State ex rel. J.N.

984 So. 2d 910
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided May 7, 2008·No. Nos. 2007-CA-1229, 2007-CA-1306·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinions

DAVID S. GORBATY, Judge.

hJ.N.1 appeals a delinquency adjudication and disposition wherein he was placed in secure custody of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of Youth Development, for a period of two years. For the following reasons, we affirm.

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

J.N. was arrested May 13, 2006, and charged with simple burglary. The sequence of events leading to the arrest is as follows: NOPD Sergeant Philibert heard a police radio broadcast reporting a crime in the area. He responded to the call and began patrolling the area. He located a woman, later identified as Dawn Eastman, who reported to him that she saw the perpetrator turn down Laurel Street towards Nashville Avenue. Sergeant Phili-bert then drove onto Laurel Street where he saw two NOPD officers detaining J.N. J.N. was driven back to where Ms. Eastman was located, and she positively identified J.N. as the person she had previously reported to the police for “suspicious behavior.” This behavior was later determined to be looking into car windows and trying door handles.

hThe officers then drove J.N. to the address on Eleanor Street where Eileen Brown had reported her purse stolen from her Chevrolet Suburban. Jenny Brown, Eileen Brown’s daughter, identified J.N. as the man who had taken her mother’s purse from the vehicle.

In addition to the report from Ms. Brown and Ms. Eastman, Brooke Duncan, a resident of the neighborhood, also called 911 to report a suspicious person in the neighborhood. Mr. Duncan positively identified J.N. as the person he saw in the area.

As he was searching the area for the stolen purse, Sergeant Philibert was approached by a nearby homeowner, who handed him a cell phone and credit cards he had found in his yard, about fifteen feet from where J.N. was apprehended. The neighbor wished to remain anonymous.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY:

In addition to the above witnesses, a representative from the Juvenile Regional Services and J.N.’s drug court case manager, testified at the disposition hearing. Following the hearing, the trial court sentenced J.N. to two years in secure custody, and recommended that he be placed in the STOP2 program.

This appeal followed.

JjDISCUSSION:

J.N. makes six assignments of error, the first three of which are evidentiary issues. J.N. argues that the court erred by admitting in-court and out-of-court identifications of him, by allowing the testimony of Ms. Eastman, and by improperly weighing the testimony of Jenny Brown.

J.N. first argues that because of the suggestive nature of the identification process, Jenny Brown’s identification of J.N. as the person who took her mother’s purse was tainted. J.N. claims that Jenny, an eight-year old, was unduly influenced by the fact that J.N. was removed from the back seat of a police cruiser immediately prior to her identification.

The Supreme Court set forth factors for a court to utilize in determining the admissibility of an identification. [913] Manson v. Brathwaite, 432 U.S. 98, 114, 97 S.Ct. 2243, 2253, 53 L.Ed.2d 140 (1977). The court should consider from the totality of the circumstances, whether the suggestiveness presents a substantial likelihood of misidentification based on 1) the opportunity of the witness to view the offender at the time of the crime; 2) the witness’ degree of attention at the time of the crime; 3) the accuracy of his prior description of the offender; 4) the level of certainty displaced at the confrontation; and 5) the time between the crime and the confrontation. Id.

Relying on Manson, supra, this Court thoroughly discussed out-of court identifications in State v. Holmes, 05-1248 (La.App. 4 Cir. 5/10/06), 931 So.2d 1157:

|4To suppress an identification, a defendant must first prove that the identification procedure was suggestive. State v. Prudholm, 446 So.2d 729, 738 (La.1984). An identification procedure is suggestive if, during the procedure, the witness’ attention is unduly focused on the defendant. State v. Robinson, 386 So.2d 1374, 1377 (La.1980). Moreover, a defendant who seeks to suppress an identification must prove both that the identification itself was suggestive and that a likelihood of misidentification existed as a result of the identification procedure. State v. Valentine, 570 So.2d 533 (La.App. 4 Cir.1990).
The [Louisiana] Supreme Court has held that even if the identification could be considered suggestive, it is the likelihood of misidentification that violates due process, not merely the suggestive identification procedure. State v. Thibodeaux, 98-1673 (La.9/8/99); 750 So.2d 916, 932. Fairness is the standard of review for identification procedures, and reliability is the linchpin in determining the admissibility of identification testimony. Manson v. Brathwaite, 432 U.S. 98, 97 S.Ct. 2243, 2253, 53 L.Ed.2d 140 (1977). Even a suggestive, out-of-court identification will be admissible if it is found reliable under the totality of the circumstances. State v. Guy, 95-0899 (La.App. 4 Cir. 1/31/96), 669 So.2d 517. If a suggestive identification procedure has been proved, a reviewing court must look to several factors to determine, from the totality of the circumstances, whether the suggestive identification presents a substantial likelihood of mis-identification at trial. State v. Martin, 595 So.2d 592, 595 (La.1992).

05-1248, pp. 6-7, 931 So.2d at 1160.

Sergeant Philibert testified concerning the out-of court identification. He stated that Jenny Brown immediately identified J.N. as the person who had taken her mother’s purse; the identification occurred less than one hour after the incident. Further, Jenny testified that she watched J.N. as he paced back and forth in front of the vehicle, before he opened the car door and asked Jenny and her sister where there mother had gone.

LAt the suppression hearing, Jenny again positively identified J.N. as the person who had stolen her mother’s purse. In reasons for judgment, the trial court noted that Jenny’s testimony was clear and straightforward, despite being uneasy about testifying. She testified in a quiet and grave manner, indicating that she took the proceedings seriously. Her answers were thoughtful and unrushed, and it was clear to the court that Jenny understood the difference between right and wrong.

A reviewing court may consider all pertinent evidence adduced at the trial, as well as any pre-trial motion hearings. State v. Lewis, 04-0227 (La.App. 4 Cir. 9/29/04), 885 So.2d 641, 652. A trial court’s determination as to the admissibility of identification will be given great weight, and a reviewing court should not [914] disturb that determination absent an abuse of discretion. Holmes, 05-1248, p. 7, 931 So.2d at 1160, citing State v. Offray, 00-0959 (La.App. 4 Cir. 9/26/01), 797 So.2d 764. Based on the above, we find that the defendant has not shown that there was a substantial likelihood of misidentification by Jenny.

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State ex rel. J.N., 984 So. 2d 910 (La. Ct. App. 2008).

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