Fields v. State

Birdsong, Chief Judge.

Willie F. Fields, appellant, brings this appeal from his conviction of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. His appointed counsel has filed a motion to withdraw, pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U. S. 738 (87 SC 1396, 18 LE2d 493). In accordance with Anders, counsel has filed a motion containing a brief in which he found no appealable error or anything which he considered arguably could support an appeal and has provided a copy of such brief to appellant. In addition, as required by Bethay v. State, 237 Ga. 625 (229 SE2d 406), we have thoroughly examined the record and transcript to determine independently if there are any meritorious errors of law. We are in agreement with appellate counsel that the points raised are not meritorious, and our examination discloses no error of any substance. Therefore, this court has granted counsel’s motion to withdraw.

James Thurman, an Albany, Georgia police officer, received information from a reliable confidential informant that a tall black male dressed in beige pants, shirt and shoes, with a brim hat, would be selling cocaine at a designated location. Four police officers in an unmarked police car went to that location and saw the appellant, dressed in beige pants, shoes, shirt and a brown straw hat. The officers pulled over by defendant and he dropped a handkerchief and started to walk away. He was detained by one officer and another officer retrieved the abandoned handkerchief. The handkerchief contained a matchbox containing suspected “rock cocaine.” The officer described the suspected substance as seven $10 pieces of rock cocaine, ten larger $25 pieces, and nine $50 pieces. A forensic chemist from the Georgia Crime Laboratory confirmed that the suspected substance was indeed cocaine. Three officers saw appellant drop the handkerchief and attempt to walk away. Appellant denies he dropped a handkerchief. He said he was drinking brandy and threw the bottle cap on the ground. He never saw a handkerchief and no officer picked up a handkerchief from the ground by his feet. The jury chose to believe the officers.

The evidence adduced at trial was sufficient to enable any rational trier of fact to find the existence of the offense alleged, beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307 (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560). Further, our independent examination of the record and transcript has revealed no error of law requiring reversal.

Upon consideration of the procedure required to be followed by Anders, supra, and Bethay, supra, this court has determined that justice is best served by the procedure adopted by the Georgia Supreme Court. “We now hold that in the future Anders motions will not be granted by this court. We conclude that the Anders motion is unduly burdensome in that it tends to force the court to assume the role of counsel for the appellant. Anders v. California, supra, provides a mechanism for withdrawal of appointed counsel at the appellate level in the event that the appeal would be frivolous, but it does not require such withdrawal. Further, the opinion of the United States Supreme Court does not intimate that an attorney should be subjected to discipline or even disapproval for filing a frivolous appeal in a criminal case. Ever since Griffin v. Illinois, 351 U. S. 12 (76 SC 585, 100 LE 891) (1956), a continuing line of cases has developed protection for the indigent defendant on his first appeal. Therefore, a defendant is entitled to review of any claim which might afford him relief. In this case, as in every other in which an Anders motion has been filed, this court has reviewed the entire record and transcript with very little assistance from counsel who is in a far better position to perceive error than is an appellate court looking at a cold record. We therefore find and now announce to the bar that the Anders motion will no longer be entertained in this court.” Huguley v. State, 253 Ga. 709, 710 (324 SE2d 729).

Judgment affirmed.

McMurray, P. J., Carley, Sognier, Pope and Beasley, JJ., concur. Been, P. J., Banke, P. J., and Benham, J., concur in part and dissent in part.