State v. Daniels

740 So. 2d 691, 1999 WL 275732
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 5, 1999
Docket32,017-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 740 So. 2d 691 (State v. Daniels) 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. Daniels, 740 So. 2d 691, 1999 WL 275732 (La. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

740 So.2d 691 (1999)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee,
v.
John David DANIELS, Appellant.

No. 32,017-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

May 5, 1999.

*693 Sam O. Henry, IV, Counsel for Appellant.

Richard Ieyoub, Attorney General, Jerry Jones, District Attorney, H. Stephens Winters, Assistant District Attorney, Counsel for Appellee.

Before BROWN, WILLIAMS and PEATROSS, JJ.

BROWN, J.,

Defendant, John David Daniels, was found guilty of distribution of cocaine, a violation of La. R.S. 40:967. He was sentenced to a five-year term at hard labor. Defendant's motion for a new trial was denied. He now appeals his conviction. We affirm.

DISCUSSION

Sufficiency of the Evidence

Claiming misidentification, defendant contends that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction.

Standard of review

The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides that no person shall be "deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law." The Fourteenth Amendment imposes the same due process requirement on the states. Implicit in the due process clause is the protection of an accused against conviction except upon proof beyond a reasonable doubt of every fact necessary to constitute the crime with which he is charged. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); IN RE Winship, 397 U.S. 358, 90 S.Ct. 1068, 25 L.Ed.2d 368 (1970); State v. Goodjoint, 30,727 (La.App.2d Cir.06/24/98), 716 So.2d 139. Thus, an accused is entitled to an appellate review of the evidence to the extent that it supports a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, supra; State v. Bosley, 29,253 (La.App.2d Cir.04/02/97), 691 So.2d 347, writ denied, 97-1203 (La.10/17/97), 701 So.2d 1333.

The proper standard of appellate review for a sufficiency of evidence claim is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, a rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, supra; State v. Goodjoint, supra; State v. Bellamy, 599 So.2d 326 (La.App. 2d Cir.1992), writ denied, 605 So.2d 1089 (La.1992).

This standard, initially enumerated in Jackson and now legislatively embodied in La.C.Cr.P. art. 821, is applicable in cases involving both direct and circumstantial evidence. State v. Cotton, 25,940 (La. App.2d Cir.03/30/94), 634 So.2d 937. Ultimately, under Jackson all evidence, both direct and circumstantial, must be sufficient to satisfy a rational juror that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Id.

A violation of La. R.S. 40:967(A)(1) occurs when any person knowingly or intentionally distributes, physically delivers or administers cocaine, a schedule II CDS. A defendant is guilty of distribution of cocaine when he transfers its possession or *694 control to the intended recipient. State v. Cummings, 95-1377 (La.02/28/96), 668 So.2d 1132; State v. Martin, 29,717 (La. App.2d Cir.09/24/97), 702 So.2d 739.

Evidence

Defendant's arrest was the result of a Metro Narcotics Unit ("Metro") undercover drug operation. On March 18, 1996, Detective Harold Freeman of the West Monroe Police Department and Deputy Jeremy Taylor of the Winn Correctional Center were working with Metro specifically targeting an individual known as "Arkansas," who was allegedly selling drugs out of Room 13 at the Jackson Motel in West Monroe.[1] Equipped with a body wire, hand-held radio and buy money, Taylor and a confidential informant ("C.I.") proceeded to Room 13. Freeman monitored the events from his car, which was parked a few blocks away. Upon their arrival at Room 13, Deputy Taylor and the C.I. were met by a man identified to Taylor by the C.I. as "J.D." Deputy Taylor told J.D. that he was looking for Arkansas to purchase crack cocaine. J.D. informed Taylor that Arkansas was across the street and to wait while he went to get him. Deputy Taylor and the C.I. then waited inside the room for a few minutes until J.D. returned with three rocks of crack cocaine which he offered to sell for "five-O" ($50). Deputy Taylor agreed. The transfer took place and Deputy Taylor and the C.I. left the scene. J.D. was identified by Deputy Taylor as defendant, John David Daniels.

Defendant argues that the state did not bear its burden of negating all reasonable probability of misidentification by Deputy Taylor.

In cases involving a defendant's claim that he was not the person who committed the crime, the state bears the burden of negating any reasonable probability of misidentification. State v. Long, 408 So.2d 1221 (La.1982); State v. Hubbard, 30,604 (La.App.2d Cir.04/08/98), 711 So.2d 393; State v. Powell, 27,959 (La. App.2d Cir.04/12/96), 677 So.2d 1008.

A reviewing court accords great deference to a jury's decision to accept or reject the testimony of a witness in whole or in part. State v. Bosley, supra.; State v. Rogers, 494 So.2d 1251 (La.App. 2d Cir. 1986), writ denied, 499 So.2d 83 (La.1987). In the absence of internal contradiction or irreconcilable conflict with physical evidence, one witness's testimony, if believed by the trier of fact, is sufficient support for a requisite factual conclusion. State v. Brown, 29,708 (La.App.2d Cir.09/24/97), 702 So.2d 744; State v. Ford, 28,724 (La. App.2d Cir.10/30/96), 682 So.2d 847. The testimony of a single undercover officer is sufficient to convict one charged with distribution of drugs. State v. Thompson, 27,543 (La.App.2d Cir.12/06/95), 665 So.2d 686; State v. Daniels, 607 So.2d 620 (La. App. 2d Cir.1992).

The record shows that when Deputy Taylor first saw defendant at the motel, he was told by the C.I. that defendant was known as "J.D." Deputy Taylor observed defendant face-to-face twice for two or three minutes each time, purchased three rocks of cocaine from him for $50 and identified him from a photographic lineup the next day. Deputy Taylor stated that he had no doubt that defendant was the person from whom he had purchased the drugs.

Viewing all the evidence in the light most favorable to the state, the jury could have reasonably concluded that defendant was the individual who sold the cocaine to Deputy Taylor. Under our appellate review standard, this is all that can be considered.

Motion for Mistrial

Defendant claims that the trial court erred in not granting his motion for mistrial based on prejudicial statements made by one juror to other jurors after the first day of voir dire but before the jury *695 had been sworn. Defendant argues that the trial court should have excused all jurors who heard the prejudicial remarks.

La.C.Cr.P. art. 775 provides in part that upon motion of a defendant, a mistrial shall 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.

A mistrial is a drastic remedy to be invoked only when the defendant suffers such substantial prejudice that he is deprived of any reasonable expectation of a fair trial. State v. Hattaway, 28,060 (La.App.2d Cir.05/08/96), 674 So.2d 380 (citations omitted).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Vansant
170 So. 3d 1059 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2015)
State v. Brandenburg
949 So. 2d 625 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State of Louisiana v. Willard Brandenburg
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007
State v. Surratt
932 So. 2d 736 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2006)
State v. Uloho
875 So. 2d 918 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2004)
State v. Slocum
791 So. 2d 143 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2001)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
740 So. 2d 691, 1999 WL 275732, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-daniels-lactapp-1999.