JACKIE FORCHIN, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Jackie Forchin appeals the revocation of his probation based on alleged tampering with physical evidence and failure to report to his probation officer. The court affirmed the revocation, finding that while the tampering charge could not legally support revocation under State v. Jennings, Forchin's willful failure to report provided sufficient grounds for revocation.
The tampering charge could not legally serve as a basis for probation revocation because Forchin was neither under arrest nor knew officers were investigating him when he swallowed the bag. However, Forchin's willful failure to report to his probation officer on the designated date constituted sufficient grounds for revocation.
[1] A defendant's act of swallowing a substance after being approached by individuals identifying themselves as police, but before being arrested or knowing an investigation…
[2] Willful and substantial failure to report to a probation officer as directed can serve as a legal basis for the revocation of probation.
Previewing 2 of 3 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Under virtually indistinguishable facts, this court in State v. Jennings, held that a criminal defendant had not tampered with evidence when he swallowed cocaine rocks after an officer shouted 'police' where the defendant was neither under arrest at the time nor did he know that a law enforcement officer was about to instigate an investigation.”
Establishes the legal standard that tampering with evidence requires knowledge of arrest or investigation, which was absent here.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceForchin was placed on probation in 1993 following a drug possession conviction, with a special condition requiring outpatient drug treatment. While on…
The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.
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PER CURIAM.
Jackie Forchin appeals an order revoking his probation based upon his alleged commission of tampering with physical evidence while on probation and failure to report to his probation officer as directed. Based upon this court’s decision of State v. Jennings, 647 So. 2d 294 (Fla. 3d DCA1994), rev. granted, 659 So. 2d 1089 (Fla.1995), we find that the tampering charge could not legally serve as a basis for the revocation but For-chin’s willful failure to report as directed could. Accordingly, we affirm.
Forchin was placed on probation in 1993 following a conviction for possession of a controlled substance.1 As a special condition of probation, the court ordered that he receive drug treatment on an outpatient basis. While Forchin was still on probation, the State filed an affidavit alleging that Forchin had committed the criminal offense of tampering with physical evidence on or about November 10,1994 and that Forchin failed to report to his probation officer two days earlier on November 8, 1994 for a referral to an outpatient drug program.
The State’s evidence in support of the tampering charge was essentially that several police officers observed Forchin exchange money for a small plastic bag containing a white substance while Forchin stood in an enclosed bus bench. As Forchin walked away from the bus bench toward a grassy median in the street, two officers got out of unmarked cars and identified themselves as police to Forchin. Forchin then swallowed the plastic bag containing the white substance. After a brief struggle wherein the officers were unsuccessful in their attempts to get Forchin to expel the plastic bag, For-chin was arrested for tampering with physical evidence and resisting arrest without violence.2
Under virtually indistinguishable facts, this court in State v. Jennings, held that a crimi nal defendant had not tampered with evidence when he swallowed cocaine rocks after an officer shouted “police” where the defendant was neither under arrest at the time nor did he know that a law enforcement officer was about to instigate an investigation. As in Jennings, Forchin was neither under arrest nor did he know that the officers were investigating him when he swallowed the plastic bag containing the white substance. Thus, as a matter of law, we find that the tampering charge could not serve as a basis for the revocation of Forchin’s probation.
As to Forchins failure to present himself to his probation officer on November 8, we do find that the greater weight of the evidence supported the trial court’s determination that Forchin’s conduct was willful and substantial in nature to support the revocation. Green v. State, 620 So. 2d 1126, 1129 (Fla. 1st DCA 1993); Steiner v. State, 604 So. 2d 1266, 1267 (Fla. 4th DCA 1992). The probation officer had given Forchin the opportunity to appear on any date from November 1st through November 8th. Forchin telephoned his probation officer on November 1st with an excuse for his non-appearance on that date. There was no evidence that Forchin thereafter ever attempted to appear before his probation officer from November 1st through the 8th. Although For-chin testified below that a heavy rainstorm precluded his appearance on the 8th, the trial court rejected this contention when it noted that the weather had not precluded the probation officer from being present in the office on that date. Since there is ample evidence in the record to support these findings, the trial court’s resolution of the evidence will not be disturbed on appeal. See Tibbs v. State, 397 So. 2d 1120, 1123 (Fla.1981), aff'd, 457 U.S. 31, 102 S.Ct. 2211, 72 L.Ed.2d 652 (1982); State v. Guerra, 455 So. 2d 1046, 1048 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984), rev. denied, 461 So. 2d 114 (Fla.1985); State v. Garcia, 431 So. 2d 651 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983).
Affirmed.
. Forchin was also sentenced to serve 364 days in jail.
. Prior to the probation violation hearing, For-chin was tried by a jury both on the tampering charge and on a charge of resisting an officer without violence. The jury failed to reached a verdict on the tampering charge but acquitted Forchin on the resisting charge.
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Meeks v. State, 754 So. 2d 101 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000)…robation or community control must be both willful and substantial before such status may be revoked in the first instance. See Howard v. [*107] State, 484 So. 2d 1232 (Fla.1986); Davis v. State, 704 So. 2d 681 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997); Forchin v. State, 660 So. 2d 763 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995); Jones v. State, 611 So. 2d 26 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992); Harris v. State, 610 So. 2d 36 (Fla. 2d DCA 1992). In my view '‘substantial” and "substantive” are synonymous terms. "Technical” and "substantial” seem to me to be antonymous ter…
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State v. Forchin, 684 So. 2d 820 (Fla. 1996)…GRIMES, Justice. We have for review Forchin v. State, 660 So. 2d 763 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995), which expressly and directly conflicts with our opinion in State v. Jennings, 666 So. 2d 131 (Fla.1995). We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 3(b)(3), Fla. Const. Jackie Forchin was charged with violation of probation based on allega…1 / 2
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Gomez v. State, 755 So. 2d 196 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000)…PER CURIAM. Affirmed. See Forchin v. State, 660 So. 2d 763 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995), approved, 684 So. 2d 820 (Fla.1996); McLaurin v. State, 585 So. 2d 473 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991); Guardado v. State, 562 So. 2d 696 (Fla. 3d [*197] DCA 1990), review denied, 576 So. 2d 287 (Fla.1990); § 948.06(5), Fla. Stat. (1999).…
Authorities Cited
- Tibbs v. Florida, 457 U.S. 31 (U.S. 1982)
- Delbert Lee Tibbs v. State, 397 So. 2d 1120 (Fla. 1981)
- Ladon Maurice Green v. State, 620 So. 2d 1126 (Fla. 1st DCA 1993)
- State v. Garcia, 431 So. 2d 651 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983)
- State v. Guerra, 455 So. 2d 1046 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984)
- State v. Darrel Jennings, 647 So. 2d 294 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994)