State v. Adams

779 So. 2d 113, 2001 WL 128137
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 24, 2001
Docket99-KA-2123
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 779 So. 2d 113 (State v. Adams) 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. Adams, 779 So. 2d 113, 2001 WL 128137 (La. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

779 So.2d 113 (2001)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Michael ADAMS.

No. 99-KA-2123.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

January 24, 2001.

*115 Hon. Harry F. Connick, District Attorney, Leslie P. Tullier, Assistant District Attorney, New Orleans, LA, Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee.

Sandra C. Jenkins, New Orleans, LA, Counsel for Defendant/Appellant.

Court composed of Judge BYRNES, Judge KIRBY, Judge LOVE.

WILLIAM H. BYRNES, Judge.

On August 18, 1998, a twelve-member jury found the defendant, Michael Adams, guilty as charged with possession of a dangerous weapon while in possession of cocaine, a violation of La. R.S. 14:95(E). On January 13, 1999, the court sentenced him to six years at hard labor, without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence, with credit for time served.

STATEMENT OF FACT

Officer John Palm, an expert in the analysis and identification of controlled dangerous substances, testified that white powder and vegetative material seized in conjunction with the defendant's arrest tested positive for cocaine and marijuana, respectively.

Sgt. Mark Mornay testified that he is the head of the narcotics unit for the First District and that his office received numerous complaints in August 1997, from neighbors concerning suspected drug trafficking at 145 North Telemachus Street. On September 18, 1997, officers executed search warrants for two addresses on South Dupre Street. In the course of those investigations, officers received information from a confidential and reliable informant about drug trafficking at 145 Telemachus Street. On September 19, 1997, Sgt. Mornay set up surveillance of the Telemachus Street address during which he witnessed *116 several occasions in which a person would arrive by car or in a cab, enter the apartment, stay for a few minutes and then leave. On at least three occasions that day, Sgt. Mornay witnessed the same white female enter the apartment for a few minutes and then leave in a cab. Based upon his observations, Sgt. Mornay and his officers obtained a search warrant which was executed on September 30, 1997. However, prior to executing the warrant, the officers stopped two individuals, who paid a visit to the Telemachus Street address, and found contraband in their possession. Fearing their investigation might be compromised by these individuals possibly alerting the Telemachus Street resident, the officers decided to approach the residence while other officers were obtaining the search warrant. The officers knocked on the door of the residence, and when the defendant answered the door, they informed him of the nature of their investigation, that they were presently seeking a search warrant for the premises, and advised him of his rights. With the warrant imminent, the defendant allowed the officers in and revealed the location of the contraband and the weapon. The officers located cocaine in a jacket pocket and on a lottery ticket, found marijuana on a counter top, and retrieved a handgun from a kitchen cabinet. Subsequently, the warrant was executed and the defendant arrested.

On September 30, 1997, Officer Patrick Evans and his partner, Randy Loumiet, conducted a surveillance of 145 Telemachus Street, Apartment Number 1. They witnessed several occasions where both males and females would enter the residence greeted by the defendant, stay less than five minutes, and then leave. On one occasion a white male and female drove to the residence. The female exited the vehicle and entered the residence greeted by the defendant. Five minutes later, the defendant accompanied the female to her car, and spoke to the male occupant briefly before the car drove off. After that encounter, believing that a drug transaction had transpired, the officers stopped the vehicle and arrested the occupants for possession of narcotics. Officer Evans relayed the information of the arrest to Sgt. Mornay. After transporting the arrested suspects to central lockup, Officer Evans returned to 145 Telemachus while Officer Loumiet worked on the search warrant. At this point, Officer Evans' testimony corroborated Sgt. Mornay's testimony regarding the defendant's actions upon being advised of the investigation. Officer Evans advised the defendant of his rights and transported him to central lockup.

Officer Randy Loumiet testified that he participated in the investigation of complaints of drug trafficking at 145 Telemachus Street. He and Officer Evans conducted surveillance of the residence and based upon his observations and corroborating information from reliable sources, he obtained the search warrant for the residence. When he delivered the warrant to the address, he marshaled the evidence, documented it in his report and catalogued it for the evidence room.

Michael Adams testified that he did not live at 145 Telemachus Street. He happened to be at the residence the day of his arrest feeding his friend's cat. When he answered a knock on the door on September 30, 1997, he opened the door to five or six officers with their guns drawn. The officers entered the apartment uninvited. The officers demanded to know where he kept the dope. He told them he did not know what they were talking about. They threatened to arrest his girlfriend if he did not produce the dope. The officers made him go outside while they waited for the search warrant. He denied ever seeing the gun the officers retrieved from the apartment and said he did not show the officers where it was located.

ERRORS PATENT

A review of the record reveals an error patent with regard to defendant's sentence. The trial court failed to impose a fine as mandated by La. R.S. 14:95(E). *117 The sentence is, therefore, illegally lenient; but, because this is an error favorable to the defendant and the State has not complained, the illegally lenient sentence cannot be corrected on appeal. State v. Fraser, 484 So.2d 122 (La.1986); State v. Samuels, 94-1408 (La.App. 4 Cir. 6/7/95), 657 So.2d 562. There are no other errors patent.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER 1

In his first assignment, the defendant complains that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress the evidence. He maintains that the affidavit filed with the application for the search warrant did not set forth sufficient facts to establish probable cause for issuance of the warrant because the affiant made material and intentional misrepresentations to the magistrate.

A trial judge's decision to deny a motion to suppress will be afforded great weight and will not be set aside unless to do so is clearly mandated by a preponderance of the evidence. State v. Lee, 545 So.2d 1163 (La.App. 4 Cir.1989). In reviewing a denial of a motion to suppress, an appellate court is not limited to the evidence adduced at a suppression hearing, but may consider all pertinent evidence adduced at trial. State v. Green, 94-0887 (La.5/22/95), 655 So.2d 272; State v. Barra, 572 So.2d 1187 (La.App. 4 Cir.1990), writ denied, 575 So.2d 822 (La.1991).

This Court set out the applicable law pertaining to the issuance of search warrants in State v. Martin, 97-2904 (La.App. 4 Cir. 2/24/99), 730 So.2d 1029, writ den. 99-0874 (La.10/1/99), 747 So.2d 1136, as follows:

"La.C.Cr.P.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State ex rel. R.M.
209 So. 3d 217 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2017)
State v. Magee
110 So. 3d 680 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013)
State ex rel. T.H.
106 So. 3d 703 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2012)
State v. Williams
53 So. 3d 669 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010)
State v. Fournette
989 So. 2d 199 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State v. Francois
945 So. 2d 865 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2006)
State of Louisiana v. Craig Francois
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2006
State of Louisiana v. Eugene Dunn, Jr.
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2006
State v. Rando
848 So. 2d 19 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2003)
State v. Temple
821 So. 2d 738 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2002)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
779 So. 2d 113, 2001 WL 128137, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-adams-lactapp-2001.