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Feliciano v. State

The jury could infer from the evidence that the defendant knew that the vehicle he was riding in had a hidden compartment containing cocaine and cash.

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Following a jury trial, Armando Feliciano was convicted on one count of trafficking in cocaine1 and on one count of operating a vehicle containing a secret compartment.2 He appeals his conviction and the denial of his motion for new trial, arguing that the trial court erred in denying his motion for directed verdict of acquittal because the evidence was insufficient to prove that he possessed the cocaine. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm. “On appeal, the standard of review for denial of a motion for directed verdict is the same as that for determining sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction.” Punctuation omitted. Terry v. State .3 In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, “the evidence must be construed in a light most favorable to the verdict and Feliciano no longer enjoys a presumption of innocence.” Punctuation omitted. Dennis v. State .4 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 12, 2007, police officers were monitoring traffic on Interstate 85 in Banks County for the purpose of conducting a drug interdiction training session. At approximately 10:45 a.m., the officers observed a gold Toyota Camry following another vehicle too closely and thus initiated a traffic stop. After the vehicle had stopped, one of the officers approached and asked the driver to exit the vehicle. As the driver complied, the officer noticed that he was perspiring, that his hands were shaking, that he was breathing heavily, and that he was avoiding eye contact. The officer also noticed that a passenger was in the backseat of the vehicle and that the vehicle’s interior did not contain any luggage or extra clothing.

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