State v. Bennett

617 So. 2d 550, 1993 WL 105503
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 7, 1993
DocketCR91-257
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 617 So. 2d 550 (State v. Bennett) 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. Bennett, 617 So. 2d 550, 1993 WL 105503 (La. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

617 So.2d 550 (1993)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Roy BENNETT.

No. CR91-257.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

April 7, 1993.

*551 Edwin Louis Cabra, Leesville, for State.

Richard V. Burnes, Alexandria, for Roy Bennett.

Before STOKER, THIBODEAUX and SAUNDERS, JJ.

STOKER, Judge.

Defendant Roy Bennett was convicted of solicitation to commit murder, a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:28.1 and sentenced to five years at hard labor. Defendant appeals his conviction and sentence. We affirm.

FACTS

During the first week of April 1987, defendant made an unannounced visit to the home of Charles Basco, a lifelong acquaintance who resided in Sabine Parish. Defendant, who had not communicated with Basco for about six years, informed him that an individual named Huey P. Long was going to testify against defendant in a criminal trial. Long and defendant had both been charged with aggravated burglary and attempted aggravated arson of the dwelling of Dale Behan.

Returning to Basco's home a few days later, defendant informed Basco that Long's testimony would destroy defendant's business and stated that something would have to be done about Long. Basco agreed to look into the matter. Defendant subsequently returned to Basco's home a third time and told Basco that "[t]he man had to be—something done with him," and asked if anyone had been located to do the job.

Shortly after defendant's third visit, Basco met with Manning Coleman, Jr. at Coleman's residence in Beauregard Parish. While there, Basco related defendant's problem to Coleman. Coleman later visited *552 Basco at his home and told Basco he had someone that would probably help him.

A few days later, defendant again visited Basco to check whether any progress had been made in finding a person to solve his problem. Basco told defendant that Coleman had found some people that would do anything he wanted done for about $20,000. The pair agreed that Basco would contact Coleman about it.

However, unknown to defendant and Basco, Coleman had contacted the state police and agreed to work with them on the same day that Basco approached Coleman. On April 22, 1987, under police surveillance, Basco met Coleman at the restaurant of a Vernon Parish motel. Coleman had been instructed by police authorities to set up a meeting between all individuals concerned. A phone meeting was arranged for May 5, 1987, in which a hit man would call the defendant.

A Louisiana state police officer, Frank Vaughn, was assigned to portray the hit man. The investigators rented two adjacent rooms at a Vernon Parish motel and set up listening devices in one room to record conversations occurring in that room or on the phone. Receivers and surveillance equipment were installed in the second room.

At the appointed time, Coleman phoned Basco. Coleman engaged in a short conversation with Basco and then Basco handed the phone to defendant. Minutes after the phone conversation, defendant arrived at Vaughn's hotel room.

Defendant introduced himself to Vaughn, who asked if the defendant had brought the sum agreed upon. Defendant returned to his car and retrieved $10,000 in cash. The pair then discussed the exact location of Long's residence, the people who might be found there, the identity of Long, and the details concerning payment of the $10,000 balance. Defendant explained to Vaughn that Long's testimony would cause him severe financial loss and asked if the incident could be arranged to look like it was due to natural causes. In turn, Vaughn asked whether the defendant wanted anything special done. Defendant responded, "Natural. It don't matter." Alibi witnesses were discussed and then the conversation ended.

Defendant and Basco were arrested on May 5, 1987. Basco subsequently entered into a plea agreement in which he agreed to testify for the State against defendant.

On January 15, 1988, defendant was convicted by a unanimous jury of solicitation to commit murder, under LSA-R.S. 14:28.1, and sentenced to five years at hard labor. Defendant appealed his conviction to this court. On appeal, defendant's conviction was reversed due to error in denying defendant's constitutional right to confront and cross-examine the witnesses against him and the case was remanded to the trial court for a new trial. State v. Bennett, 550 So.2d 201 (La.App. 3d Cir.1989), writ denied, 554 So.2d 1236 (La.1990).

On November 14, 1990, defendant was again convicted by a unanimous jury of solicitation to commit first or second degree murder, under LSA-R.S. 14:28.1, and sentenced to five years at hard labor. Defendant again appealed his conviction and sentence. This court reversed defendant's conviction on the basis of one assignment of error without discussing the remaining assignments. State v. Bennett, 592 So.2d 467 (La.App. 3d Cir.1991). On appeal by the State, the supreme court reversed this court's judgment and remanded the case to us for consideration of the remaining assignments of error. State v. Bennett, 610 So.2d 120 (La.1992). The remaining assignments of error are before us now in this appeal.

OPINION

1.

Defendant contends the trial judge erred in denying his motions to quash the bill of information. We disagree.

First, defendant argues that LSA-R.S. 14:28.1, which sets forth the crime of solicitation for murder, is unconstitutionally vague since there is no such offense in Louisiana as "murder" or "first or second degree murder". Also defendant urges *553 that the statute uses the disjunctive in stating "solicitation for first or second degree murder", leaving the nature of the crime charged against the defendant unclear.

Initially, we note that, in raising an issue as to the constitutionality of the statute, defendant failed to make the attorney general a party to the proceedings and failed to serve the attorney general with pleadings, as required by LSA-C.C.P. art. 1880. State v. Albritton, 610 So.2d 209 (La.App. 3d Cir.1992).

Moreover, we see no vagueness in the statute. The State needs to prove incitement of either first or second degree murder to prove defendant guilty under LSA-R.S. 14:28.1. In charging the defendant, the State does not have to choose which type of murder defendant incited, nor is the jury required to do so if it finds defendant guilty. The statute is not unconstitutionally vague.

In any event, any vagueness or uncertainty as to the nature of the accusations against defendant was clarified and corrected by the State's bill of particulars. State v. Vanderhoff, 415 So.2d 190 (La. 1982); State v. Baylis, 388 So.2d 713 (La. 1980).

Alternatively, defendant argues that LSA-R.S. 14:28.1, solicitation for murder, is duplicative of LSA-R.S. 14:28, inciting a felony, and, thus, arbitrarily vests the district attorney with the authority to charge him with either solicitation for murder, under LSA-R.S. 14:28.1, or inciting a felony, under LSA-R.S. 14:28.

LSA-R.S. 14:28.1 is much narrower than LSA-R.S. 14:28 and carries a greater penalty, since it deals with incitement of two of the worst types of felonies. Therefore, the statutes are not duplicative. Moreover, the district attorney does have the power and discretion to choose which felonies with which a defendant will be charged. LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 61.

Next, defendant argues that the bill of information was defective under LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 480 because it charged alternative crimes through use of the disjunctive "or" in "solicitation of first or second degree murder".

LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 480 authorizes

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
617 So. 2d 550, 1993 WL 105503, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-bennett-lactapp-1993.