State v. Davis

633 So. 2d 822, 1994 WL 59948
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 25, 1994
Docket93-KA-0663
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 633 So. 2d 822 (State v. Davis) 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. Davis, 633 So. 2d 822, 1994 WL 59948 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

633 So.2d 822 (1994)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Larry DAVIS.

No. 93-KA-0663.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

February 25, 1994.

*823 Ronald J. Rakosky, New Orleans, for appellant.

Harry F. Connick, Dist. Atty., Jack Peebles, Asst. Dist. Atty., New Orleans, for appellee.

Before BARRY, CIACCIO and LANDRIEU, JJ.

CIACCIO, Judge.

Defendant, Larry Davis, was charged with one count of attempt armed robbery and two counts of attempt second degree murder. A twelve-member jury found him guilty as charged on all three counts. Defendant was sentenced to serve 49½ years at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence on the attempt armed robbery conviction and to serve 50 years at hard labor on each of the attempt second degree murder convictions, all sentences to run consecutively.

Defendant asserts three assignments of error on appeal.

1. The trial court erred in imposing unconstitutionally excessive sentences.
2. The evidence upon which Larry Davis was convicted of attempt armed robbery and two counts of attempt second degree murder is constitutionally insufficient, as a result of which judgments of acquittal must be entered on each count.
3. The trial court did not meaningfully consider the sentencing guidelines.

For the reasons stated herein, we affirm defendant's conviction and sentences.

Facts

At approximately 10:00 p.m. on March 15, 1990, Karen Wood, Lars Anderson, and William Burgstiner left Brigsten's Restaurant in the Riverbend area of New Orleans. They walked toward their car, Ms. Wood and *824 Anderson walking together and Burgstiner walking a short distance behind them. As they crossed a parking lot, a red car with two people inside drove past Ms. Wood and Anderson and stopped. The passenger of the car, later identified as the defendant Larry Davis, exited the car and walked up behind Ms. Wood, pointing a gun toward her head. Burgstiner, who observed this while he was walking behind Ms. Wood, shouted and grabbed Davis. Davis and Burgstiner struggled, and during the struggle Burgstiner was shot in the abdomen. Burgstiner was then shot in the back by the driver of the car, later identified as Troy Bridges, who had exited the car and had come up behind Burgstiner. As a security guard arrived and exchanged gunfire with the assailants, they fled on foot. Burgstiner was taken to a hospital.

William Burgstiner testified that when he saw the passenger of the red car alight and point a gun at Ms. Woods, he ran and grabbed the man, who he identified as Davis. Burgstiner testified that as they struggled, Davis' gun fired, and he was hit. The other man then shot him in the back. He testified he fell to the ground, and as he heard more shots, he crawled under a car. He testified that in all he was admitted to the hospital three times for treatment of his gunshot wounds.

Karen Wood testified that after the red car passed her and Anderson, she heard a scuffle and shots, and she turned around to see that Burgstiner had been shot. She testified that she saw both men's faces, including that of the smaller man with whom Burgstiner had been struggling. She testified that she chose Bridges' photograph in a lineup, identifying him as the taller man standing behind Burgstiner. She testified she was not asked to view a photographic lineup with respect to Davis, but she positively identified him as the shorter man with whom Burgstiner had struggled. She testified she was unaware that Davis had pointed a gun at her until after Burgstiner had told her. She also testified that she did not remember anyone asking for her purse or jewelry, and nothing was taken from her. She testified that the assailants ran from the scene when a security guard arrived.

Lars Anderson testified that after the red car passed him and Ms. Wood, he heard a shot. He turned and saw Burgstiner struggling with one man while another man was hitting him from behind. He identified Davis as the man with whom Burgstiner was struggling. He testified that Davis then shot Burgstiner in the stomach, and the other man shot Burgstiner in the back. Anderson testified he grabbed Davis by the shoulders to separate him from Burgstiner. Davis then turned and pointed his gun at Anderson, Anderson dropped to the ground, and Davis fired at him, barely missing him. Anderson then crawled between two parked cars. He testified that he heard more shots, and then the men ran, leaving the car, when a security guard arrived.

Sgt. Tyronne Smith testified that he was working a paid detail in the area that night. He had just walked a couple to another car when he saw the victims walking through the parking lot and heard gunshots. He testified that after the shooting, the assailants ran toward the red car, which was in the same direction from which he was approaching. He testified that the shorter man pointed his gun at him, fired once, and then the two men fled.

Sufficiency of the Evidence

Defendant contends that there was insufficient evidence to support his convictions. The standard of review for sufficiency of evidence has been stated in State v. Heck, 560 So.2d 611, 614-615 (La.App. 4th Cir. 1990), writ den. 566 So.2d 395 (1990):

In evaluating the sufficiency of evidence to support a conviction, an appellate court must determine whether, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781 [61 L.Ed.2d 560] (1979); State v. Jacobs, 504 So.2d 817 (La.1987). Where the conviction is based upon circumstantial evidence, R.S. 15:438 provides that such evidence must exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence. State v. Langford, 483 So.2d 979 (La.1986). *825 R.S. 15:438 does not establish a stricter standard of review than the more general rational juror's reasonable doubt formula; it is merely an evidentiary guide for the jury when considering circumstantial evidence. State v. Porretto, 468 So.2d 1142 (La.1985).

Defendant contends that there was insufficient evidence to support his attempt armed robbery conviction because the State failed to present any evidence to show that he intended to rob Ms. Woods.

An armed robbery is defined by La.R.S. 14:64 as "the taking of anything of value belonging to another from the person of another or that is in the immediate control of another, by use of force or intimidation, while armed with a dangerous weapon." La.R.S. 14:27 defines an attempt: "Any person who, having a specific intent to commit a crime, does or omits an act for the purpose of and tending directly toward the accomplishing of his object is guilty of attempt to commit the offense intended; and it shall be immaterial whether, under the circumstances, he would have actually accomplished his purpose."

Specific intent may be inferred from the circumstances of a transaction and from the action of the accused. State v. Graham, 420 So.2d 1126, 1127 (La.1982). Further, specific intent is a legal conclusion to be resolved by the fact-finder. Id., at 1128.

In the present case, the victim, Bill Burgstiner, testified that while walking in the restaurant parking lot he observed defendant exit a vehicle and point a gun to the head of his companion Karen Woods. Although Ms.

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Bluebook (online)
633 So. 2d 822, 1994 WL 59948, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-davis-lactapp-1994.