State v. Davis

651 So. 2d 323, 1995 WL 80451
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 1, 1995
Docket26682-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 651 So. 2d 323 (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, 651 So. 2d 323, 1995 WL 80451 (La. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

651 So.2d 323 (1995)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee,
v.
John Wesley DAVIS, Appellant.

No. 26682-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

March 1, 1995.

*324 Wayne Blanchard, Lafayette, for appellant.

Richard Ieyoub, Atty. Gen., Baton Rouge, James M. Bullers, Dist. Atty., Whitley R. Graves, Asst. Dist. Atty., Benton, for appellee.

Before SEXTON, LINDSAY and WILLIAMS, JJ.

SEXTON, Judge.

Defendant was charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder. A jury convicted him of one count of attempted second degree murder. He was adjudicated a third felony offender and sentenced to life imprisonment without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. Defendant now appeals his conviction and sentence, urging eleven assignments of error. We affirm the conviction, vacate the sentence and remand for resentencing.

Two probation and parole officers, Bob Phillips and Joe Evans, were injured by gunfire from the defendant, John Wesley Davis, after entering Davis's home to investigate a tip that he possessed narcotics in violation of his parole.[1] Officer Phillips received two gunshot wounds in the leg during a scuffle and gunfight with the defendant on defendant's waterbed, while officer Evans received a minor injury to the head when a stray bullet traveled through the bedroom wall into the hall where Evans was located. Davis was also seriously injured in the gunfight from three bullets entering his body in the groin area. He was subsequently charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder pursuant to LSA-R.S. 14:30 and LSA-R.S. 14:27 for allegedly attempting to kill two peace officers. Davis's defense was justification under LSA-R.S. 14:19, alleging that he did not know that Phillips was a probation and parole officer, and he thought he was defending himself against an intruder.

After extensive deliberation marked by several requests for further clarification of the jury instructions from the court, the jury rendered a responsive verdict that Davis was guilty of attempted second degree murder of Bob Phillips, and acquitted Davis of the charge that he attempted to kill Joe Evans.

Defendant filed a motion for a post-verdict judgment of acquittal or for a new trial, claiming that the jury's verdict of attempted second degree murder indicated that they found that Davis did not know Phillips was a probation officer, in which case the defendant was entitled to an acquittal. Although attempted second degree murder is one of the enumerated responsive verdicts for attempted first degree murder under LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 814 A, defendant argues that in this case there is insufficient evidence to support such a verdict, inasmuch as the critical fact upon which a guilty verdict of the charge hinged was whether the defendant knew that Bob Phillips was a peace officer rather than some intruder in his house, as he claimed. Defendant contends that the responsive jury verdict *325 of second degree murder indicates that the jury found that the element of specific intent to kill a peace officer was absent, and accordingly, the only other verdict it could have rendered would be a verdict of not guilty. Although the trial court agreed that a verdict of second degree murder was puzzling in this case, it denied defendant's motions and let the verdict stand.

Before sentencing, a multiple offender bill was filed by the district attorney. Finding that the defendant was a third felony offender under LSA-R.S. 15:529.1 A(2)(b), the court imposed the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. Defendant filed a motion to reconsider sentence subsequent to this appeal, the disposition of which is not in the record.

Defendant raises eleven assignments of error in his appeal. We will consider each assignment in the order presented.

Assignment No. 1

Incorrect Jury Instruction on Justification

Defendant alleges that the trial court erred by failing to inform the jury that the defendant was only obliged to prove justification by a preponderance of the evidence rather than beyond a reasonable doubt. In support, defendant cites State v. Zeno, 469 So.2d 337 (La.App. 2d Cir.1985), writ denied, 474 So.2d 1303 (La.1985) wherein this court, citing the United States Supreme Court in Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979), stated 469 So.2d at p. 340:

The relevant inquiry is whether, under the facts and circumstances of this case, a rational trier of fact, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, could have concluded either that the defendant failed to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he was justified in shooting ... or that the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not shoot ... in self-defense. (emphasis in original)

In its initial instruction to the jury, the trial court read to the jury the provisions of LSA-R.S. 14:19, justification for force or violence in defense. The court did not instruct the jury on the burden of proof of justification at this time. Unable to reach a verdict, the jury returned several times for clarification on the jury instructions. The third time the jury returned, the court stated:

The State of Louisiana is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant's use of force or violence was not in response to a forcible offense or crime against the defendant or the person of another or to prevent a forcible offense or crime of trespass against property in the lawful possession of the defendant.... The State of Louisiana is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant brought on the difficulty if the defendant claims he was acting in self defense.

(Record, p. 365)

If anything, the defendant in this case received the benefit of the more stringent burden placed on the state to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self-defense. We also note that the defendant neither proposed nor objected to the trial court's jury instruction regarding the burden of proof of justification. Nor did the defendant object that the trial court did not enumerate the factors which the jury could consider in determining justification. As defendant made no objection or suggestion on either of these issues at trial, he may not raise them now after verdict has been rendered. LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 841.

This assignment of error is without merit.

Assignment 2

Failure to Instruct Jury on Transferred Justification After Jury Request

As previously stated, after the jury began deliberation, it returned several times for further clarification of the law. On returning the first time, the jury presented the court with several questions from several members. They did not request a supplemental charge on transferred justification. The court then simply read the original charge on the elements of the crimes and the definitions of intent. Included in this repeated charge was a brief charge on transferred justification. The jury retired to deliberate *326 but returned again with a request that the judge re-read the charge. The judge did so but, over the objection of the defendant, deleted the instruction on transferred justification.

As previously indicated, justification was later explained to the jury in detail.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
651 So. 2d 323, 1995 WL 80451, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-davis-lactapp-1995.