State v. Clark

466 So. 2d 686
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 12, 1985
DocketCR 84-532
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 466 So. 2d 686 (State v. Clark) 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. Clark, 466 So. 2d 686 (La. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

466 So.2d 686 (1985)

STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
James E. CLARK aka "JIM" and Luther Wood, Jr., Defendant-Appellant.

No. CR 84-532.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

March 12, 1985.
Rehearing Denied April 16, 1985.

*687 D. Michael Mooney, William J. Ziegler, Jr., Salter, Streete & Hale, Lake Charles, for defendant-appellant.

Leonard Knapp, Jr., Dist. Atty., Gernine Mailhes, Asst. Dist. Atty., Lake Charles, for plaintiff-appellee.

Before GUIDRY, FORET and STOKER, JJ.

STOKER, Judge.

The defendants, James E. Clark and Luther Wood, Jr., were originally charged by bill of information with the crime of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, a violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966 A(1). On March 12, 1984, prior to jury selection, the *688 State amended the bill of information to charge the defendants with possession of marijuana in excess of 100 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds, a violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966 E(1). On that same date, jury selection in connection with the defendants' trial began. On March 15, 1984, a twelve-person jury found both defendants guilty as charged. On April 6, 1984, the court sentenced each defendant to serve five years in the custody of the Department of Corrections at hard labor without benefit of parole. Both defendants appeal and assign errors, and a brief was filed on behalf of defendant Wood.

FACTS

On May 10, 1983, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Department received a telephone message from a confidential informant, Dave Dunn, who informed the officers that a brown Oldsmobile, driven by James E. Clark, was traveling from the Singer, Louisiana area to 400 Neely Road in Westlake, Louisiana, Luther Wood's residence. The informant stated that from this location the two defendants intended to drive to Orange, Texas, where they would pick up marijuana and later return to the Luther Wood's residence. At that time, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Department began a constant surveillance of the residence of defendant, Luther Wood.

Later that day, police officers observed that a brown Oldsmobile arrived at Luther Wood's residence and that two subjects, later identified as the defendants, James E. Clark and Luther Wood, Jr., drove away. The officers followed the vehicle to Orange, Texas, and observed the two defendants enter a residence and later exit that residence with packages which were placed in the trunk of the Oldsmobile. These two defendants returned to the Westlake, Louisiana residence.

Shortly after the defendants arrived at 400 Neely Road in Westlake, Louisiana, the officers observed "quite a bit" of activity at the residence, which involved subjects entering the residence and then exiting several minutes later. At this time, the confidential informant stated that he had seen a quantity of marijuana inside the residence.

During this time period, the Orange Police Department was notified of the aforementioned incidents; subsequently, a search warrant was issued for the residence in Orange, Texas. Twenty-two pounds of marijuana were seized at that residence incident to that search.

On May 23, 1983, the confidential informant met with John Daily and negotiated for the purchase of 225 pounds of marijuana. John Daily and the confidential informant traveled to Granger's Lounge where they met the defendants, Luther Wood, Jr. and James E. Clark. At that time the defendants asked the confidential informant if he was ready to purchase the 225 pounds of marijuana. The confidential informant indicated that he was ready to purchase the marijuana for $135,000. James Clark then said to the confidential informant, "let's go outside and look at the grass."

These four subjects then exited the lounge and walked to the rear of a white 1976 Mercury bearing a Louisiana tag, 117D351. James Clark opened the trunk of this vehicle and at that time the confidential informant noticed that the trunk contained black bales and that the stench of marijuana was overwhelming. James Clark stated that there was over 225 pounds of marijuana contained in nine bales.

Later that evening, the defendants made two unsuccessful attempts to transfer the marijuana to the confidential informant in exchange for the $135,000.

On May 24, 1983, at approximately 2:00 a.m., the confidential informant called the defendants at John's Barn in Lake Charles, Louisiana. James Clark, Luther Wood and John Daily spoke with the confidential informant at that time and all expressed a desire to finalize the deal that night. The defendant, Luther Wood, even stated, "I don't care if I have to bring the marijuana in front of the courthouse, or beside the Sheriff's Department, we're going to do *689 this deal right now." (Tr. 453) The parties agreed to complete the transaction in the rear parking area of the Downtowner in Lake Charles that night at 3:00 a.m. The confidential informant picked this time for the deal because the officers knew that the three subjects, James Clark, Luther Wood, Jr. and John Daily, would have to go directly to the marijuana in order to arrive at the Downtowner by the agreed upon time.

The three subjects left John's Barn and traveled directly to the rear of Gene's Lounge, where the white Mercury was parked. When Luther Wood opened the door of the white Mercury, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's deputies arrested the three subjects. The officers then presented the defendants with a search warrant, which had been issued on the evening of May 23, 1983, and opened the trunk of the white Mercury. The officers seized 202.5 pounds of marijuana from the trunk of the vehicle.

Both Wood and Clark appealed and assigned errors. The following assigned errors were briefed by Wood:

1. The trial court erred in not granting defendants' motion for continuance when the State amended the Bill of Information changing the crime the defendants were charged with on the morning of trial.
2. The trial court erred in not granting defendants' motion for mistrial when the court allowed the State to amend its answer to defendants' motions for discovery and use the material in the trial.
3. The trial court erred in not giving defendants' requested jury instruction concerning sentence.
4. The trial court erred in not granting the defendants' motions to suppress.
5. The trial court erred in not granting the defendants' motions to quash.
6. The trial court erred in not granting the defendants' motions for a new trial.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1

In their first assignment of error the defendants contend that the trial court erred in not granting their motion for a continuance when the State amended the Bill of Information changing the crime that defendants were charged with on the morning of trial.

The defendants were originally charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, a violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966 A(1). Under LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 814 A(49), possession of controlled dangerous substances is a responsive verdict to possession of controlled dangerous substances with intent to produce, manufacture, distribute, or dispense. Possession of controlled dangerous substances is also a lesser offense included in the crime of possession with the intent to distribute. The district attorney has the power to amend an indictment to charge such a lesser offense. State v. Gilmore, 332 So.2d 789 (La.1976).

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Bluebook (online)
466 So. 2d 686, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-clark-lactapp-1985.