State v. Cooley

857 So. 2d 1209, 2003 WL 22245415
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedSeptember 30, 2003
Docket03-KA-418
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 857 So. 2d 1209 (State v. Cooley) 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. Cooley, 857 So. 2d 1209, 2003 WL 22245415 (La. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

857 So.2d 1209 (2003)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Thurman T. COOLEY III and Paul Franklin.

No. 03-KA-418.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

September 30, 2003.

*1211 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Andrea F. Long, Terry M. Boudreaux, Churita Hansell, Assistant District Attorneys, Gretna, LA, for Plaintiff/Appellee.

*1212 Margaret S. Sollars, Louisiana Appellate Project, Thibodaux, LA, for Defendant/Appellant Thurman T. Cooley, III.

Gwendolyn K. Brown, Louisiana Appellate Project, Baton Rouge, LA, for Defendant/Appellant, Paul Franklin.

Panel composed of Judges SOL GOTHARD, THOMAS F. DALEY, and SUSAN M. CHEHARDY.

THOMAS F. DALEY, Judge.

Defendants, Thurman T. Cooley III (Cooley) and Paul Franklin (Franklin), entered guilty pleas, under State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (La.1976), to various counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin, conspiracy to possess heroin, felon in possession of a firearm, as outlined below. They also pleaded guilty to multiple offender bills and were both found to be second felony offenders, and having waived sentencing delays, were duly sentenced. On appeal, they assign the following Assignments of Error:

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR (THURMAN T. COOLEY III)

1. The Trial Court erred by failing to suppress evidence gathered as a result of an illegal seizure.

2. The Trial Court erred by not severing the defendants.

3. Error patent was committed in the sentencing.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR (PAUL FRANKLIN)

1. The trial court erred by failing to suppress evidence gathered as the result of an illegal seizure.

2. The trial court erred by failing to specify which conviction was being enhanced pursuant to the habitual offender adjudication.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On April 26, 2002, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a Bill of Information charging defendant, Cooley, with Count 1, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:95.1. In the same Bill of Information, defendant, Franklin, was charged with Count 2, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:95.1; Count 3, possession with intent to distribute 28 to 200 grams of heroin in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966(A)(1)(D)(a); and Count 4, possession with intent to distribute heroin in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966(A).

On July 8, 2002, the Bill of Information was amended to charge defendant, Cooley, with Count 4, possession with intent to distribute heroin in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966(A); and Count 5, conspiracy to distribute heroin in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:979 and R.S. 40:966.

Defendant, Cooley, filed a Motion to Sever, which was denied on August 22, 2002. Both defendants filed Motions to Suppress Evidence and Statement, which were denied on September 20, 2002. On November 19, 2002, a jury was selected and sworn. Also on that date, defendant, Franklin, requested an opportunity to enter pleas of guilty to all counts under Crosby,[1] reserving his right to appeal the ruling on the Motion to Suppress.

On the next day, November 20, 2002, defendant, Cooley, withdrew his pleas of not guilty and entered pleas of guilty under Crosby to the crimes with which he was charged. The trial court sentenced Cooley to imprisonment at hard labor for ten years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence in connection with the R.S. 14:95.1 conviction (Count *1213 1), 15 years in connection with the R.S. 40:966(A) conviction (Count 4), and 15 years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence in connection with the R.S. 40:979/40:966 conspiracy conviction (Count 5), with all sentences to run concurrently.

On that same date, the State filed a multiple bill alleging Cooley to be a second felony offender. Cooley admitted the allegations of the multiple bill. The trial court vacated the sentence imposed in connection with the R.S. 40:966(A) conviction and sentenced Cooley to imprisonment at hard labor for 15 years to run concurrently with the other sentences imposed.

On November 20, 2002, defendant, Franklin, withdrew his pleas of not guilty and entered pleas of guilty under Crosby to the crimes with which he was charged. The trial court sentenced Franklin to imprisonment at hard labor for ten years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence in connection with the R.S. 14:95.1 conviction (Count 2), 20 years in connection with the R.S. 40:966(A)(1)(D)(a) conviction (Count 3), and 20 years in connection with the R.S. 40:966(A) conviction (Count 4), with all sentences to run concurrently.

On that same date, the State filed a multiple bill alleging Franklin to be a second felony offender. Defendant admitted the allegations of the multiple bill. The trial court vacated the sentence imposed in connection with the R.S. 40:966(A) conviction and sentenced defendant to imprisonment at hard labor for 20 years to run concurrently with the other sentences imposed.

Both defendants timely appealed.

FACTS

Given that both defendants pleaded guilty, the following facts are gleaned from the transcript of the hearing on the Motions to Suppress Evidence.

Detective Robert Gerdes testified that he was employed in the narcotics section of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. He testified that he received information from a reliable confidential informant (CI) that Cooley, who resided at 1629 Cooper Road, Apartment D, would be delivering a quantity of heroin to the convenience store located at 123 Terry Parkway on March 26, 2002, between 11:30 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. Detective Gerdes testified that he had obtained reliable information from the CI in the past, and that that information had led to an arrest and a conviction.

The detectives established surveillance on Apartment D at approximately 11:25 p.m. Detective Gerdes explained that Detective Corey Wilson observed a red sport utility vehicle (SUV) pull up into the driveway. He stated that Detective Wilson also observed a young female, who was later identified as Tiara Gable, and Franklin exit the vehicle and enter Apartment D. Once Detective Wilson observed Cooley and Franklin[2] exit the apartment and get into the vehicle, Detective Gerdes followed the vehicle from Cooper Road to 123 Terry Parkway during the specific time frame laid out by the CI. Because the information from the CI was corroborated, Detective Gerdes conducted an investigatory stop of the vehicle in the parking lot.

Detective Gerdes stated that he pulled his vehicle directly behind the red SUV and exited. As the detectives approached the driver's side, Detective Richard Valley observed Franklin ingest a plastic bag containing *1214 a powder. The detectives were eventually able to arrest Franklin and retrieve the plastic bag he attempted to swallow, which was found to be seven grams of heroin. The detectives advised him of his constitutional rights. Detective Gerdes testified that Sergeant Harrison had contact with Cooley, who was an occupant inside the vehicle. Sergeant Harrison placed Cooley under arrest for an outstanding attachment of which they were already aware.

During questioning, Franklin stated that he lived in Algiers, the address on his driver's license. After being informed that detectives would corroborate that address, Franklin stated that he lived with his mother on Juliette Street in New Orleans.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
857 So. 2d 1209, 2003 WL 22245415, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-cooley-lactapp-2003.