State v. Earwood

164 So. 3d 883, 14 La.App. 5 Cir. 258, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 2585
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 29, 2014
DocketNo. 14-KA-258
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 164 So. 3d 883 (State v. Earwood) 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. Earwood, 164 So. 3d 883, 14 La.App. 5 Cir. 258, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 2585 (La. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

ROBERT A. CHAISSON, Judge.

| ¡.Defendant, Leonard P. Earwood, appeals his conviction and enhanced sentence for simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling. For the reasons that follow, we affirm defendant’s conviction and sentence; however, we remand the matter for correction of an error patent as noted herein.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On September 12, 2018, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a bill of information charging defendant with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:62.2. At his arraignment on the following day, defendant pled not guilty. Thereafter, on February 7, 2014, defendant withdrew his not guilty plea, and after being advised of his rights, pled guilty as charged. In accordance with the plea agreement, the trial court sentenced defendant to six years imprisonment at hard labor. The State then filed a bill of information, pursuant to |sthe provisions of LSA-R.S. 15:529.1, seeking to have defendant adjudicated a second felony offender. After defendant stipulated to the allegations of the multiple bill, the trial court vacated defendant’s original sentence and resentenced him, in accordance with the plea agreement, to six years imprisonment at hard labor. Defendant now appeals.

ANDERS BRIEF

Under the procedure adopted by this Court in State v. Bradford, 95-929 (La. App. 5 Cir. 6/25/96), 676 So.2d 1108, 1110-ll,1 appointed appellate counsel has filed a brief asserting that he has thoroughly reviewed the trial court record and cannot find any non-frivolous issues to raise on appeal. Accordingly, pursuant to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967) and State v. Jyles, 96-2669 (La.12/12/97), 704 So.2d 241 (per curiam), appointed counsel requests permission to withdraw as counsel of record.

When an Anders brief has been filed, an appellate court must conduct an independent review of the record to determine whether the appeal is wholly frivolous. If, after an independent review, the reviewing court determines there are no non-frivolous issues for appeal, it may grant counsel’s motion to withdraw and affirm the defendant’s conviction and sentence. State v. Bradford, 676 So.2d at 1110.

[885]*885In this case, defendant’s appellate counsel has complied with the procedures for filing an Anders brief. He reviewed the procedural history of the case in his brief and noted the limited facts in light of defendant’s guilty plea. He set forth that, after a careful review of the record, he has found no non-frivolous issues to raise on appeal. Counsel notes that defendant pled guilty and that he did not preserve the right to seek review of any pre-trial rulings.2 Counsel further indicates that no detailed factual basis accompanied defendant’s plea of guilty, but concludes this failure presented no issue for appellate review.

In his Anders brief, appellate counsel also states that defendant’s guilty plea raised no issues for appellate review, noting that defendant was fully advised of his rights, that he understood his rights and the consequences of his guilty plea, and that he was not forced, threatened, or coerced into entering the guilty plea. In addition, counsel recognizes that the sentence was imposed in accordance with the terms of the plea agreement and thus presents no issue for appellate review.

Along with his brief, defendant’s appellate counsel has filed a motion to withdraw as attorney of record, being of the opinion that the appeal is wholly frivolous. He indicates in the motion that he has mailed a copy of his motion to withdraw, the accompanying brief, and a pro se briefing notice to defendant. Additionally, this Court sent defendant a letter by certified mail informing him that an Anders brief had been filed and that he had until May 16, 2014, to file .a pro se supplemental brief. As of this date, defendant has not filed a supplemental brief.

This Court has performed an independent review of the pleadings, minute entries, bill of information, and transcripts in the appellate record. Our independent review of the record supports appellate counsel’s assertion that there are no non-frivolous issues to be raised on appeal.

The bill of information properly charged defendant and plainly and concisely stated the essential facts constituting the offense charged. It also sufficiently identified defendant and the crime charged. See generally, LSAC.Cr.P. arts. 464-66. Also, as reflected by the minute entries and the commitment, | ^defendant appeared at each stage of the proceedings against him. He attended his arraignment, the guilty plea proceedings, sentencing, and the multiple bill proceedings. Further, no rulings were preserved for appeal under the holding in State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (La.1976).

In addition, our review of the record reveals no irregularities in defendant’s guilty plea on either the original or multiple offender bills of information. With regard to defendant’s guilty plea to simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, the record indicates that defendant was fully advised of his rights. On the waiver of rights form and during the colloquy with the trial court, defendant, was properly advised of his rights to a judge or jury trial, to confrontation, and to remain silent. On the waiver of rights form, defendant initialed next to each of these rights and signed the form, indicating that he understood he was waiving these rights by pleading guilty. During the colloquy with the trial judge, defendant also indicated that he understood he was waiving these rights.

In addition, after explanations by the trial court, defendant acknowledged that he understood the nature of the offense and the possible consequences of pleading [886]*886guilty and wished to plead guilty at that time. Further, defendant indicated that he understood that his guilty plea could be used to enhance penalties for any future convictions. Defendant was also told, during the colloquy and by means of the waiver of rights form, of the maximum possible sentence and of the actual sentence that would be imposed upon acceptance of his guilty plea. He assured the court that he had not been forced, intimidated, coerced, or threatened, and further indicated that he had not been promised anything in exchange for pleading guilty. After his colloquy with defendant, the trial court accepted the guilty plea as knowingly, intelligently, freely, and voluntarily made.

|fiWith respect to the multiple offender proceedings, the record shows that defendant was likewise adequately advised of his rights. The colloquy, in conjunction with the waiver of rights form, indicates that defendant was advised of his right to a hearing at which the State would have to prove his multiple offender status and of his right to remain silent. In addition, defendant was advised, in the waiver of rights form, of the possible sentencing range as a multiple offender and of the actual sentence that would be imposed. Defendant indicated, by means of his initials on the waiver of rights form, that he was satisfied with the way his attorney and the court explained his rights and the consequences of his guilty plea. He indicated that he was not forced, coerced, or threatened to stipulate to the allegations in the multiple bill. The form was signed by defendant, his attorney, and the judge.

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Bluebook (online)
164 So. 3d 883, 14 La.App. 5 Cir. 258, 2014 La. App. LEXIS 2585, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-earwood-lactapp-2014.