Bozeman v. State Appeal from Pickens Circuit Court

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T}IE STATE OF ALABAMA --- JUDICIAL DEPARTMEI{T

THE AI"ABA},IA COURT OF CRIMINAL. APPEALS

OCTOBER TERM, 19BO-81

2 Div. 27 6

Maggie S. Bozeman

v.

State

Appeal from Pickens Circuit Court

DeCARLO, JUDGE

" Ttre grand jury of Pickens County irtdicted t-he appellanE

ancl chargecl trc:r in a three-counL inclicLment vrirh voEing more

than once or deposi.ting, more than one absentee ballot for the



o o
s.rnle of f j-cc zts hcr voi-c, ot.' cas Linl; ilIr:gurl ol: fratrclulent

a)' irbscntee bal..l.ots. Tiris :Ls a cornpanion case tc, {r!LL R-.__U!lg-e,:

_yr_ S!_q}-r:, 2 J).iv. 26?. (I,Is. },Iar:ch 3}, 198l) .

Thc indict.nent in t:iris case, orni.tting the formal parts,

reads as follows:

"I'trc Grand -Iur:y of sai.d CounLy charge, that,
before the finding of this; indicrment, Maggie
S. Ilozenran, r.Ihose nanle to the Grand Jtrry is
othenvise unknown:

"COUt'lT ONE

"did vote nore than once, or did deposit more
tlran one ball.ot for the same office as her vote,
or did vote i1.1ega1ly or fraudulently, in the
Democratic Primary Run*off Election of September
26, rg78,

"COUi'iT TI^IO

"did vote more than once as an absentee voter,
or did deposit more than one absentee balloc
for the same office or offices as her vote,
or did cast illegal or fraudulent absentee
bal1ots, in the Dernocratic Primary Run-of f
Election of Septenrber 26, 1978,

''COUNT TTIREE

"did cast illegal or fraudr-rlent absentee ballots
in the DetnocraLic Primary Run-off Election of
.September 26,1978,.in that she did deposit rvith
the Pickens County Circuit Clerk, absentee ballots
whicl'r rvere f::audulent .and which she knerv to be
fr:rudulent, against the peace and dignity of the
State of Alabama."

After a trvo-clay tri.al which encled on l.lovember 2, Lg7g,

tl-rc appellant was fotrnci 6r,uilt.y as charged in the indictment and

sc:ntr:ncecl to I.our yC;lrs irnprisollmeil t. She gave not j-ce of ap1>ea1

ancl filecl a rnotion for a nelr trial. The motion rvas subsequg$1y_-
*---

clcrricd vrherr no tcsEirnony or arg,uinent tv;rs ntade on behalf of the

r;ro t i.on .

l'hcr evidence prcsent.ecl at tr:ia1 ruas sutrsLantially

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't

NI:.;. Jmnice TiI Iey' s tes Li.rnony concel-n,i.ni1 absentee

.rutfirll pr.'occrilltt--ct; r.i.rs s'.rbst:itnt-iaJ.Iy si.rnillrr t:o her testimor-ry

i n Ili.-1r!g1, sjrrprl. i,ls; . Ti..1.1.e1, s [.;ri-c'cl t-liat. t]re rvr:c:k precr:cli.ng

Llre Septcutbrl r 26 , I97B Dcritocr.';rt.ic 1'r irnary 'lirrn-of i. IlccLion

slrcr gave thc ;:rppell:rnt- appr:oxiriraLel.y Lr.rerlt.y--fi-r,,c to thi-rty

airsenLee voting al.rplicat:Lc,lrs;. I.Is. T.Lllcy test.ifi cd Ltrat the

appt:11ernt cane Lo the l'ickerl.s CorinEy Cir-cui.L Cl.r:r:li'.s off.Lce

re(lrles Eing the applications or) s everal occersi.ons . l{s . Tilley speci-
<-.-.....-

fically rerncmbr:rerl seeing thc appellani- on Septerlber 25th in thc

conrpany of Julia l.lilde::- Ms. Ti.lley recalled seeing the appellant

in a car outside ther clerl<'s office at- that Eime, buE she did

"not reuember: vzheiher appellant helself retLlrned any ballots

to the office. Ms. Tilley noticed.that a number of ballots rrlere

mailed to the same address, 601 lfenth Avenue }Iorthwe.st, Alicev-i1le,

Alabama.
a--*---''

During cross-examinati on, i'is . Tilley tes tif j-ed that

there is no requirernent that. applications for absentee voLi.ng

be pickecl up by the voters theursel'res.

Pickens County Sherj.ff Loui-e Colc:nl;rn's testiurony

was substanLially the same as hi-s testimony in I,Jil.clr'-I, supra.

Mr.. Char.l.es Iate tesLifj.ccl bas; j.cal.ly coneerning, h-i.s

parEicip;rtion in invel;ti5iat.in5; t.hc vot:Lng, i-t.regularities in

t-hr: SepEernber:, 1978 e.l-r:c1;.ion. Ln c:ount-ing Ltrcr bal.l.ots r';hich trad

ber:n clotrbl,.l loc1.-ed ir-l Ltr: i>:r [.l.ot. l,to:,:, 1-trvcsri.j fiiit-c>r: 'I'at:c: obsr:i^vccl

t-tr2t Lhi.::ty-nine <;f. the bal.IoLs h;rcl beerr rtotar.Lzed try I';rtrl C.

i(oll j.ns . Al; parE of h j-s j.nves t L;5i,rt-i-on, Iir. 'I;tEe e>lantincd tl-rc:

Iri.cltens Cotrnt y Circti:i.t. Cl.crk' s; r ecorcl:; t:o vt--l:i-fy whc:thcr

e(.tJ.r:erjpoit,J.inl; ;tpi;1i<.:;,tt j otrs Iti;ri br:c:ir Jli.l r:d Lot' t-hcr .,tbsci.rtee

bal.1.ot-r: , .,.rir.i r:lt lrr: f r-rttrrcl t.o bc Lhc (:ils(r .

')- )--



, IIr. Iraul L. ilollins, a notary public frorn

. 
T ,.r:icaloosa, tcstif i-ecl thert hc trail ]<no,..rn Ltre a1>pellanL nine

()l: t.t:n year.s. l'ir.-. llol--[ins rvas shor.rn sc:vcral oI the thirty-ni.ne

brr.l.l,ots he not;lrj.zecl on sepLernber: 23, lgTB in his; of fj-ce in

'l'us;c;rloosa. All of thes;e ballo ts lracl nol bcen signed j.n his

prcsence:Ircl Lira.t he r'zas not l'rersonally acquainLed vrith those

porsons v:ho lracl signecl. Mr. Itollj.ns sLatecl that appellzrnt,

Jtrlia i,lilder and trvo ot.her 1aclic,.s br:oughr ttre ballots to

iris office and r.rere present when he notarized them. He further

testifj-ed that he had talked vrith the appellant about notarizing

the ballots.

cross-exanrination, Mr. Rollins stated that he

aclvised the appellant, I'Is. Wilder ?.rd the other two ladiies that

the persons signing the ballots were supposed to be in his

presence. Mr. Rollins testified that pri.or to notarizing the

ballots he receivcd t\.io telephone calIs pertaining to the

l>al-Iots ancl that one bf the calls rvas from the appellant.

P.o1lj.ns statecl thaL he rvas pai.cl fot nis services; ancl that

subsequentl.y vrent to Picl<ens County to find those persons

had a1legedIy signed the baIlots.. IIe had the appellant's

urnistance on that occasion, hoiriver, he vlas sure he did

go to Pickens County prior to September 26, Lg7B.

Mr.

he

who

not

voLcr of

i-O vote

Rtrn'off

t-o vc.rt.e.

, 
-.\ CM'1'

L)-i.c:1.-r,:rrs Cr:r-rnt-y arrcl s 1.;rt-ccl Ltrat she sig,ned arr appli-cation

al-ri;c:nLc:e in ttre Sc1>tctttber 26, L97B De:tnocratic Primary

Iil.e.ction'. She tesfifiecl th;rr she never recei.ved a ballot

,i,,,riu o n,., ,;;;) ry6'."u^r.t. ;__"-I) ,"u
------< -- (--- --- - -. ----- ----'._-------*--s ..*.---i^---'--

:; !crsLjrnen), r.I.rs sulrst-:.n'It.i;rl1.y tilc s,rlne as their( I'ir:. I:litt: Diincy'

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. hc 1-p c:cl he r

I'l.l cct-ion.

ba-t .Lot.

l'1rs Ii.i.chr:y

[: (l v()Lcl erb..;en't-(:rr

Shc lr;r,-l no obj ect

t.esLi-fi-ed that- Jr-tli-er I,lilder

in ttie Dcll:o<:'r:l: [:j r: Prirrrtrr:y llun-of .[

j.orr t-o Lhe r.ray I{s. \.li.lcler mar:kecl lter

IIr.s. Itronn:Lc I]. lti.ce tes tif ic:cl thaL she voted absentee

in Ltte Detnc-rcraLi.c Pri.rnary ltun- o f.f Elcct j oir , ancl LhaL her application

and ba.Llot. cante iu L:he mai.1. She staEecl th;rE she rnarked hcr.'

"X's" rvithouL assistance ancl t.hcn signecl hc:r name on the ballot.

I'lrs;. Rice gave her bal1oL to Julia l.lj.lder. she did not knorv

PauI C. Rollins.

Ninety-three-year-old Lou Sommervj-lle testifie.d thaL

she vras.a registerecl voter in Pickens Counry and that Jtr1ia

trlilder assisted her in voting in the September 26, 1-978

Democratic Primary l{un*off Election. Mrs. Sommervill-e sEated

that she placed her ballot in the' box at the pol-ls . I,Irs.

Sommerville insistecl th:r.t Jtrlia I'Jilde:: ancl hcrrl daughter: were

the only per:sons rvho hacl ever assisLeci hr:r in vo[ing, absentee,

and she ,made her 
.or,rn 

rrXrr marl<. I{rs. Sorrincr:ville did nor }<.no',.r

PauL C. P.ollins.

Sophia Spann, tvhose absent-ee ballot r.ras notar.Lzed by

Paul Rollins at the appcll.ant's; requerst, testifiect that she

alr.iays votecl in Cochran, Alzttraura, ancl that shc trad never voted

:i.n i\li.cevill.e. I'Is., Spann statcc'! thaL she hacl never voted an

absenLcc blrllot-, btrt. f htrt- the :ippc1I..lrrl, it;:rl c:oiir,3 t.c h,:r 1',6,lsr:ic

ancl hacl tal-kecl to hc:r: alrout it. She hacl l:rror.rn thc appell;rnt

;-rl.l. hcr 1j.fe. On t.irc ocr-:asi.on the app.ollartt talkr:d rvi.th l'ls.

Siir;urn, i'is. Spann l-cs; t i.f i.r:d t-haL Lhe fcrl I o'.,ri.r.rg coil\'ct-sj;ttion

ocr:ur:recl:

"Sihr,r i ur; L- irs;l<r-:tJ Inc bcc:.tusc riiy lrtr:;l-rarrcl t.lits si cii.
.A.:r rl _.';_hi.:_ :r.i:ir t.fL. mi_ !l l.(]-- .t _-lil-,_', !..._!te.l _!,Ll . v_g !l::_ ,Lor._-l q.
Arrcl I r.tclir Ir.ln' t. her,,rc ]..etl t-o (:()iirc ovrir^ t-o Al icr:v-i-I.l-c .

" L s;;ti.<1 , 'ri,r.lylrt:. .t cJort't. lt,:tvr: t.r-r go t,i.r AIj-c:c:viIli:.
'[ vot r,'l; irl (ir-,i:itrirlr. ' -[ irirvr:tt' i. \/(]t,c'(l i r-r Al.i c,::vi'l.J-,:
j rr r!l'/ .L i { ,:. .l voLe ;; hrrre'.. .Jul; t. s; i..rtt.'t-etl to vot:in1',
t.i 5','r.yL -i.l'r Cor-'irr';1ir. '['ltat:'s :rl-J L vot-t,. " []irnl;tr,-r.s.Ls .l'lcii:<l-

, ri_.

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d

t I'Is. Spr-rnn clcnicd cvc:r rn;rkini,, lpplicat.ion for ar1

abs;trnLcc l;;rl.loL, or: to hav.Lrrg evcr signod her: n;rme to one.

Sir:r: I..Ti-Idcr', .sLrp]--a, ancl ttre atL;rclicd apperrclix.

Oir crc,ss- cxanti.nat Lon , I'ls . Spzrnn Le.sEif ied that she

kncrv Jrrli;r l.lilcler, trut "I don't knorv her nor.hi.ng l.ike l- do

Pl;r11gie. " Sher clenjecl thart Julia l'I.i..[clcr: had ever becn to her

, trorrse and furt.hcr clenied ever havJ.ng dj.scussed voting vrith her

on .rny occasion. ancl sai<1, "I clon't knor.l anyLtring about that."

Ms, Spann testified ttrat- the appellant talked to her

before voting tirne. "She thoughL I had to come to Aliceville

and she.rvas helping me- And I told her I didn't have to go :

to Aliceville, I votcs in Cochran,'and. I clidn't need the heIp."

I'{s. Spann ne>',t- testifiecl t}r.at rvhen she r.retrt to Cochran to vote,

a voting official tolcl her she had already voted in Aliceville;

"somebody hacl votecl for me over at the Ali.ceville. ."

Fr:om the r:g.cord

"Q. A rltresLion like that carne uP?

"A. Yes , s ir. I^lhcrn I rva.Lkecl in, I'Irs . Charf ene
saicl, there's my marna. Horv come you so late?

So, she said, 'vrell, thaL ' s all right.
Sgryglg-fly_<i-cr119-loLecl' for: yotr o-ver: at the-Ali"-"-yi1l.,'
eUcl__g_hg_rhglved it co-r!e. And she aslied me did I
lcnorv that vr::iring. I 'didn't knorv that writing.

"Q. Novr, vrho tolci y.r,, that ?
',.

"A. lhe tady cloi'rn .rt- Cochran, the lady, Ilrs.
Cir r-rr:1. (:rI e , l'ir . Ilardy Bal clr'riri ' s r'ri f e

"Q. Di.d s;he tel.l yotr hovr she colne to l<nol,'r ttrat you
hacl votcrcl?

"A. It r.ras; in the box at Cochran. The paper \'Ias
in l-he box ancl he Isi c] got it. ancl sholcrd i t- to

' rrio and as;ked ine did I l'-I-to',v ih;rL: h;rndrvt:iting' I
r-1i.cln' t l.-nor./ j-f.. 'I'haL's; zrl.L of. it. r' IErnp]rasis ac]ded- J

)1r..; . I uc- j.l.l c Ilarris;' t-es; ti niony rvars subs tanti,ally t.he

r;;ri;lri ;rsr lrer.' L r:s t.it;rony in !'lf.t_S]flf , suPra '

hL t lrcr ccrircltrsiion of I'irs;. il:rr:t. i-s' Lc:s;titnorty ttrc Statt:

r-r::;t-i,ci .it.l; (:iti;(.: ltril ;tilirc11-:tnt-'s; trrot- iot-tl; t'cl c:<c:l'ttcr"'l r'/el:e cleni'ccl'

,.1 i:,.: (-lr-) [(jil:;(. c].i cl rrr.rl'-. i)rcrjr:r1 t- ;t C;ts;C. C1o;i-nq aL-fl,LltltcnLl; rv<:re hacl

;rir:,1 i-lrrr t-t:,i ir.l. c()trrl- I)r()[)r:rI/ ctr;rrlr,eci Lirr: jury .'lt; L.o [he l:t,..r, fhere

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bc,Lr-r Ir, no exct:p Li

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orl S

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,/-*-\ \
( S ec t- io n .t.'l -21-- I \\_._ )

1'l i I rr.c::, sLrlrr iI-' /

ind.i.c t-irtetrt in

the :lncl ict-ment

iVi.Ldcr, supra.

Lalccn.

Cloclo ol

.t.

lil a}-r;.inrit .f 9 / 5, is; c()1t-<; L.i [:ut-.i-orr;r]- .

'I'ire

par t- t.o

rr;r I ir,l .

II.

this c;rr-ic),

in lV.i I 11r:r ,

rvhicli

sLlpr:il

l_s

-t- J

ic.lcnl- Lc:a I .i-n prcr t-i nent-

ct)ns t.i tu [:.i.onar l -1.y

II1.

'Ihe elvidence, although circumst.rnL j-aI to a -Large <legree

and confusing in several itrstances;, r.ras suf f icient to suplrort----
ttre juryrs ver:dict.. In reviewing the suf f ici.ency of circumstantial

<:_-. 
-_..

ev-id.ence Lhe ;;;;;;" appliecr is ,,,rvherher rhe jury rnighr

reasonably fincl thal. bhe evidence excltrclecl every reasonable

hypobhesis except thaL of guilt; not r.rhether such eviclence excl.ucles

every reasonable hypol-hesis but guilt, but rvhether a jury mi-ghl:

reasonably so conclucle. (Ci tati.ons onitted) . ' " Pplyl.n_v._ g!g!_e_,

391 So.2d 133, L37 (AI.a, 1980); !lr1$tq_ y-.._:2!g!9, 368 
.So.2c1 

871,

874 (nl.a.Cr.App. I97B), cert. clcnjecl, 3C',tl So.2ct 877 (At:r. I!179).

On review, this court is requ-irec1 to coniiicler the eviclence in

the light most- favorabl.e Lo the pr:osecutj.on. Uac_gfq_!_Sta{-e,

3'l3So.2d 1242 (hla.Cr.APp. 1.979); C_oLcinan v. Stat-c_, 37 i\Ia.App,
-.-__--

4O5, 69 So.2d 48-L (1954) . Thj.s court lnus;t i..rke thc evidence

favorable to the f)rosecl,rt.i-orr as L.tttic, arrcl acc:orc-l Lo the State

atI j.eEi.tintrte j.nfcrer-:cr:':s {-trct--ci.roni. :lq.{ilU{:-l---.Y_:-. SLl_rc_, 378

5,,t-2c1, I.l f--,.i (,rrta.(lr.I'pp. ) r c:ert-. c1i,:ttic:rl, 37ii So.2c1 I:1.73 (nlir.

1979). Cj.r:<:utrs;tant,i-arl evj.dr'-:nr::e tur,rst- trr: ;lr:<:c-r:'clccl tI:c,r s;a(r'{l wc.i-glri:

as cli.rect- evj.dence r.rhen iL i:o.Ltrts t,o tlrc trcc;ut;cil ils L.hc qr.rilty

part!/. LXJ-.9 .l{:_-:S_!-:li._9, 33t} So. 2d 4Sit (A1.,-'r .Cr -Apir. I976) L'hc

t-ru t.il f trlnt:s;s; o.L t-lrc tcl; i. i.tnc;lry rvit s; f t,t' t-itc: tr.i.cr:s of f atct. . i,i;t1'

y..--ii!,il-!.g , 3'li\ S)ct.2rl ?.tt') (nItr.Cr:.A1t;r. 1.976) -

'['het:,-: l]rl i:(:, ',r(.) (:ou(:l ucit:, etf t.c.,r ;rccot:ri.i ttg l-lr,: vcrcl j.ct a l..l

rc:;l:;artrirl-r.Lr: [,i.(::!;r.u.:ri)l-:i c>ll c.tf (:(')j-L(-'(.tt-lt{::.;!; , l-lt.rt- t.iit: <:v.i.ctctr<.'r.-'\,'i}s;

::'1"..i r;icrrrt- [,o:;Lrr)i',,-)r.'l l.itr: t'cr:rii-c1.. i']c iti:(r r.-:(')rIVitr.:c<l Lhit. l-.1r..)

,i,. ,i;-r.:L- \./.r'i Irarl. ',','i.orr'-J ()l. ttt-l'i lr:';t. Ll.fl.l i'ictli rlrlL. 1.r.rl-r:ttt-lv ;-riit.i.:rs;L

t-ir.-: ,,.,,:-i.rrirt: ,.)l' i.li,': (:.,, jc.l ,.'tirc(.:. j,t.i.<1,'tcg \7. S,i t-.rt-t: ,2t"4 :il.t. ti!.2,

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' 2"2.? So . Zcl 82f (1969)

IV.

flrer.e: is no lr'tcriL to ;rppcllan['s fj.nal argumeni:

t.J.r:rL hcr coiliit:ir:ut:Lcnii--;Gi,t;--i./c're -tTil;l-ecl rvhen the Srate

rrsc:(l its pereirptory s.tril<es.; to excl.ucle al.l. blacks from the
(_-

We llave searched the record for error prejudicial

to appellant and have found none, therefore, the judgment of

conviction by the Pickens Circui-E Court is affirmecl.

AF}'IRMED.

A1.1. the Judges concur.

j ur:y venire. Thi.l; qucri ti.on rvar; de:lli.niLivc1y 6ri:rs\,,,,clre d in
\_"- " *--^-"'--

-s-gaIr-fi.-Al-q!r-.,'D lac u. s. zoz, 13 L. Ed. ?-ct I5g, 85 s. ct.
* - __/-=_*-._..:, : j i_t ._::. ---- -'-

82ti (1965); fUfipeg_y.__q!.r1")49 Ala. App. 233, 27o So. 2d, 666;
\.:r]l::-*,<'\

Qarpentsr: _L._q.tg.!g\ AIa. Cr. App. I"ls. 6 Div. L54 (June, 1980)
__)