State v. Coleman

720 So. 2d 381, 1998 WL 690054
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided October 7, 1998·No. CR96-525·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

720 So.2d 381 (1998)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Frank H. COLEMAN.

No. CR96-525.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

October 7, 1998.

Glenn W. Alexander, D.A., for State.

*382 Bryan Forrest Gill, Jr., Lake Charles, for Frank H. Coleman, Jr.

Before THIBODEAUX, COOKS and GREMILLION, JJ.

COOKS, Judge.

Frank H. Coleman appealed his Distribution of "crack" Cocaine conviction, in violation of La. R.S. 40:967 A(1). We reversed defendant's conviction on original appeal finding his constitutional right to confront the witness against him required the State to disclose the identity of a confidential informant. State v. Coleman, 96-525, p.7 (La. App. 3 Cir. 10/8/96); 702 So.2d 803, 806. However, the Louisiana Supreme Court disagreed with our holding on this issue and remanded the case instructing us to consider the remaining errors assigned by defendant. State v. Coleman, 97-2802 (La.4/24/98); 713 So.2d 440. For the following reasons, we must affirm defendant's conviction, but vacate his sentence and remand for resentencing.

FACTS

On September 23, 1994, the Cameron Parish Sheriff's Department conducted an undercover narcotics "sting" at the Warren Miller Subdivision in Cameron Parish. The operation's supervisor was Deputy Michael Hebert, who on that particular evening worked with two agents, including Garfield Baker of Texas (hereinafter referred to as "Agent 31.")[1] The other agent, known to defendant only as "Confidential Informant # 106" (CI-106), provided certain information Agent 31 used to make the narcotics purchase. Particularly, CI-106 informed the deputies that he knew where to buy drugs and agreed to lead them to the location.

Deputy Steven Cheramie of the Cameron Parish Sheriff's Department and Deputy Hebert met Agent 31 and CI-106 around 10:00 that evening, placed a transmitter on Agent 31, and parked their unit less than half a mile from where the alleged drug transaction subsequently took place. Agent 31 was given $50.00 to purchase narcotics. The deputies then watched as Agent 31 and CI-106 drove another vehicle into the Warren Miller Subdivision intending to buy drugs.

The vehicle containing the undercover agents pulled up to a trailer home allegedly known for drug trafficking, where they met Leroy Moore, Jr. At this point, deputies Cheramie and Hebert were unable to see the agents and Moore. However, they continued to monitor the agents' activities via listening devices.

Whether Baker alone or CI-106 and Baker together expressed to Moore a desire to buy a "50" is a point in dispute.[2] The record does establish, however, only CI-106 and Moore were familiar with each other. Asked what happened when he first approached the car in which Baker and CI-106 were sitting, Moore testified CI-106 asked for defendant by name. Baker subsequently handed Moore $50.00. Moore apparently left, obtained $50.00 worth of "crack" cocaine, and returned to the vehicle. Deputies Cheramie and Hebert then met Agent 31 and CI-106 at another location, and received the evidence (one rock of crack cocaine).

Frank H. Coleman was subsequently indicted on five (5) counts of distributing cocaine in violation of La.R.S. 40:967(A)(1). One count stemmed from the occurrences on September 23,1994. On September 28,1995, the trial court denied defendant's Motion to Reveal the Identity of the Confidential Informant. Defendant maintained CI-106 was a participant and became a principal in the drug buy. The State argued the purchase of the crack cocaine was via Agent 31 or, in the alternative, through Moore and CI-106's identity was, thus, privileged. The motion was re-urged and again denied on October 12, 1995. The trial court also refused defendant's request to order the State to disclose which five charges pending against him it intended to try during the week beginning October 16, 1995. A jury convicted defendant as charged. His Motions for New Trial *383 and Post-Verdict Judgment of Acquittal also were denied. On original appeal to this court, defendant assigned the following errors for our review:

1. The trial court erred in denying the defendant's Motion to Reveal the Identity of CI-106 where it was stipulated that the confidential informant was involved in the drug transaction for which the defendant was convicted.
2. The trial court erred in denying defendant's Motion for New Trial where CI-106 testified he could not identify the defendant on the night of the transaction.
3. The trial court erred in denying defendant's request to order the State to disclose the preference of the case it intended to try where defendant was scheduled for trial on five separate charges.
4. The trial court erred in failing to grant defendant's Motion for Post Verdict Judgment of Acquittal.

As mentioned, we reversed defendant's conviction finding his first assignment attacking the trial court's denial of his motion to disclose the identity of CI-106 was meritorious. Specifically we stated, in pertinent part, "where evidence provided by an informant is so vital to the State's indictment as to render the charges inconsequential without it, disclosure of the informant's identity is necessary to protect the defendant's right to confrontation." Coleman, 702 So.2d at 806. The Louisiana Supreme Court disagreed and found "no error in the trial court's denial of the defendant's motion." Coleman, 713 So.2d at 442. As instructed, we turn to address defendant's remaining assignments of error.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 2

By this assignment, defendant claims the trial court erred in denying his Motion for New Trial. At a hearing on the motion, defendant presented the testimony of CI-106 who stated he could not identify the defendant on the night of the transaction. This evidence, defendant contends, was critical to his defense; and, he alleges the state did not call the informant as a trial witness because it knew his testimony would hurt the state's case. Defendant argues the confidential informant's testimony sufficiently supported his request for a new trial, particularly considering his repeated pleas for disclosure of the informant's identity prior to trial.

In State v. Guidry, 94-678, p. 9 (La.App. 3 Cir. 12/7/94); 647 So.2d 502, 508-09, this court articulated the standard for reviewing motions for new trial:

LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 851 provides in part:

"The motion for a new trial is based on the supposition that injustice has been done the defendant, and, unless such is shown to have been the case the motion shall be denied, no matter upon what allegations it is grounded. The court, on motion of the defendant, shall grant a new trial whenever:
* * * * * *
(3) New and material evidence that, notwithstanding the exercise of reasonable diligence by the defendant, was not discovered before or during the trial, is available, and if the evidence had been introduced at the trial it would probably have changed the verdict or judgment of guilty;"
As stated in State v. Prudholm, 446 So.2d 729 (La.1984), LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 854 establishes four requisites for a new trial motion based on newly discovered evidence: (1) the evidence must have been discovered since the trial; (2) failure to learn of the evidence at the time of trial must not be due to defendant's lack of diligence; (3) it must be material to the issues at the trial; and (4) it must be of such a nature that it would probably produce an acquittal in the even

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

State v. Coleman, 720 So. 2d 381, 1998 WL 690054 (La. Ct. App. 1998).

720 So. 2d 381 (State v. Coleman) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

State v. Jasper
75 So. 3d 984 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011)
State of Louisiana v. Richard D. Jasper
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011
State of Louisiana v. Derrick Dewayne Moore
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011
State v. Bias
63 So. 3d 399 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011)
State of Louisiana v. Arthur Bias, Jr.
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011
State v. Boutte
27 So. 3d 1111 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010)
State v. Gobert
24 So. 3d 1013 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009)
State of Louisiana v. Carl Anthony Gobert
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009
State v. Ruiz
3 So. 3d 671 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009)
State of Louisiana v. Gregory John Ruiz
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009
State v. Baylor
998 So. 2d 800 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State v. Samuel
984 So. 2d 256 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State of Louisiana v. Robert Lee Samuel
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008
State of Louisiana v. Marcus Quinn, Sr.
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007
State v. Fletcher
776 So. 2d 1240 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2000)
State v. Odom
772 So. 2d 281 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2000)
State v. Coleman
762 So. 2d 1134 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2000)
State v. Jetton
756 So. 2d 1206 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2000)