State v. Cook

598 So. 2d 423, 1992 WL 71003
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 31, 1992
Docket91-KA-943
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 598 So. 2d 423 (State v. Cook) 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. Cook, 598 So. 2d 423, 1992 WL 71003 (La. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

598 So.2d 423 (1992)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Freddie COOK.

No. 91-KA-943.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

March 31, 1992.

*424 William B. Birner, Brenda Braud Birner, Laplace, for defendant/appellant Freddie Cook.

Rodney Brignac, Edgard, for plaintiff/appellee State of Louisiana.

Before BOWES, GRISBAUM and CANNELLA, JJ.

CANNELLA, Judge.

Defendant, Fred Cook[1], appeals his conviction of two counts of distribution of cocaine, a violation of La.R.S. 40:967 A(1). He also appeals his sentence of 15 years at *425 hard labor, on each count, consecutive, and a fine of $5,000. We affirm in part, reverse in part and remand.

On appeal, defendant complains that a mistrial should have been granted due to outbursts by several members of the jury venire who expressed opinions relative to defendant's guilt which tainted the entire venire and was so prejudicial as to deny him a fair trial. Defendant also asserts that the trial judge abused his discretion in not complying with the sentencing guidelines of La.C.Cr.P. art 894.1 and in imposing an excessive sentence.

In the trial, Detective Bridget Dinvaut of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office testified regarding the undercover narcotics operation, code named DNEF, which resulted in defendant's arrest. She stated that the purpose of the operation was to acquire undercover agents to send into the streets of St. John the Baptist Parish for drug purchases. In conjunction with this program, on September 6, 1990, she and two other officers met with Deputy Vincent Stewart, also know as Agent Alvin, to make arrangements for an undercover operation. At approximately 9:30 p.m. the officers met at a prearranged location where Agent Alvin was provided with $200.00 in cash to buy drugs. He was also provided with an electronic surveillance device (body wire). Agent Alvin then proceeded to the Bumble Bee Bar on River Road in Reserve, Louisiana to attempt to make drug purchases. He arrived there at approximately 11:00 p.m. After mingling with the crowd and buying a beer, Agent Alvin was advised by Chippy Alexander that defendant might have some drugs to sell. According to Agent Alvin, Alexander nodded to defendant inside the bar and defendant then followed the officer outside. Defendant produced a match box from his pocket revealing a rock substance. Agent Alvin purchased a $20.00 rock at this time. After purchasing the drugs, Agent Alvin left the area, went to a prearranged location, and turned the evidence over to Officer Franks. A preliminary field test proved positive for the presence of cocaine. Agent Alvin informed Officer Franks that he knew the subject from whom he had purchased the drugs through various athletic events in the parish and from high school football. Early the next morning he identified defendant in a photographic identification book.

Two days later, on September 8, 1990, the officers again met and Agent Alvin was supplied with $125.00 in cash and body wiring. Agent Alvin again proceeded to the Bumble Bee Lounge, went inside and saw some people dancing, including defendant, whom he recognized. A few minutes later, Agent Alvin told defendant of his desire to purchase drugs. The two proceeded to the officer's vehicle and Agent Alvin purchased two rocks of crack cocaine for $20.00 each. Agent Alvin put the rocks inside a bag, proceeded to a prearranged location and turned the evidence over to Officer Franks. It proved to be cocaine after a preliminary field test. Agent Alvin testified that he was certain of the identity of the individual from whom he purchased the drugs on this occasion. He later positively identified defendant in court as the individual from whom he purchased the cocaine on September 6, 1990 and September 8, 1990.

Dwayne Courville of the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab testified that the analysis of the evidence proved that the rock-like substances were in fact cocaine.

Defendant testified at trial that he did not remember his whereabouts on September 6 or 8, 1990. He specifically denied selling cocaine to Agent Alvin. Defendant admitted to a previous drug addiction resulting from a knee injury. He testified that he had stopped using drugs after participating in a rehabilitation program provided by his employer. Defendant further testified that he had been contacted by the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office prior to the incident, because they wanted him to set up drug dealers. He had refused to cooperate because the officers were not able to protect him or his family.

After listening to all the testimony, the jury found defendant guilty of both counts of distribution of cocaine.

*426 In the first assignment of error, defendant contends that repeated outbursts by members of the jury venire took away his presumption of innocence. He asserts that the comments were so prejudicial that he was unable to obtain a fair trial. Defense counsel moved for a mistrial following completion of voir dire because of comments made by prospective jurors Donaldson, Dottolo, Tregre and Young. Those prospective jurors felt that defendant must have done something wrong or he would not have been arrested, charged and brought to trial. Defendant contends that the issue is not whether challenges for cause could have been and were made, but rather whether a panel may be so prejudiced by what it hears by repetitive and emphatic commentary that, taken as a whole, it had to affect at least some of the jury such as to influence the reasonable doubt standard.

Under La.C.Cr.P. art. 775 a mistrial may be ordered, and in a jury case the jury dismissed, "when prejudicial conduct in or outside the courtroom makes it impossible for the defendant to obtain a fair trial, or when authorized by Article 770 or 771 ..."

The determination as to whether a mistrial should be granted under this provision is within the sound discretion of the trial judge, and the denial of a motion for mistrial will not be disturbed on appeal absent an abuse of that discretion. It should be granted only where the defendant suffers such substantial prejudice that he has been deprived of any reasonable expectation of a fair trial. State v. Smith, 433 So.2d 688 (La. 1983).

In State v. Monroe, 397 So.2d 1258 (La. 1981), cert. denied, 463 U.S. 1229, 103 S.Ct. 3571, 77 L.Ed.2d 1411 (1983), rehearing denied, 463 U.S. 1249, 104 S.Ct. 36, 77 L.Ed.2d 1455 (1983), defendant argued that the trial judge erred in denying his motion for mistrial when a prospective juror stated, "I don't think [the defendant] would be here if the district attorney didn't think he did something." State v. Monroe, supra at 1265. The defendant asserted that, since the jurors heard this remark, they were influenced by it, and consequently he would be unable to receive a fair trial. The Louisiana Supreme Court disagreed, reasoning as follows:

The jurors who were chosen swore to accept the law as given to them by the judge. They were instructed on the presumption of innocence. Implicit in defendant's argument is the assumption that, because the jurors heard this remark, they were unable to accept the law as given to them by the judge. We do not believe this prospective juror's statement could have had such an impact. The complained of remark was a typical misconception of the law—the type that voir dire is designed to dispel. State v. Monroe, supra at 1266.

In State v. Young, 469 So.2d 1014 (La. App.

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Bluebook (online)
598 So. 2d 423, 1992 WL 71003, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-cook-lactapp-1992.