State of Louisiana Versus Dewayne A. Allen

CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 30, 2020
Docket19-KA-377
StatusUnknown

This text of State of Louisiana Versus Dewayne A. Allen (State of Louisiana Versus Dewayne A. Allen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Louisiana Versus Dewayne A. Allen, (La. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 19-KA-377

VERSUS FIFTH CIRCUIT

DEWAYNE A. ALLEN COURT OF APPEAL

STATE OF LOUISIANA

ON APPEAL FROM THE TWENTY-FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 17-5152, DIVISION "B" HONORABLE CORNELIUS E. REGAN, JUDGE PRESIDING

April 30, 2020

HANS J. LILJEBERG JUDGE

Panel composed of Judges Robert A. Chaisson, Hans J. Liljeberg, and John J. Molaison, Jr.

CONVICTIONS AFFIRMED; SENTENCES ON COUNTS 2-5 AFFIRMED; SENTENCE ON COUNT 1 AFFIRMED AS AMENDED; REMANDED FOR CORRECTION OF THE UNIFORM COMMITMENT ORDER; MOTION TO WITHDRAW GRANTED HJL RAC JJM COUNSEL FOR PLAINTIFF/APPELLEE, STATE OF LOUISIANA Honorable Paul D. Connick, Jr. Thomas J. Butler Zachary P. Popovich Meredith Hearn

COUNSEL FOR DEFENDANT/APPELLANT, DEWAYNE A. ALLEN Dewayne A. Allen Cynthia K. Meyer LILJEBERG, J.

Defendant appeals his convictions and sentences for five felony offenses.

For the following reasons, we affirm defendant’s convictions and his sentences on

counts two through five. We amend the sentence on count one and affirm as

amended. We also remand for correction of an error patent. Finally, we grant

appellate counsel’s motion to withdraw as counsel of record.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On August 9, 2017, the District Attorney for Jefferson Parish filed a bill of

information charging defendant, Dewayne A. Allen, with possession with intent to

distribute heroin, in violation of La. R.S. 40:966(A) (count one); possession with

intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of La. R.S. 40:967(A) (count two);

possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of La. R.S. 14:95.1 (count

three); possession of an unidentifiable firearm, in violation of La. R.S. 40:1792

(count four); and possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of

domestic abuse battery, in violation of La. R.S. 14:95.10 (count five). Defendant

pleaded not guilty to the charged offenses.

On February 5, 2019, defendant withdrew his former pleas of not guilty, and

after being advised of his Boykin1 rights, pleaded guilty as charged.2 In accordance

with the plea agreement, defendant was sentenced on count one to 18 years

imprisonment at hard labor, with the first ten years of the sentence to be served

without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence; on count two to 18

years imprisonment at hard labor with the first two years to be served without

benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence; on count three to 18 years

imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of

1 Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969). 2 On the same date, defendant pleaded guilty under district court case number 18-1307 to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Defendant’s appeal of those convictions is currently pending before this Court under companion case number 19-KA-388. Defendant also pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor offenses under case number 18-1571, which are not before this Court on appeal.

19-KA-377 1 sentence; on count four to five years imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of

probation, parole, or suspension of sentence; and on count five to five years

imprisonment at hard labor. The trial court ordered defendant’s sentences to run

concurrently with each other.

On the same date, the State filed a multiple offender bill of information on

count three—possession of a firearm by a convicted felon—alleging defendant to

be a second-felony offender. Defendant stipulated to the multiple bill after being

advised of his rights. The trial court then vacated defendant’s original sentence on

count three, and pursuant to the multiple offender stipulation, resentenced

defendant on count three as a second-felony offender under La. R.S. 15:529.1, to

18 years imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole or suspension of

sentence. The trial court ordered all of defendant’s sentences, including those

imposed in case numbers 18-1307 and 18-1571, to run concurrently and

recommended defendant for participation in any available self-help programs.

Defendant appeals.

FACTS

Because defendant’s convictions were the result of guilty pleas, the facts

underlying the crimes of conviction are not fully developed in the record. Thus,

the facts were gleaned from the bill of information which alleged that on July 12,

2017, defendant violated La. R.S. 40:966(A) in that he did knowingly or

intentionally possess with the intent to distribute heroin (count one), defendant

violated La. R.S. 40:967(A) in that he did knowingly or intentionally possess with

the intent to distribute cocaine (count two), defendant violated La. R.S. 14:95.1 in

that he did have in his possession a firearm, to wit: a Sig Saur 9 mm, serial number

52A062448, and Taurus .45 caliber pistol, having been previously convicted of the

crime of possession of cocaine, in violation of La. R.S. 40:967(C), under case

number 471-934 on January 9, 2009, in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court

19-KA-377 2 (count three), defendant violated La. R.S. 40:1792 in that he did knowingly and

intentionally possess, transfer, or transport a firearm, to wit: a Taurus .45 caliber

pistol, with the serial numbers or identifying marks obliterated, altered, removed,

or concealed (count four), and defendant violated La. R.S. 14:95.10 in that he did

have in his possession a firearm, to wit: a Sig Saur 9 mm, serial number

52A062448, having been previously convicted of the crime of domestic abuse

battery (2 counts) in violation of La. R.S. 14:35.3, under case number 531-678 on

June 16, 2017, in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court (count five).

LAW AND DISCUSSION

Defendant’s appointed counsel has filed an appellate brief pursuant to

Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967). She

has also filed a motion to withdraw as counsel of record. Defendant has filed a pro

se brief raising three assignments of error, namely, that the trial court erred in

denying his motion to suppress, ineffective assistance of counsel, and sentencing

errors.

Anders Brief

Under the procedure adopted by this Court in State v. Bradford (La. App. 5

Cir. 6/25/96), 676 So.2d 1108, 1110-11,3 appointed appellate counsel has filed a

brief asserting that she has thoroughly reviewed the trial court record and cannot

find any non-frivolous issues to raise on appeal. Accordingly, pursuant to Anders,

supra, and State v. Jyles, 96-2669 (La. 12/12/97), 704 So.2d 241 (per curiam),

appointed counsel requests permission to withdraw as counsel of record.

In Anders, supra, the United States Supreme Court stated that appointed

appellate counsel may request permission to withdraw if she finds her case to be

3 In Bradford, supra, this Court adopted the procedures outlined in State v. Benjamin, 573 So.2d 528, 530 (La. App. 4th Cir. 1990), which were sanctioned by the Louisiana Supreme Court in State v. Mouton, 95- 0981 (La. 4/28/95), 653 So.2d 1176, 1177 (per curiam).

19-KA-377 3 wholly frivolous after a conscientious examination of it.4 The request must be

accompanied by “a brief referring to anything in the record that might arguably

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Related

Anders v. California
386 U.S. 738 (Supreme Court, 1967)
Boykin v. Alabama
395 U.S. 238 (Supreme Court, 1969)
Strickland v. Washington
466 U.S. 668 (Supreme Court, 1984)
McCoy v. Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, District 1
486 U.S. 429 (Supreme Court, 1988)
Smith v. Robbins
528 U.S. 259 (Supreme Court, 2000)
State v. Crosby
338 So. 2d 584 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1976)
State v. Taylor
887 So. 2d 589 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2004)
State v. Benjamin
573 So. 2d 528 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1990)
State v. Weiland
556 So. 2d 175 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1990)
State v. Richardson
33 So. 3d 903 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010)
State v. Dorthey
623 So. 2d 1276 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1993)
State v. Allen
955 So. 2d 742 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State v. Sanders
876 So. 2d 42 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2004)
State v. Pertuit
673 So. 2d 1055 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1996)
State v. Bradford
676 So. 2d 1108 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1996)
State v. Boykin
774 So. 2d 1074 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2000)
State v. Lynch
441 So. 2d 732 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1983)
State v. Schaefer
704 So. 2d 300 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1997)
State v. Jyles
704 So. 2d 241 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1997)
State v. Oliveaux
312 So. 2d 337 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1975)

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