State v. Collins

677 So. 2d 500, 1996 WL 230806
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 8, 1996
DocketCR95-1503
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 677 So. 2d 500 (State v. Collins) 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. Collins, 677 So. 2d 500, 1996 WL 230806 (La. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

677 So.2d 500 (1996)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee,
v.
Larry COLLINS, Defendant-Appellant.

No. CR95-1503.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

May 8, 1996.

*502 Bernard E. Boudreaux, Jr., Dist. Atty., Robert C. Vines, Asst. Dist. Atty., for State of Louisiana.

Gary Legros, Franklin, Larry Collins, for Larry Collins.

Before SAUNDERS, AMY and GREMILLION, JJ.

AMY, Judge.

This appeal arises from a case in which defendant, Larry Collins, pled guilty to possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and was sentenced to sixteen (16) years at hard labor. For the following reasons, we affirm defendant's sentence.

DISCUSSION OF THE RECORD

On February 14, 1995, the police received a call informing them that defendant had abducted Lisa Willis from her home and brought her to Mike's Inn in New Iberia, Louisiana. When police located defendant, he was traveling on a bicycle. Defendant then forced his way into the home of Mrs. Ida Fletcher. At that point, the police entered the home and found defendant with *503 four packages of powder cocaine and one rock of crack cocaine. The police also found approximately $700.00 in United States currency.

Defendant was charged by bill of information with: (1) count one—possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, in violation of La.R.S. 40:967(A); (2) count two—possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, in violation of La.R.S. 40:966(A); (3) count three—unauthorized entry of a dwelling, in violation of La.R.S. 14:62.3; (4) count four—simple kidnapping, in violation of La.R.S. 14:45; and (5) count five—simple battery, in violation of La.R.S. 14:35.

On April 11, 1995, defendant appeared in court, waived presence of counsel and informed the court that he would represent himself until William R. Collins could be appointed as counsel. He then waived formal arraignment and entered pleas of not guilty.

On June 21, 1995, defendant, in accordance with a plea agreement with the State, withdrew his former pleas of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty to the charge of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute (count one of the bill of information). On motion of the State, the trial court then ordered all other counts dismissed.

On August 29, 1995, defendant was sentenced to sixteen (16) years at hard labor. At the conclusion of the sentencing, defense counsel made an oral motion to reconsider the sentence and also gave oral notice of an intent to appeal. Defendant's oral motion to reconsider the sentence asserted that the trial court had not considered the appropriate sentencing grid. This motion was denied by the trial court.

Defendant appeals. On appeal, defense counsel assigns one assignment of error, namely that the sentence imposed by the trial judge is constitutionally excessive. Defendant has assigned the following four pro-se assignments of error: (1) ineffective assistance of counsel on appeal; (2) insufficient evidence to support a guilty plea to possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute; (3) constitutionally excessive sentence; and (4) breach of the plea bargain agreement.

ANALYSIS

ERRORS PATENT

La.Code Crim.P. art. 920 provides the scope of review on appeal, as follows:

The following matters and no others shall be considered on appeal:
(1) An error designated in the assignment of errors; and
(2) An error that is discoverable by a mere inspection of the pleadings and proceedings and without inspection of the evidence.

In accordance with this article, all appeals are reviewed for errors patent on the face of the record.

After a review of the record, we find two errors patent. The first involves whether defendant was given credit for time served. La.Code Crim.P. art. 880 provides that when a sentence is imposed, the court shall give the defendant credit toward service of his sentence for time spent in actual custody prior to the imposition of sentence. The record indicates that the trial court did not do so. Therefore, we amend the sentence to reflect that the defendant is given credit for time served prior to the execution of his sentence. See La.Code Crim.P. art. 882(A). Resentencing is not required; instead, we remand this case and order the district court to amend the commitment and minute entry of the sentence to reflect that the defendant is given credit for time served. State v. Moore, 93-1632 (La.App. 3 Cir. 5/4/94); 640 So.2d 561, writ denied, 94-1455 (La. 3/30/95); 651 So.2d 858.

The second error patent involves whether there was a misjoinder of offenses in the bill of information. The bill of information charged defendant with five separate counts: (1) count one—possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute; (2) count two— possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute; (3) count three—unauthorized entry of a dwelling; (4) count four—simple kidnapping; and (5) count five—simple battery.

La.Code Crim.P. art. 493 provides for the joinder of offenses in a single bill of *504 information under limited circumstances. However, in any event, the "offenses joined must be triable by the same mode of trial." Counts one and two appearing in defendant's bill of information are triable by a jury composed of twelve jurors, ten of whom must concur to render a verdict. La.Code Crim.P. art. 782. Counts three and four are triable by a six person jury, all of whom must concur. Id. Count five is a misdemeanor triable by a judge without a jury. La.Code Crim.P. art. 779. Therefore, the charges were improperly joined. However, this assignment was rendered moot since defendant entered into a plea bargain resulting in counts two through five being dismissed. State v. Cutrera, 558 So.2d 611, n. 1 (La.App. 1 Cir.1990). Additionally, we note that defendant did not file a motion to quash the indictment on the basis of misjoinder of offenses, as required by statute. La.Code Crim.P. art. 495.

PRO-SE ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR

First, defendant asserts that he received ineffective assistance of counsel on appeal. This assertion is properly raised in an application for post-conviction relief, rather than in an appeal. State v. Burkhalter, 428 So.2d 449 (La.1983). This enables the district court judge to order a full evidentiary hearing on the matter. State v. Seiss, 428 So.2d 444 (La.1983). However, where the record contains evidence sufficient to decide the issue, and the issue is raised on appeal by an assignment of error, it should be considered. Id. We conclude that the record is sufficient to decide the issue and do so accordingly.

The right of a defendant in a criminal proceeding to the effective assistance of counsel is constitutionally mandated by the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. In order to establish a claim for ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must meet the two-pronged test enunciated by the United States Supreme Court. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); State v. Brooks, 505 So.2d 714 (La.1987), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 947, 108 S.Ct. 337, 98 L.Ed.2d 363 (1987). First, the defendant must show that his counsel's performance was deficient. Id. Counsel's performance is deficient if it fails to meet the level of competency normally demanded of attorneys in criminal cases. State ex rel. Graffagnino v. King, 436 So.2d 559 (La.1983); State v. Fickes,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
677 So. 2d 500, 1996 WL 230806, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-collins-lactapp-1996.