State v. Fanguy

643 So. 2d 860, 1994 WL 541537
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 5, 1994
DocketCR94-143
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 643 So. 2d 860 (State v. Fanguy) 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. Fanguy, 643 So. 2d 860, 1994 WL 541537 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

643 So.2d 860 (1994)

STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Philip FANGUY, Defendant-Appellant.

No. CR94-143.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

October 5, 1994.

*862 Edward B. Broussard, Abbeville, for State.

Ronald Melebeck, Abbeville, for Philip Fanguy.

Before DOUCET, SAUNDERS and WOODARD, JJ.

WOODARD, Judge.

The defendant, Philip Fanguy, was indicted on May 14, 1991, by the Vermilion Parish Grand Jury on the following charges:

(1) Oral sexual battery, in violation of La. R.S. 14:43.3.
(2) Intimidation of a witness, in violation of La.R.S. 14:129.1(A).
(3) Four counts of molestation of a juvenile, in violation of La.R.S. 14:81.2.
(4) Four counts of incest, in violation of La.R.S. 14:78.

After a three day trial ending on July 29, 1993, the jury found the defendant guilty of two counts of incest in violation of La.R.S. 14:78 and two counts of attempted incest in violation of La.R.S. 14:78 and 14:27. Sentencing was scheduled for November 10, 1993. Prior to sentencing, the defendant filed a Post Verdict Judgment of Acquittal which was denied immediately before sentencing. The defendant was then sentenced to serve a term of six years at hard labor on each of two counts of incest and three years at hard labor on each of two counts of attempted incest. All sentences were ordered to run concurrent with one another. Defendant now appeals from these convictions.

FACTS

The victim of these crimes, Amy Fanguy, is the biological daughter of the defendant. The defendant had received custody of Amy after a divorce, from his first wife, Sandra Maddox. After the divorce the defendant raised Amy from infancy. The defendant later remarried Bonnie Sue Breedwell but they subsequently divorced.

The crimes for which the defendant was convicted occurred from November 1990 through February 1991, while the defendant and his daughter were living in a trailer in Abbeville, Louisiana. The defendant's actions were revealed by Amy on or about February 7, 1991, when Amy visited her former stepmother, Ms. Breedwell, in Jonesboro, *863 Louisiana. While there, Amy confided to Patricia Naset, Ms. Breedwell's sister, that her father had been doing things to her such as "checking her for bumps" and "clipping her hair." Concerned with Amy's welfare, Ms. Naset called Ms. Breedwell at work and informed her of the defendant's actions. After hearing Amy's allegation, Ms. Breedwell alerted the Department of Family Services of Lincoln Parish. Thereafter, Amy was brought to Dr. James Moncrief, a pediatrician, in Ruston, Louisiana, who examined her on February 11, 1991, for possible sexual abuse. After a gynecological exam, Dr. Moncrief found Amy did not have a hymen and her vaginal opening was large enough to comfortably admit a small speculum. Dr. Moncrief observed that Amy had a slight discharge and that she had complained of a burning sensation during urination. Dr. Moncrief also observed that Amy had a small tear about a fourth of an inch long in the posterior fourchette, the area of skin just below or posterior to the vaginal opening. Dr. Moncrief noted this tear bled when touched and it was his conclusion from this type of injury that Amy had experienced sexual intercourse on at least several occasions and furthermore found there had been sexual abuse.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1

By this assignment of error, defendant argues the trial court erred in denying his Motion to Quash as the matter came to trial more than two years after the initial indictment, in violation of La.Code Crim.P. art. 578(2) which provides that in felony cases, other than capital cases, no trial shall commence after two years from the date of the institution of the prosecution.

The defendant was indicted by the Vermilion Parish Grand Jury on May 14, 1991. On June 13, 1991, defendant entered a written plea of not guilty which was filed into evidence on June 18, 1991. Thereafter, defendant filed a combined Motion for Discovery, Bill of Particulars and Motion for Production on July 2, 1991. In lieu of formal discovery, the State responded to defendant's motion by enclosing a copy of the entire file in its possession.

Trial was then set for November 3, 1992. The case did not go to trial on this date but was instead passed. On January 5, 1993, the matter was again set for trial but defense counsel made an oral request for a continuance because a witness critical to the defense was not present nor served. Defendant's motion was opposed by the State but was granted by the court. The matter was next scheduled for June 28, 1993, at which time defense counsel filed a Motion to Quash on the grounds that more than two years had elapsed since the time of the filing of the charges and the trial of the matter, and therefore under the provisions of La.Code Crim.P. art. 578(2) the matter was prescribed and the charges should be dropped. After oral argument, the court denied the defendant's motion. Trial did not begin on this date but was placed on the next felony docket, July 26, 1993, with actual trial beginning on July 27, 1993.

According to the time limitations set forth in La.Code Crim.P. art. 578(2), the State had two years from May 14, 1991, within which to bring the defendant to trial. Furthermore, La.Code Crim.P. art. 580 provides for suspension of that prescriptive period when a defendant files a Motion to Quash or another preliminary plea. The period is suspended until the ruling of the court, but in no case shall the State have less than one year after the ruling to commence trial. State v. Watkins, 594 So.2d 501 (La.App. 5th Cir.), writ denied, 600 So.2d 654 (La.1992). In the present case, the defense filed discovery motions, including a Motion for Bill of Particulars, which suspended the running of the time limitations for some three months between July 2, 1991 and October 2, 1991, when the State filed its answers. Additionally, the defendant also made an oral motion to continue on January 5, 1993, due to the absence of a material witness.

Generally, a Motion for Continuance filed by a defendant is a preliminary plea which suspends the running of the prescriptive period. Defendant in brief, however, urges that an oral motion to continue cannot *864 suspend the prescriptive period set forth in art. 578 since the language of La.Code Crim.P. art. 707 mandates that motions for continuance be in writing:

Upon written motion at any time and after contradictory hearing, the court may grant a continuance, but only upon a showing that such motion is in the interest of justice

Furthermore La.Code Crim.P. art. 709 provides:

A motion for a continuance based upon the absence of a witness must state:
(1) Facts to which the absent witness is expected to testify, showing the materiality of the testimony and the necessity for the presence of the witness at the trial;
(2) Facts and circumstances showing a probability that the witness will be available at the time to which the trial is deferred; and
(3) Facts showing due diligence used in an effort to procure attendance of the witness.

In State v. Washington, 407 So.2d 1138 (La.1982), the Louisiana Supreme Court, citing State v. Parsley, 369 So.2d 1292 (La. 1979), recognized that although art.

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Bluebook (online)
643 So. 2d 860, 1994 WL 541537, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-fanguy-lactapp-1994.