State v. Cooley

87 So. 3d 285, 11 La.App. 3 Cir. 959, 2012 WL 1108573, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 435
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 4, 2012
DocketNo. 11-959
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 87 So. 3d 285 (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, 87 So. 3d 285, 11 La.App. 3 Cir. 959, 2012 WL 1108573, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 435 (La. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

THIBODEAUX, Chief Judge.

h Defendant, Terry L. Cooley, was convicted of three counts of aggravated incest, in violation of La.R.S. 14:78.1, one count of sexual battery, in violation of La.R.S. 14:43.1, and one count of molestation of a [289]*289juvenile, in violation of La.R.S. 14:81.2. The court sentenced Cooley to five years at hard labor for each aggravated incest conviction, to run concurrently. The court sentenced Cooley to two years at hard labor for the sexual battery and to seven years at hard labor for the molestation, to run concurrently with each other but consecutively to the aggravated incest penalties. He appeals. For the following reasons, we affirm.

I.

ISSUES

We shall consider whether:

(1) Cooley’s constitutional right to a full voir dire was violated where one of the jurors denied having a relative who had been a victim of sexual abuse, where the juror’s brother allegedly molested his niece and his daughter, and where the brother was executed for aggravated rape, kidnapping, and capital murder;
(2) Cooley’s rights were violated when a recused judge excused potential jurors from voir dire outside the defense’s presence when the matter had not been called for trial yet;
(3) Cooley’s right to a fair trial was violated because of the alleged prejudice resulting from joinder of sexual battery, molestation, and aggravated incest charges;
(4) Cooley was subjected to double jeopardy because molestation of a juvenile and sexual battery were billed as separate offenses;
(5) the trial court erred by not allowing special jury instructions defining “lewd and lascivious,” “force,” and “use of force;” and,
(6)the trial court erred by allowing improper opinion testimony of a non-expert witness.

J¿L

FACTS

Cooley was convicted of one count of aggravated incest for lewdly fondling his juvenile stepdaughter M.L.1 Cooley was convicted of a second count of aggravated incest for exposing his genitals and lewdly fondling his minor stepdaughter S.L. Cooley was convicted of a third count of aggravated incest for lewdly fondling his juvenile stepdaughter K.L. Cooley was convicted of sexual battery for touching the genitals of the adolescent S.P. without her consent. Finally, Cooley was convicted of molestation of a juvenile for exposing S.P.’s breast as well as for rubbing and blowing on her stomach.

III.

LAW AND DISCUSSION

(1) Voir Dire

The record shows that the voir dire questionnaire asked whether a juror, the juror’s family member, or the juror’s close acquaintance had been a victim of sexual abuse. Juror Francis Powell answered “no” to this query. Cooley alleges that, following the verdict, defense counsel learned that law enforcement had investigated complaints that Juror Powell’s brother, Rexford Powell, had sexually assaulted a niece and his biological daughter.

These allegations arose during the investigation of other sex crimes for which Juror Powell’s brother was prosecuted: a 1985 Louisiana case and a 1991 Texas case. [290]*290Rexford Powell was acquitted of the charges alleged in the first case, but he was convicted of aggravated rape, kidnapping, and capital murder at the conclusion of the 1991 trial. The State of Texas executed Rexford Powell in 2002.

| ¡¡Cooley complained that he had been denied his constitutional right to a full voir dire examination of prospective jurors and to challenge jurors peremptorily. Cooley asserted that Juror Powell’s incorrect answer denied him his right to full disclosure of any matter that could affect a potential juror’s attitude.

During a hearing on Cooley’s motion for a new trial, Robert McCullough, the officer who originally investigated the initial complaints against Rexford Powell, revealed that the niece who had indicated Rexford Powell might have been the masked person who sexually assaulted her was not related to Juror Powell. She was the niece of Rexford Powell’s wife by blood relation.

During investigation of the Texas case, law enforcement learned that Rexford Powell’s daughter had made allegations to an unknown source that Rexford Powell had molested her. The Beauregard Parish law enforcement did not investigate the daughter’s complaints, and they did not arrest Rexford Powell in connection with those allegations.

If a false statement of a juror on voir dire is discovered during trial, the defendant may move for a mistrial, and the motion may be granted if the defendant was prevented from receiving a fair trial. La.Code Crim.P. art. 775. In a post-trial context, the matter can be raised in a motion for new trial.

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:
(1) The verdict is contrary to the law and the evidence;
(2) The court’s ruling on a written motion, or an objection made during the proceedings, shows prejudicial error;
|4(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;
(4) The defendant has discovered, since the verdict or judgment of guilty, a prejudicial error or defect in the proceedings that, notwithstanding the exercise of reasonable diligence by the defendant, was not discovered before the verdict or judgment; or
(5) The court is of the opinion that the ends of justice would be served by the granting of a new trial, although the defendant may not be entitled to a new trial as a matter of strict legal right.

La. Code Crim.P. art. 851.

“The motion for new trial is based upon the supposition, and requires a showing, that injustice has been done the defendant. La.C.Cr.P. art. 851. Regarding the misstatements of jurors, the defendant must show that he was prejudiced by the misstatement for a new trial to be warranted.” State v. Johnson, 32,910, p. 5 (La.App. 2 Cir. 1/26/00), 750 So.2d 398, 403-04, writ denied, 00-911 (La.11/3/00), 773 So.2d 140.

First, as argued by the State, Cooley was not prevented from having a full and adequate voir dire as he has failed to show that either the State or the trial [291]*291court placed unreasonable limitations on the voir dire examination by the defense:

As a general matter, an accused in a criminal case is constitutionally entitled to a full and complete voir dire examination. La. Const. Art. I, § 17. The purpose of voir dire is to determine the qualifications of prospective jurors by testing their competency and impartiality and to assist counsel in articulating intelligent reasons for exercise of cause and peremptory challenges.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
87 So. 3d 285, 11 La.App. 3 Cir. 959, 2012 WL 1108573, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 435, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-cooley-lactapp-2012.