State v. Degregory

274 So. 3d 902
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 12, 2019
DocketNO. 2018-KA-0779
StatusPublished

This text of 274 So. 3d 902 (State v. Degregory) 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. Degregory, 274 So. 3d 902 (La. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

Judge Regina Bartholomew-Woods

Defendant-Appellant, Cristian DeGregory ("Defendant"), appeals his conviction, by jury trial, of second degree cruelty to a juvenile, a violation of La. R.S. 14:93.2.3. In this appeal, Defendant raises several assignments of error, which we find lack merit. For the reasons that follow, we affirm Defendant's conviction and amend Defendant's sentence to remove the restriction of his parole eligibility. In all other respects, Defendant's sentence is affirmed.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On June 25, 2015, the State filed an indictment charging Defendant with second degree cruelty to a juvenile, a violation *905of La. R.S. 14:93.2.3.1 On July 22, 2015, Defendant appeared for arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty. Defendant filed motions to suppress evidence and statement. On March 31, 2016, the district court heard these motions, and on April 25, 2016, denied both of them.

Trial by jury began on June 13, 2017, and concluded on June 15, 2017; the jury returned a verdict of guilty as charged. On June 23, 2017, the district court sentenced Defendant to forty (40) years imprisonment at hard labor. On that same date, the State filed a bill of information charging Defendant as a multiple offender;2 Defendant pled not guilty. On July 7, 2017, Defendant filed a motion to reconsider sentence. On November 21, 2017, the district court, in consideration of the pending multiple bill hearing, denied as moot Defendant's motion to reconsider.

On January 12, 2018, Defendant filed a motion for a new trial, which the district court denied. On that same date, the district court held the multiple offender hearing. On January 26, 2018, the district court ruled Defendant a second offender,3 and vacated Defendant's sentence and resentenced Defendant to fifty (50) years imprisonment at hard labor, without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. It is from his conviction and sentence that Defendant now appeals.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

At the beginning of the jury trial, the State called Sergeant Merrell Merricks, the Custodian of Records for the New Orleans Police Department ("NOPD"). Simultaneously, the State published to the jury Defendant's call to dispatch Emergency Medical Services ("EMS"). During the call, Defendant requested emergency assistance for a six-year-old male child who was experiencing a seizure.

Next, the State called New Orleans Emergency Medical Technician Theodore *906Andressen ("EMT Andressen"), who testified that on May 25, 2015, he was dispatched to a home located in New Orleans, and upon entry into the residence, he noticed Defendant4 standing near a young boy who was "sprawled out on the floor," unconscious and not moving. Defendant reported to EMT Andressen that the young boy's three-year-old sister had hit him in the head with a metal lunchbox. EMT Andressen observed that the young boy had a black eye and bruises, which prompted him to call law enforcement. After placing the young boy in the ambulance and cutting off his clothes, EMT Andressen observed that the child was emaciated with a distended stomach, had cigarette burns, and his teeth had been recently knocked out or were broken. The young boy was in critical condition and transported to Children's Hospital.

Additionally, the State called Richard Fredrick ("EMT Fredrick"), a paramedic in Baton Rouge.5 EMT Fredrick6 explained that when he arrived, he observed a "young child, male, unresponsive" in critical condition with "irregular and rapid" breathing with periods of apnea - symptoms of a "traumatic event" as opposed to a seizure.7 After completing a physical examination of the young boy, EMT Fredrick noted a "left nystagmus gaze, abdominal distention, and irregular respirations." EMT Fredrick also noted "multiple various stage bruising to [his] head and face" associated with blunt force and a "clubbed boxer life appearance"8 to both ears, and superficial abrasions to both his hands and face. Ultimately, EMT Fredrick testified that he had "no doubt that [the] child would have died that day" without medical intervention.

The State next called NOPD Officer Matthew White ("Officer White"), a child abuse detective to testify.9 Officer White stated that on May 25, 2015, he was dispatched to Children's Hospital in response to an unconscious victim, L.S.,10 where he first spoke to the head nurse, and then to the EMTs who treated and transported him. Officer White also requested that the Crime Lab come to the hospital to photograph L.S.'s injuries. Thereafter, Officer White interviewed L.S.'s mother and relocated to L.S.'s residence where he encountered Defendant and L.S.'s younger sister; Officer White then relocated all three individuals to the NOPD Child Abuse Office. At the office, Officer White and NOPD Detective Tania Pruitt interviewed Defendant.11 During the *907interview, Defendant attributed L.S.'s injuries to his younger sister hitting L.S. with toys and slamming the lid of a toy box on L.S.'s hands. A search warrant was executed on the residence to "obtain any evidence pertaining to the injuries that were discussed" by Defendant during the interview; a trash bag, containing blood-stained gauze, paper towels, Q-tips and a sheet, was recovered.

NOPD Detective Eddie Williams ("Detective Williams"), who, at the time of the trial, was assigned to the digital forensics unit,12 testified next. In connection with the child abuse investigation, Detective Williams processed and generated a data report on five (5) mobile phones that contained photos and videos of L.S.

Next, the state called Dr. Jamie Jackson, an expert in pediatric medicine, who testified that since 2010, she has worked at the Audrey Hepburn Care Center at Children's Hospital and consulted on forensic interview administered to children who are suspected of being abused; she participated as a consultant in L.S.'s forensic interview. According to Dr. Jackson, L.S. was brought to the emergency room, intubated to stabilize his breathing, and received a craniotomy13 and X-rays;14 Dr. Jackson explained that L.S.'s injuries signaled child abuse because such injuries require external force inconsistent with an accidental fall. Despite the fact that Defendant reported that L.S. experienced previous seizures, Dr. Jackson testified that L.S.'s medical records provided no indication that L.S. had a history of seizures.15 While testifying, the State showed Dr. Jackson photographs of L.S.'s injuries. Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
274 So. 3d 902, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-degregory-lactapp-2019.