Barber

On October 24, 1985, the Tulare County District Attorney filed information No. 23508 charging appellants William Richard Barber and Rebecca Bledsoe with selling or furnishing cocaine in violation of Health and Safety Code section 11352 (count I); transporting cocaine in violation of Health and Safety Code section 11352 (count II); possessing cocaine in violation of Health and Safety Code section 11350 (count III); and, as to appellant Barber only, carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle while in a public place and on a public street in an incorporated city in violation of Penal Code section 12031, subdivision (a), a misdemeanor (count IV).

A jury trial commenced on February 10, 1986. The trial court denied Bledsoe’s motion to sever her trial from appellant Barber’s trial and granted her motion to sever count IV. Thus, the ultimate disposition of count IV is not a part of this appeal.

The jury found Bledsoe not guilty of counts I and II but convicted Bledsoe of possession of cocaine as charged in count III. The jury found appellant Barber guilty of counts I and II but not guilty of count III. The lower court suspended imposition of appellants’ sentences and placed each…