends to prove the latter. [Cits.]”
French v. State,
3. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in allowing a juror who had previously been excused to participate in the case. After being selected, this juror was excused before the trial commenced due to a death in the family. The appellant and the state agreed at this time to proceed with not less than 10 jurors; however, the trial did not proceed until about a month later, by which time all 12 jurors were again available. Although appellant was not specifically informed that the previously excused juror had returned, all 12 jurors were obviously present. Indeed, after they had returned their verdict, all 12 jurors were polled, and each responded by name. Appellant made no objection to the participation of the juror in question until filing his motion for new trial.
4. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in allowing a non-resident of Bacon County to sit as a juror. After the trial concluded, appellant discovered that one juror actually resided in Coffee County, rather than Bacon County, the situs of the trial. “A juror incompetent propter defectum is made specially competent by the act of the parties in allowing him to serve without challenge, and a verdict will not be set aside for such cause. [Cit.]”
Parris v. State,
5. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in failing to provide him “the pretrial discovery to which he was entitled,” specifically, the criminal records and pretrial statements of Williams. This contention is without merit. Williams’ criminal records were admitted in evidence, and Williams admitted on cross-examination that he had pled guilty to participating in two sales of marijuana in Bacon County and one sale in Coffee County. Accordingly, appellant obtained and presented to the jury the information at issue. As to any pretrial statements made by Williams, appellant did not raise this issue before the trial court, and therefore, it may not be reviewed on appeal. Accord
Bryant v. Mayor & City Council of Americus,
6. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in allowing Dorsey, over objection, to refer to a diagram of the crime scene. It was not error for the trial court to allow the witness to refer to the diagram for illustrative purposes, even though it was not drawn to scale and not admitted in evidence. Accord
Williams v. State,
7. Appellant contends that the trial court erred in failing to direct the court reporter to record both the voir dire and portions of the charge conference. Although appellant filed a pretrial motion for a
8. Appellant contends that the trial court erred by including in its charge to the jury on entrapment the language disapproved by the Supreme Court in
Keaton v. State,
Judgment affirmed.
