White v. State

The evidence authorized a finding that the defendant had joint possession of the drugs found below the front passenger seat of his van where he was sitting at the time of the stop in question.

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Following a jury trial, Terrance Floyd White was convicted of possession of more than one ounce of marijuana,1 obstruction of a law enforcement officer misdemeanor,2 and failure to provide proof of insurance.3 He appeals his possession conviction and the denial of his motion for new trial, challenging the sufficiency of the evidence. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm. “On appeal from a criminal conviction, the evidence must be construed in a light most favorable to the verdict and White no longer enjoys a presumption of innocence.” Punctuation omitted. Berry v. State .4 In evaluating the sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction, we do not weigh the evidence or determine witness credibility, but only determine whether a rational trier of fact could have found the defendant guilty of the charged offenses beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia .5

So viewed, the record shows that on November 2, 2006, a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a van that was displaying an improper temporary license tag while traveling on Interstate 20. Upon stopping the van, the deputy observed that it had two occupants: a female driver and a male in the front passenger’s seat, who was later identified as White. At the deputy’s request, the driver identified herself as Cynthia Rockmore, which information White confirmed. However, the driver was unable to produce a driver’s license, proof of insurance, or the van’s registration, nor could she provide the deputy with her correct social security number or date of birth. Given the circumstances, the deputy arrested the driver, and shortly thereafter, she admitted that she had provided the deputy with her mother’s name because her own license had been suspended.

White v. State

The evidence authorized a finding that the defendant had joint possession of the drugs found below the front passenger seat of his van where he was sitting at the time of the stop in question.

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