State v. Babin

637 So. 2d 814, 1994 WL 231520
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 20, 1994
Docket93 KA 1361
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 637 So. 2d 814 (State v. Babin) 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. Babin, 637 So. 2d 814, 1994 WL 231520 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

637 So.2d 814 (1994)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Greg BABIN.

No. 93 KA 1361.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

May 20, 1994.

*816 Greg Murphy, Baton Rouge, for plaintiff-appellee State of Louisiana.

Robert M. Becnel, Laplace, for defendant-appellant Greg Babin.

Before FOIL, PITCHER and PARRO, JJ.

PITCHER, Judge.

Defendant, Greg Babin, was charged by bill of information with molestation of a juvenile over whom he had control or supervision, a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:81.2. He pled not guilty and, after a bench trial, was found guilty as charged. Defendant was sentenced to pay a one thousand dollar fine and court costs and to serve a forty-eight month term of imprisonment at hard labor, with credit for time served. The trial court suspended the term of imprisonment and placed defendant on supervised probation for five years subject to special conditions. Defendant has appealed, urging eight assignments of error:

1. It was error for the trial court to find defendant guilty when the state failed to prove defendant was over seventeen years of age and that there was an age difference of greater than two years between defendant and the alleged victim.
2. It was error for the trial court to find defendant guilty when the state failed to prove defendant had the requisite specific intent to commit the charged offense.
3. It was error for the trial court to allow a representative of the Office of Community Services (Janet Leveron) to give testimony as to her opinion of the truthfulness of the alleged victim.
*817 4. It was error for the trial court to allow the testimony of a rebuttal witness in violation of a sequestration order.
5. It was error for the trial court to fail to allow defendant to introduce evidence which was discovered after the trial.
6. It was error for the trial court to allow counsel for the state to make improper remarks in his closing argument.
7. The trial court's verdict is contrary to the law and the evidence.
8. The sentence imposed by the trial court is excessive, and the terms of the sentence (conditions of probation) amount to cruel and unusual punishment in violation of defendant's constitutional rights.

FACTS

In February of 1992, the victim told Beverly Johnson, her stepmother, about defendant's molestation of her. At the time, the victim was living with her natural mother and defendant. On February 28, 1992, Beverly Johnson contacted Detective Michael Delaune of the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, who investigated the reported molestation. Delaune (accompanied by a child protection worker) went to Prairieville Elementary School where the victim was enrolled and attempted to speak to her about the crime. However, the victim began to cry and refused to talk about the matter. Later that same day, the victim was brought to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office. The victim was still very upset, but eventually talked to the police about the crime.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR NUMBERS ONE, TWO AND SEVEN

By means of these assignments, defendant contends that the trial court erred by finding him guilty on the basis of insufficient evidence. In particular, defendant argues that (because there was no evidence of his age) the state never proved that he was over seventeen years of age, and that there was an age difference of more than two years between him and the victim. Defendant also argues that the state failed to prove that he had the specific intent of arousing or gratifying the sexual desires of himself or the victim.

The proper method to raise the issue of insufficient evidence is by motion for post-verdict judgment of acquittal pursuant to LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 821. See State v. Korman, 439 So.2d 1099 (La.App. 1st Cir.1983). The record does not indicate defendant made such a motion, but it does contain an assignment of error which alleges the evidence was not sufficient. Therefore, this Court will review the sufficiency of the evidence, although this issue was not properly raised. In doing so, we will consider the evidence as though a motion for post-verdict judgment of acquittal had been filed under LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 821.

In reviewing claims challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, this Court must consider "whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt." Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 2789, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979) (emphasis in original). See also LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 821B; State v. Mussall, 523 So.2d 1305, 1308-09 (La.1988).

LSA-R.S. 14:81.2 A defines molestation of a juvenile, as follows:

Molestation of a juvenile is the commission by anyone over the age of seventeen of any lewd or lascivious act upon the person or in the presence of any child under the age of seventeen, where there is an age difference of greater than two years between the two persons, with the intention of arousing or gratifying the sexual desires of either person, by the use of force, violence, duress, menace, psychological intimidation, threat of great bodily harm, or by the use of influence by virtue of a position of control or supervision over the juvenile. Lack of knowledge of the juvenile's age shall not be a defense.

Thus, in order to commit molestation of a juvenile, the offender must possess the specific intent of arousing or gratifying the sexual desires of himself or the child upon whose person he committed a lewd or lascivious act or in whose presence he committed such an act.

*818 Specific intent need not be proven as a fact. It may be inferred from the circumstances of the transaction and the actions of the defendant. State v. Graham, 420 So.2d 1126, 1127 (La.1982); State v. Perkins, 517 So.2d 314, 316 (La.App. 1st Cir.1987), writ denied, 519 So.2d 141 (La.1988).

The instant offense occurred over a period extending from approximately January of 1989 through February of 1992. Defendant's trial was held on December 2, 1992.

Defendant, the victim's stepfather, took the stand in his own defense at trial. He denied that he ever molested the victim. According to defendant, he attended Lutcher High School, served in the Air Force for four years, was honorably discharged from the Air Force, and worked for Agrico Chemical for twenty-two years. Defendant's testimony further reveals that he had been married twice. His first marriage was to Linda Louque Babin; and from this marriage there were two children, Eric and Gina Babin. Gina Babin testified that she was born on December 21, 1973. Defendant and his first wife were legally separated in September of 1984, and obtained a divorce in February of 1985. Following his divorce, defendant and the victim's natural mother began living together, and the victim lived with them. The couple later married. Defendant and the victim's natural mother separated in March of 1992.

Greta Frances Melancon, defendant's sister, testified that she first came to know the victim when the victim's mother began dating defendant. According to Melancon, the victim first made allegations of sexual abuse against defendant about three days before defendant and the victim's mother married. At the time, the victim was in approximately the third grade.

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

Related

State v. McKinney
194 So. 3d 699 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2016)
State v. Graham
148 So. 3d 601 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2014)
Jenkins v. Baldwin
801 So. 2d 485 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2001)
State Ex Rel. Olivieri v. State
779 So. 2d 735 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2001)
State v. Hutchinson
764 So. 2d 1139 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2000)
State v. Lawrence
752 So. 2d 934 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1999)
State v. Hampton
716 So. 2d 417 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1998)
Doe v. Pataki
120 F.3d 1263 (Second Circuit, 1997)
State v. Barnes
685 So. 2d 1148 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1996)
Lee v. State
681 So. 2d 1020 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1996)
Doe v. Pataki
940 F. Supp. 603 (S.D. New York, 1996)
State v. Myers
923 P.2d 1024 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 1996)
Opinion of the Justices to the Senate
668 N.E.2d 738 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1996)
Doe v. Poritz
662 A.2d 367 (Supreme Court of New Jersey, 1995)
State v. Short
655 So. 2d 790 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1995)
State v. Sorrell
656 So. 2d 1045 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1995)
State v. Linson
654 So. 2d 440 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1995)
Artway v. Attorney General of New Jersey
876 F. Supp. 666 (D. New Jersey, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
637 So. 2d 814, 1994 WL 231520, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-babin-lactapp-1994.