State v. Collins

263 So. 3d 878
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedFebruary 18, 2019
DocketNo. 2018-KP-0777
StatusPublished

This text of 263 So. 3d 878 (State v. Collins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Collins, 263 So. 3d 878 (La. 2019).

Opinion

PER CURIAM:

Denied. Relator fails to show that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel during plea negotiations under the standard of Strickland v. Washington , 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). As to his remaining claims, relator fails to satisfy his post-conviction burden of proof. La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.2.

Relator has now fully litigated his application for post-conviction relief in state court. Similar to federal habeas relief, see 28 U.S.C. § 2244, Louisiana post-conviction procedure envisions the filing of a successive application only under the narrow circumstances provided in La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.4 and within the limitations period as set out in La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.8. Notably, the Legislature in 2013 La. Acts 251 amended that article to make the procedural bars against successive filings mandatory. Relator's claims have now been fully litigated in accord with La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.6, and this denial is final. Hereafter, unless he can show that one of the narrow exceptions authorizing the filing of a successive application applies, relator has exhausted his right to state collateral review. The district court is ordered to record a minute entry consistent with this per curiam.

JOHNSON, C.J., would grant and assigns reasons.

HUGHES, J., would grant.

CRICHTON, J., recused.

JOHNSON, C.J. would grant the writ and assigns reasons.

*879Pursuant to a plea bargain agreement, defendant gave up his constitutional right to a jury trial in exchange for a promise by the state that he would not be charged as a habitual offender. Although defendant complied with his obligations under the agreement, the state nonetheless filed a habitual offender bill. As a result, defendant was sentenced as a fourth felony offender and sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. In light of the state's breach of the agreement, defendant should no longer be bound by his own obligations under the agreement, including his agreement to plead guilty.

The plea agreement in this case provided that defendant would plead guilty to charges of possession, distribution, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and agree to cooperate and provide information regarding homicides and drug activity to law enforcement in exchange for the state's agreement not to file a habitual offender bill. Defendant detrimentally relied on the state's promise in pleading guilty, yet he received nothing of value in return given that he was sentenced to life in prison.

A plea bargain is a contract between the state and one accused of a crime.State v. Nall, 379 So.2d 731, 733 (La. 1980). A contract is formed by the consent of the parties established through offer and acceptance. The offer and acceptance may be verbal unless the law prescribes a requirement of writing. Once there is an offer and *880acceptance, the agreement is subject to specific performance. The party demanding performance of a contract has the burden of proving its existence. Moreover, the obligation may be dependent upon an uncertain event. A lawful cause is also necessary to the existence of a contract. The cause is the reason why a party obligates himself.State v. Louis, 94-0761 (La. 11/30/94), 645 So.2d 1144, 1149 (internal citations removed). This court has recently explained:

As a general matter, in determining the validity of agreements not to prosecute or of plea agreements, the courts generally refer to analogous rules of contract law, although a defendant's constitutional right to fairness may be broader than his or her rights under the law of contract. State in Interest of E.C., 13-2483, p. 4 (La. 6/13/14), 141 So.3d 785, 787 (per curiam); State v. Cardon, 06-2305, p. 1 (La. 1/12/07), 946 So.2d 171, 171-72 (per curiam); State v. Givens, 99-3518, p. 14 (La. 1/17/01), 776 So.2d 443, 455; State v. Louis, 94-0761 (La. 11/30/94), 645 So.2d 1144, 1148-49; State v. Lewis, 539 So.2d 1199, 1204-05 (La. 1989); State v. Nall, 379 So.2d 731, 734 (La. 1980). See also United States v. Ringling, 988 F.2d 504, 506 (4th Cir. 1993) (Plea bargains rest on contractual principles, and each party should receive the benefit of its bargain. Yet, the analysis of the plea agreement must be conducted at a more stringent level than in a commercial contract because the rights involved are generally fundamental and constitutionally based.).

State v. Karey, 16-0377 (La. 6/29/17), 232 So.3d 1186, 1190,reh'g denied, 16-0377 (La. 9/6/17), 224 So.3d 959. The disposition of criminal charges by agreement between the prosecutor and the accused has been characterized as "an essential component of the administration of justice."State v. Jones, 398 So.2d 1049, 1052 (La. 1981) (citingSantobello v. New York, 404 U.S. 257, 260, 92 S.Ct. 495, 498, 30 L.Ed.

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Related

Duncan v. Louisiana
391 U.S. 145 (Supreme Court, 1968)
Santobello v. New York
404 U.S. 257 (Supreme Court, 1971)
Strickland v. Washington
466 U.S. 668 (Supreme Court, 1984)
State v. Lewis
539 So. 2d 1199 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1989)
State v. Givens
776 So. 2d 443 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2001)
State v. Hayes
423 So. 2d 1111 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1982)
State v. Louis
645 So. 2d 1144 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1994)
State v. Nall
379 So. 2d 731 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1980)
State v. Dixon
449 So. 2d 463 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1984)
State v. Jones
398 So. 2d 1049 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1981)
State ex rel. E.C.
141 So. 3d 785 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2014)
State v. Karey
224 So. 3d 959 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2017)
State v. Cardon
946 So. 2d 171 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 2007)

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Bluebook (online)
263 So. 3d 878, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-collins-la-2019.