State v. Chirlow

738 So. 2d 679, 1999 WL 346250
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 1, 1999
Docket99-KA-142
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 738 So. 2d 679 (State v. Chirlow) 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. Chirlow, 738 So. 2d 679, 1999 WL 346250 (La. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

738 So.2d 679 (1999)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Romalice CHIRLOW.

No. 99-KA-142.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

June 1, 1999.

*680 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Terry M. Boudreaux, Assistant D.A., Alison Wallis, Assistant D.A., Lori Butler, Assistant D.A., Gretna, for Plaintiff-Appellee.

Margaret Smith Sollars, Thibodaux, for Defendant-Appellant.

Panel composed of Judges CHARLES GRISBAUM, Jr., EDWARD A. DUFRESNE, Jr. and SUSAN M. CHEHARDY.

DUFRESNE, Judge.

The Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a bill of information charging the defendant, Romalice Chirlow, with simple burglary, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:62. The matter proceeded to trial before a six person jury, at the conclusion of which the defendant was found guilty as charged. As a result of this conviction, the court *681 sentenced the defendant to twelve years at hard labor.

The state subsequently filed a bill of information, pursuant to LSA-R.S. 15:529.1, seeking to have the defendant adjudicated and sentenced as a third felony offender. After being advised of his rights, the defendant pled guilty to the allegations contained in the multiple offender bill. The court then vacated the defendant's original sentence and imposed an enhanced sentence of fifteen years at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. The defendant now appeals.

FACTS

On Sunday, April 19, 1998, Mr. Byron Fennedy was at his Marrero home when his alarm and motion detector went off, indicating someone was in his garage. Mr. Fennedy went outside and noticed that the window glass was broken, the light was on, and the garage door was open. He looked around, did not see anyone, returned inside, and called 911. While inside, his alarm beeped again. He proceeded back to the garage and looked through the door. Inside his garage, Mr. Fennedy saw a man, subsequently identified as the defendant, with his fishing rods and a black bag in his hand. Mr. Fennedy, an off-duty police officer, asked the man to put the items down and to get on the floor. The defendant refused and tried to exit the garage, in the process of which he hit Mr. Fennedy and knocked him against the fence. A struggle ensued; however, Mr. Fennedy was able to hold onto the defendant until a deputy came. When Deputy Sanderson arrived, he placed the defendant under arrest for simple burglary.[1]

On appeal, the defendant, through appellate counsel, challenges the sufficiency of the evidence used to convict him. In addition, the defendant filed a pro se brief, arguing that the trial judge improperly denied his motions for mistrial; that the trial court incorrectly charged the jury on one of the responsive verdicts; and that the multiple offender proceedings were defective. Each of these allegations will now be addressed.

SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE

On appeal, the defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence used to convict him of simple burglary. He specifically claims that the state failed to prove that he committed an unauthorized entry because no one saw him inside the garage. The defendant further argues that the state failed to prove that he entered the garage with specific intent to commit a theft, as it was a possibility that the defendant came upon a burglary in progress and decided to take advantage of the situation when the burglar left.

The constitutional standard for testing the sufficiency of the evidence, as enunciated in Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979), requires that a conviction be based on proof sufficient for any rational trier of fact, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, to find the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Rosiere, 488 So.2d 965 (La.1986).

In the present case, the defendant was convicted of simple burglary. That offense is defined in LSA-R.S. 14:62 as "the unauthorized entering of any dwelling, vehicle, watercraft, or other structure, movable or immovable, with the intent to commit a felony or any theft therein." State v. Taylor, 97-0461 (La. App. 4 Cir. 7/29/98), 719 So.2d 75. The requisite intent required by LSA-R.S. 14:62 is specific intent. State v. Morris, 98-236 (La.App. 5 Cir. 9/16/98), 719 So.2d 1076. Specific criminal intent exists "when the circumstances indicate that the offender actively desired the prescribed criminal *682 consequences to follow his act or failure to act." LSA-R.S. 14:10. Specific intent is a state of mind and, as such, need not be proven as a fact, but may be inferred from the circumstances and actions of the accused. State v. Graham, 420 So.2d 1126 (La.1982). The determination of whether the requisite intent is present in a criminal case is for the trier of fact, and a review of the correctness of this determination is to be guided by the Jackson standard. State v. Huizar, 414 So.2d 741 (La.1982); State v. Morris, supra.

At trial, Mr. Fennedy unequivocally testified that he saw the defendant standing inside his garage, holding his fishing rods and a black bag in his hand. Mr. Fennedy also testified that when the defendant attempted to leave the garage, he struck Mr. Fennedy in the chest with one hand while holding the fishing rods in his other hand. During their struggle, the victim's fishing rods fell to the ground, lying halfway inside the garage. Mr. Fennedy identified the defendant in court as the individual in his garage and also identified his fishing rods as the ones that the defendant was carrying when he attempted to leave the garage. The victim further testified that the defendant did not have permission to be in his garage, to break his window, or to take his fishing equipment. We find that the evidence presented at trial clearly established that the defendant entered Mr. Fennedy's garage without authorization and that the defendant had the specific intent to commit a theft while inside the garage. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the evidence clearly supports the defendant's conviction for simple burglary.

MOTION FOR MISTRIAL

On appeal, the defendant complains that the trial court erred by overruling his objections and denying his motions for mistrial based on the police officer/victim being allowed to testify in uniform.

During voir dire, defense counsel objected when the prosecutor informed the jury panel that the victim of the crime was an off duty police officer. Defense counsel further objected and moved for a mistrial when the prosecutor informed the judge that the victim was working that day and was coming to trial in his police uniform. The trial court denied the motion for mistrial, noting that the victim's employment as a police officer would come out during his testimony. During the actual trial, prior to Mr. Fennedy testifying, defense counsel again objected to the officer testifying in uniform as well as to any mention of him being a police officer. Defense counsel re-urged his previous motion for mistrial, which was again denied. The defendant, in his pro se appellate brief, now complains that the trial judge erred in failing to grant his motions for mistrial. He contends that he was denied his right to a fair trial because it was inherently prejudicial to have the victim of a crime testify in uniform.

A mistrial is a drastic remedy and is within the discretion of the trial court, unless mandated by LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 770.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
738 So. 2d 679, 1999 WL 346250, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-chirlow-lactapp-1999.