MEMORANDUM DECISION
Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D),
this Memorandum Decision shall not be FILED
regarded as precedent or cited before any Dec 04 2018, 8:38 am
court except for the purpose of establishing CLERK
the defense of res judicata, collateral Indiana Supreme Court
Court of Appeals
estoppel, or the law of the case. and Tax Court
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
Kurt A. Young Curtis T. Hill, Jr.
Nashville, Indiana Attorney General
Evan Matthew Comer
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
Andre Laughlin, December 4, 2018
Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No.
18A-CR-1139
v. Appeal from the Marion Superior
Court
State of Indiana, The Honorable Lisa F. Borges,
Appellee-Plaintiff Judge
Trial Court Cause No.
49G04-1701-F3-2397
Crone, Judge.
Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-CR-1139 | December 4, 2018 Page 1 of 8
Case Summary
[1] Andre Laughlin appeals his convictions for level 3 felony possession of a
narcotic drug and level 5 felony possession of cocaine, both of which were
enhanced to a higher felony level because he was in possession of a firearm at
the time of the offenses. He asserts that there was insufficient evidence that he
possessed illegal drugs and a firearm. Finding the evidence sufficient, we
affirm.
Facts and Procedural History
[2] Around 4:00 p.m. on January 14, 2017, Michael Parker was in his apartment
on Rybolt Avenue when he heard four to five gunshots coming from the
adjacent building. He looked out his window and saw several people running
from the building including a man, later identified as Reginald Little, wearing
only his underwear and yelling for someone to call 911. Little collapsed on the
ground. While Parker was calling 911, he saw another man run out of the
adjacent building wearing a gray sweatshirt and jeans and holding a black
handgun. Parker later identified this man as Laughlin. Parker saw Laughlin
get in a red pickup truck and drive over to where Little had fallen. Parker then
observed Laughlin get out of the truck and stand there a moment holding the
black handgun before getting back in the truck and driving away.
[3] Police officers arrived at the scene and found Little lying on the ground covered
in blood. Paramedics arrived and transferred Little to a hospital. Officers
learned which apartment Little had been in and recovered three .40 caliber shell
Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 18A-CR-1139 | December 4, 2018 Page 2 of 8
casings from the apartment and found blood spattered on the bed in the back
bedroom.
[4] Meanwhile, IMPD Officer Craig Solomon saw a red pickup truck driving east
on 25th Street that matched the description of the truck seen leaving Rybolt
Avenue. Officer Solomon began following the truck, which turned sharply
onto Franklin Place without adequately signaling, drove rapidly south, and
turned west onto 24th Street, again without adequately signaling. At the
intersection with Bursdal Parkway, the truck stopped behind another vehicle,
then whipped out from behind it, nearly sideswiping it. The truck failed to stop
at the stop sign and turned onto Bursdal Parkway. Officer Solomon initiated a
traffic stop, and the truck pulled over on the shoulder of Bursdal Parkway.
[5] Officer Solomon approached the driver’s side window, and Laughlin handed
him his driver’s license. Officer Solomon observed that Laughlin was very
nervous, his movements were “‘jerky,” and he was speaking rapidly. Tr. Vol. 2
at 85. Officer Solomon returned to his car to check Laughlin’s information. As
he was doing so, he received an updated description of the man with a gun who
was seen leaving Rybolt Avenue and concluded that Laughlin fit the
description. Officer Solomon returned to the truck and asked Laughlin to exit
the vehicle. After handcuffing Laughlin, Officer Solomon found a black .40
caliber semiautomatic handgun lying on the curb outside the opened passenger-
side window of Laughlin’s truck. State’s Ex. 15. Officer Solomon discovered
that the chamber contained a .40 caliber bullet.
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[6] At the time of Laughlin’s arrest, police set up a perimeter around the area. No
foot traffic was permitted in or around the site of the stop. Laughlin was
detained for approximately two hours before being transported to police
headquarters, where he was placed in restraints inside an interview room. The
interview room was located off a narrow, but well-lit, hallway that led from the
main office to a dead end. Detective Patrick Scroggins was investigating the
Rybolt Avenue shooting and spoke with Laughlin in the interview room.
Detective Scroggins had walked in the hallway three or four times earlier and
had not seen anyone in the hallway or anything on the floor. Laughlin asked
Detective Scroggins if he could use the restroom. Detective Scroggins walked
down the hallway to the main office to ask Officer Solomon for assistance, and
both officers returned to Laughlin’s interview room. Neither officer saw any
other person in the hallway or anything on the floor. Detective Scroggins
removed Laughlin from the restraints, and the officers escorted Laughlin back
toward the main office where the restroom was located, single file, with Officer
Solomon leading and Detective Scroggins behind Laughlin.
[7] As they walked down the hallway, both officers heard a soft sound, like an
object hitting the floor. Detective Scroggins saw something out of the corner of
his eye, looked down, and saw a clear bag containing white powdery substances
on the floor within inches of Laughlin’s left foot. Officer Solomon turned
around and saw the bag on the floor. Detective Scroggins quietly picked up the
bag, seemingly without Laughlin’s knowledge. While Laughlin used the
restroom, Detective Scroggins gave the bag to Officer Solomon. The officers
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escorted Laughlin back to the interview room, and Officer Solomon placed the
bag into an evidence envelope. Subsequent lab testing revealed that the white
powdery substances in the bag were 1.6690 grams of cocaine and 12.2131
grams of fentanyl.
[8] The State charged Laughlin with Count I, level 3 felony possession of a narcotic
drug; Count II, level 5 felony possession of cocaine; and Count III, level 5
felony battery by means of a deadly weapon. Appellant’s App. Vol. 2 at 142. A
jury found him guilty of Counts I and II and not guilty of Count III. The trial
court sentenced Laughlin to an aggregate term of nine years, with six years
suspended. This appeal ensued.
Discussion and Decision
[9] Laughlin challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions.
In reviewing a claim of insufficient evidence, we do not reweigh the evidence or
judge the credibility of witnesses, and we consider only the evidence that
supports the verdict and the reasonable inferences arising therefrom. Bailey v.
State, 907 N.E.2d 1003, 1005 (Ind. 2009). “We will affirm if there is substantial
evidence of probative value such that a reasonable trier of fact could have
concluded the defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” Id.
[10] To convict Laughlin of level 3 felony possession of a narcotic drug, the State
was required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that (1) he knowingly or
intentionally possessed a schedule I or II narcotic drug in a pure or adulterated
form; (2) the amount of the drug was at least ten grams but less than twenty-
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eight grams; and (3) he committed the offense while in possession of a firearm.
Appellant’s App. Vol. 2 at 142; Ind. Code §§ 35-48-1-16.5(2); 35-48-4-6(a), -
(d)(2). To convict him of level 5 felony possession of cocaine, the State was
required to prove that (1) he knowingly or intentionally possessed cocaine in a
pure or adulterated form; (2) the amount of the drug was less than five grams;
and (3) he committed the offense while in possession of a firearm. Ind. Code §§
35-48-1-16.5(2); 35-48-4-6(a), -(b)(2).
[11] Specifically, Laughlin argues that the evidence is insufficient to prove that he
possessed the illegal drugs and the firearm, asserting that no one saw him
discard the bag or the firearm; the bag was not examined for DNA or
fingerprints; and the firearm had no fingerprints and was not examined for
DNA. We observe that a conviction for a possessory offense does not depend
on catching a defendant red-handed. Gray v. State, 957 N.E.2d 171, 174 (Ind.
2011). Indiana courts have long recognized that the element of possession may
be established by proof of actual or constructive possession. Griffin v. State, 945
N.E.2d 781, 783 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011). “Actual possession occurs when a
defendant has direct physical control over an item, whereas constructive
possession occurs when a person has the intent and capability to maintain
dominion and control over the item.” Id. Circumstantial evidence can be
sufficient to establish constructive possession or to support an inference of
actual possession. State v. Hill, 688 N.E.2d 1280, 1283 (Ind. Ct. App. 1997),
trans. denied (1998).
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[12] Turning first to the illegal drugs, the evidence shows that Laughlin was in an
interview room at police headquarters; civilians are not allowed to wander in
the hallway or around interview rooms at police headquarters. The interview
room was off a hallway that led from the main office to a dead end and is well
lit. Detective Scroggins had walked down the hall between the main office and
Laughlin’s interview room three or four times that day before Laughlin’s
request to use the restroom and had not seen any other people in the hallway or
anything on the floor. After Laughlin asked to use the restroom, Detective
Scroggins walked down the hallway again and returned with Officer Solomon,
and neither officer saw any other person or anything on the floor. As the
officers escorted Laughlin down the hall to the restroom, both officers heard a
soft sound like something hitting the floor. Immediately after hearing the
sound, Detective Scroggins saw something from the corner of his eye, looked
down, and saw the bag containing the illegal drugs within inches of Laughlin’s
left foot. This is sufficient evidence from which a reasonable factfinder could
find that Laughlin had actual possession of the bag and dropped it in the
hallway. Laughlin’s argument is merely an invitation to reweigh the evidence,
which we must decline.
As to the firearm, the evidence shows that Officer Solomon found a black .40
caliber handgun lying on the curb next to the passenger-side window of
Laughlin’s red truck, and the window was rolled down even though it was
January. Parker saw Laughlin with a black handgun twice, when Laughlin
exited the adjacent building and when he got out of his truck. Parker positively
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identified Laughlin in a photo array as the man he had seen carrying the
handgun. The police found three .40 caliber shell casings in the apartment,
where Little had been and the bullet in the handgun Officer Solomon found
outside Laughlin’s truck was also .40 caliber. In addition, Laughlin’s erratic
driving after Officer Solomon began following him is consistent with evasive
actions one would take to avoid being followed by a police officer. See Hayes v.
State, 876 N.E.2d 373, 376 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007) (“Flight may be considered by
the fact-finder in determining a defendant’s guilt”), trans. denied (2008). From
this evidence, a reasonable factfinder could find that the handgun found outside
Laughlin’s truck was the same handgun that Parker saw Laughlin carrying
earlier that day. In addition, Laughlin would not have had any opportunity to
obtain the illegal drugs after Officer Solomon pulled him over, and therefore the
only reasonable inference is that he had them in his possession before he was
pulled over. Thus, the evidence supports a reasonable inference that Laughlin
possessed the handgun while in possession of the illegal drugs. Accordingly, we
conclude that the evidence is sufficient and affirm Laughlin’s convictions.
[13] Affirmed.
Najam, J., and Pyle, J., concur.
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