State v. Abbott

634 So. 2d 911, 1994 WL 55892
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 23, 1994
Docket92-KA-2731
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 634 So. 2d 911 (State v. Abbott) 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 v. Abbott, 634 So. 2d 911, 1994 WL 55892 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

634 So.2d 911 (1994)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Alvin C. ABBOTT.

No. 92-KA-2731.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

February 25, 1994.
Order Clarifying Opinion March 23, 1994.

*912 Matthew D. Josephic, Student Practitioner, Darryl A. Derbigny, Supervising Atty., New Orleans, for appellant.

Harry F. Connick, Dist. Atty., Mark D. Pethke, Asst. Dist. Atty., New Orleans, for appellee.

Before CIACCIO, PLOTKIN and WALTZER, JJ.

CIACCIO, Judge.

The defendant was charged by bill of information with three counts of armed robbery. He was found guilty as charged on June 20, 1984 and was sentenced on June 29, 1984 to twelve years at hard labor on each count with the counts running concurrently. At the sentencing hearing he filed a motion for appeal which was granted. Afterwards, the State filed a multiple bill charging him as a third offender. On July 31, 1984, the trial court found the defendant to be a third offender and sentenced him to forty-nine and one half years at hard labor. The court then discovered that one of the convictions used as a basis of the multiple bill was entered after the commission of the instant crimes. On July 31, 1984, the court re-sentenced the defendant as a second offender to thirty three years at hard labor. He appealed and this court affirmed the convictions and sentences. State v. Abbott, 477 So.2d 1266 (La. App. 4th Cir.1985).

On April 10, 1987, the defendant filed an application for post conviction relief asserting that the trial court was without jurisdiction *913 to impose the sentences of July 31, 1984 and August 15, 1984 after the order of appeal had been entered on June 29, 1984. This court presented a certified question to the Louisiana Supreme Court asking whether Act 851 of 1986 should be applied retroactively to uphold the validity of multiple bill proceedings occurring after the order of appeal was entered. The Court held that C.Cr.P. art. 916(8) should be applied retroactively. State v. Abbott, 508 So.2d 80 (La.1987).

On August 13, 1990, the defendant filed an application for post conviction relief pursuant to State v. Sherer, 411 So.2d 1050 (La.1982) which held that only one count of a single bill of information may be enhanced pursuant to the Habitual Offender Law. The trial court vacated the sentence and re-sentenced the defendant as a second offender to thirty three years at hard labor on Count 1 and twelve years at hard labor on each of counts two and three. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. On August 13, 1992, this court ordered an out of time appeal be granted pursuant to Lofton v. Whitley, 905 F.2d 885 (5th Cir.1990).

FACTS

The facts of this case have already been reviewed by this court and the evidence was found to be sufficient pursuant to State v. Raymo, 419 So.2d 858 (La.1982). Abbott, 477 So.2d 1266.

On appeal, counsel for defendant raises one assignment of error and defendant has filed a pro-se supplemental brief raising seven additional assignments.

ARGUMENT:—COUNSEL'S ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

The defendant again argues that C.Cr.P. art. 916(8) should not be applied retroactively. This court is bound by the precedents set by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Here, the Court has ruled directly on point that the article should be applied retroactively. Abbott, 508 So.2d 80. The defendant attempts to argue that the retroactive application of the article in this case is violative of the defendant's right to equal protection. However, the Court has ruled in this case that the article is to be applied retroactively. Accordingly, this court is bound not only by precedent but also by the law of the case.

This argument has no merit.

PRO SE ASSIGNMENT ONE:

The defendant argues he did not knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waive his right to trial by jury.

C.Cr.P. art. 780 provides in pertinent part:

A. A defendant charged with an offense other than one punishable by death may knowingly and intelligently waive a trial by jury and elect to be tried by the judge. At the time of arraignment, the defendant in such cases shall be informed by the court of his right to waive trial by jury.
B. The defendant shall exercise his right to waive trial by jury in accordance with the time limits set forth in Article 521. However, with permission of the court, he may exercise his right to waive trial by jury at any time prior to the commencement of trial.

As reiterated in the comments to that article, the waiver is to be entered at arraignment; however, the judge may accept a waiver of jury trial at any time prior to the commencement of trial.

As in the case of other significant rights, waiver of trial by jury is valid only if the defendant acted voluntarily and knowingly. State v. Kahey, 436 So.2d 475, 486 (La. 1983); State v. Wilson, 437 So.2d 272, 275 (La.1983). While the Louisiana Supreme Court has rejected an absolute rule which would require the trial judge to personally inform the defendant of his right to a jury trial, Kahey, supra; State v. Moya, 539 So.2d 756, 758 (La.App. 3d Cir.1989), the preferred method of ensuring the right is for the trial judge to advise the defendant personally on the record of his right to a jury trial and to require the defendant to waive the right personally either in writing or by oral statement in open court on the record. State v. Wilson, 437 So.2d at 275; State v. Jones, 537 So.2d 1244, 1247 (La.App. 4th Cir.1989); State v. Moya, 539 So.2d at 758.

*914 The transcript indicates that the trial judge was advised by counsel that the defendant wanted to waive the jury. The judge then addressed the defendant personally, who confirmed that he sought to waive the jury. This assignment has no merit.

PRO SE ASSIGNMENT TWO:

The defendant alleges he was convicted of having armed robbed Gregory Williams without having been charged by bill of information. The defendant was tried and convicted of the armed robbery of Michael Merrill, Douglas Williams, and Curtis Brousseau. He was not tried and convicted for an armed robbery of Gregory Williams. This assignment is without merit.

PRO SE ASSIGNMENT THREE:

The defendant argues the State withheld favorable evidence from the defendant in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). Specifically, the defendant argues that the police report established that "on the night of the crime, the witnesses told the officer they did not know their assailant," whereas at trial all three victims testified they knew the defendant as "Al." The defendant argues the State should have turned over the police report.

The report does not specifically state that the victims did not know the assailant. At one point, it does refer to the defendant as an "unknown wanted subject." However, the officer may well have determined that since the victims knew the defendant only as "Al", without a full name the defendant was essentially "unknown."

Moreover, Brady holds that the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution requires the disclosure, upon request, of evidence which is favorable to the accused when the evidence is material to guilt or innocence.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
634 So. 2d 911, 1994 WL 55892, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-abbott-lactapp-1994.