State v. Boros

646 So. 2d 1183, 1994 WL 665774
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 29, 1994
Docket94-KA-453, 94-KA-454
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 646 So. 2d 1183 (State v. Boros) 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. Boros, 646 So. 2d 1183, 1994 WL 665774 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

646 So.2d 1183 (1994)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Andrew BOROS.

Nos. 94-KA-453, 94-KA-454.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

November 29, 1994.

*1184 John M. Mamoulidas, Dist. Atty., Dorothy A. Pendergast, Asst. Dist. Atty., Gretna, for plaintiff-appellee.

Robert S. Toale, Gretna, for defendant-appellant.

Before GAUDIN, DUFRESNE, JJ., and JOHN C. BOUTALL, Judge Ad Hoc.

DUFRESNE, Judge.

These companion appeals arise out of related criminal proceedings in the district court against defendant, Andrew Boros. On January 6, 1993, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney charged defendant with forcible rape, LSA-R.S. 14:42.1, in district court case number 93-68. (Record No. 94-KA-453). On the same day the district attorney entered a separate three-count bill of information against defendant in district court case number 93-69. (Record No. 94-KA-954). Count one of the second bill alleged indecent behavior with a juvenile under LSA-R.S. 14:81. Counts two and three alleged molestation of a juvenile under LSA-R.S. 14:81.2.

Defendant was arraigned on both bills and pled not guilty to all charges. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the state nolle prossed counts one and three in case number 93-69. The state also reduced the forcible rape charge in case number 93-68 to molestation of a juvenile, LSA-R.S. 14:81.2. On the same day defendant withdrew his plea of not guilty and entered guilty pleas to two counts of molestation of a juvenile. The guilty pleas encompassed count two in case number 93-69 and the single reduced charge in case no. 93-68.

*1185 Defendant was sentenced to seven years at hard labor on each count, to be served consecutively. The court also ordered that defendant receive treatment for "sexual deviance" while incarcerated. Defendant was given credit for time served.

On December 28, 1993, defendant filed a Motion to Reconsider Sentence in each of the two cases. On February 24, 1994, defendant filed in each case an Amended and Supplemental Motion to Reconsider Sentence. Defendant also filed a Motion to Withdraw Guilty Plea in each case on February 24, 1994. The court heard these motions on April 8, 1994 and denied all of the defendant's motions.

Defendant filed a timely Motion for Appeal in each case.

FACTS

The only available account of the facts leading to defendant's prosecution is contained in the presentence investigation report, made part of the record herein.

On October 20, 1992, a minor, N.R., reported to police that defendant had sexually molested her repeatedly over the preceding year. The incidents progressed from inappropriate touching to, eventually, sexual intercourse. She did not report these incidents immediately because defendant threatened that if his behavior was discovered she would never see her family again.

Another minor, B.C., defendant's other alleged victim, was a friend of defendant's daughter. She reported that on October 14, 1992, she was at defendant's residence when he lifted the skirt she was wearing to look under it. He also straddled her legs as she lay on her stomach and began kissing and licking her back and buttocks.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE

This honorable court should reverse appellant's conviction because the plea of guilty was not voluntarily, freely, knowingly, and intelligently made, and appellant was allowed to plead guilty to crimes for which he was not charged.

DISCUSSION

Defendant here complains that his guilty plea was not knowingly and voluntarily made because the bills of information in the instant case did not specify what section of the child molestation statute he was charged with violating. Defendant further argues that the trial judge failed to inform him as to what section of the statute he was accused of violating.

To be valid, a guilty plea must be made knowingly and voluntarily, and must not be a product of coercion, intimidation or force. Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969). Due process requires, and the record must show, that the plea was made after a knowing waiver of the right to trial by jury, the right to confront one's accusers and the privilege against self-incrimination. Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. at 240-42, 89 S.Ct. at 1711; State v. Galliano, 396 So.2d 1288, 1290 (La.1981); State v. Lewis, 601 So.2d 379, 380 (La.App. 5th Cir.1992). Additionally, a guilty plea cannot be considered voluntary in the sense that it constitutes an intelligent admission that he committed the offense unless the defendant receives real notice of the true nature of the charges against him. Henderson v. Morgan, 426 U.S. 637, 96 S.Ct. 2253, 49 L.Ed.2d 108 (1976); State ex rel Halvorsen v. Blackburn, 388 So.2d 806 (La. 1980). This does not mean that the trial court must specifically inform defendant of every element of the offense charged. Rather, the defendant must establish that his lack of awareness of the elements resulted in his unawareness of the essential nature of the offense to which he was pleading. State v. Bowick, 403 So.2d 673 (La.1981); State v. Barrio, 608 So.2d 641 (La.App. 5th Cir.1992).

LSA-R.S. 14:81.2, which proscribes molestation of a juvenile, provides in pertinent part:

A. 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 *1186 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.
B. Whoever commits the crime of molestation of a juvenile shall be fined not more than five thousand dollars, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than one nor more than ten years, or both, provided that the defendant shall not be eligible to have his conviction set aside or his prosecution dismissed in accordance with the provisions of Code of Criminal Procedure Article 893.
C. Whoever commits the crime of molestation of a juvenile when the offender has control or supervision over the juvenile shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than one nor more than fifteen years, or both, provided that the defendant shall not be eligible to have his conviction set aside or his prosecution dismissed in accordance with Code of Criminal Procedure Article 893.

Paragraph A of the statute describes the prohibited conduct and paragraphs B and C delineate the penalties for violation. The sentencing range is determined by whether or not it is alleged that the offender was in a position of control or supervision over the victim.

Both of the bills of information herein allege a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:81.2. Defendant argues that because the bills do not specify whether defendant was charged under paragraph B or paragraph C of the statute, he was not properly put on notice as to what crimes were charged.

The amended bill of information in case number 93-69 specifically sets forth R.S.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
646 So. 2d 1183, 1994 WL 665774, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-boros-lactapp-1994.