Thursday, December 1, 2011

Law Updates for November 24, 2011

L.M., 36 FLW 2467, 3rd DCA, CCW - Error to find juvenile guilty of CCW where weapon was BB gun which was not loaded with pellets and lacked a CO2 air cartridge and no testimony describing its operation of the nature and characteristics of injuries, if any, it was capable of inflicting, K.C.,49 So. 3d 841, 843(4th DCA 2010)

Ylomon, 36 FLW 2488, 4th DCA, Constructive possession - Court erred in denying JOA where State only proved that the defendant was sitting on a couch with a codefendant in close proximity to controlled substances and paraphernalia and no evidence was presented from which the State could infer that the defendant had the ability to exercise control over the drugs.

Jackson, 36 FLW 2499, 4th DCA, Conspiracy to traffic in oxycodone - No evidence to convict for conspiracy where there was no evidence of defendant's participation in any prior activity regarding drug transactions sufficient to establish an agreement to traffic in oxycodone.  Even if present at pre-arranged drug transaction and may have been a lookout is, insufficient to prove any implied agreement, maybe proof of trafficking but no proof of underlying understanding or agreement.

Gore, 36 FLW 2500, 4th DCA, Pharmacy and medical records - Trial Court properly denied motion to suppress pharmacy records which police obtained without a warrant or subpoena.  There is some expectation of privacy in pharmacy records.  Police may secure pharmacy records of Ch 893 controlled substances pursuant to a criminal investigation, but not pharmacy records of all prescriptions.  Trial court erred in denying motion to suppress medical records and physician statement which police obtained without a subpoena or defendant's authorization.