State v. Fontenot

616 So. 2d 1353, 1993 WL 105506
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 7, 1993
DocketCR92-910
StatusPublished
Cited by90 cases

This text of 616 So. 2d 1353 (State v. Fontenot) 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. Fontenot, 616 So. 2d 1353, 1993 WL 105506 (La. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

616 So.2d 1353 (1993)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Michael FONTENOT.

No. CR92-910.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

April 7, 1993.
Rehearing Denied May 6, 1993.

*1354 Patricia Jones, Asst. Atty. Gen., for plaintiff-appellee State of LA.

Gerald J. Block, Lester J. Gauthier, Jr., Lafayette, for defendant-appellant Michael Fontenot.

Before DOMENGEAUX, C.J., and LABORDE and DECUIR, JJ.

DECUIR, Judge.

In August of 1990, the defendant, Michael Fontenot, was indicted by a Houston grand jury for injury to a child. In February of 1991, after discovering that the offense occurred in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, the Assistant District Attorney of Harris County prosecuting the case informed defense counsel the case would be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

On July 23, 1991, an indictment was filed charging the defendant and Martha Sullivan with cruelty to a juvenile in violation of La.R.S. 14:93. The defendant filed a motion for a judge trial and was found guilty as charged on April 9, 1992. On May 11, 1992, the trial judge sentenced the defendant to eight (8) years at hard labor. The defendant appeals.

FACTS

On July 15, 1990, Christy Sullivan, a seven year old child, visited Waterworld in Houston, Texas, with members of her family. At approximately 6:30 p.m., Mrs. Rhonda Hardin, another visitor to Waterworld, noticed Christy sitting in a lawn chair. Mrs. Hardin observed that Christy's eyes were bruised and swollen shut, that Christy had bruises on her face and neck and "had clumps of hair missing." Mrs. Hardin approached Christy and asked her what had happened to her. Christy said that she had suffocated herself. Christy explained, "I put a towel over my head so my daddy doesn't beat me." Mrs. Hardin immediately sought help for Christy by reporting Christy's injuries to the Astroworld/Waterworld security supervisor, Steve Mizwa. After obtaining a description of Christy and her party from Mrs. Hardin, Mr. Mizwa followed the Sullivan party as they made their way to the park exit. Mr. Mizwa eventually approached the defendant and questioned him about Christy's injuries. The defendant told Mr. Mizwa that Christy had run into a sliding glass door at the motel room and had been seen by a doctor. The defendant declined when Mr. Mizwa suggested that one of the park's paramedics look at Christy. Mr. Mizwa told the defendant that he would appreciate it if Waterworld Medical personnel could examine Christy's eyes because of possible aggravation of her injuries by exposure to chlorinated water. The defendant consented, and Christy was examined by a paramedic.

As the paramedic concluded his examination, Houston Police Officer, John McPhail arrived at the scene in response to a call from Waterworld security. Officer McPhail questioned defendant regarding Christy's injuries. The defendant told Officer McPhail that Christy ran into a door while playing in a hotel room. Officer McPhail then took Christy aside to speak to her privately. He sat Christy down with her back to the defendant and asked what had happened to her. Christy stated she had run into a door while playing. The officer explained to Christy that he was *1355 there to help her and he wanted her to tell the truth. Christy then put her head down and related that her daddy beat her with a broom and with his hands. Further, she stated that her daddy told her to say that she had run into a door. On at least two occasions while Officer McPhail was speaking to Christy, the defendant walked toward the two and was asked to sit down until the officer finished speaking to Christy.

Officer McPhail placed the defendant under arrest, but released him soon thereafter, upon learning that the offense might have occurred in Louisiana. Christy was taken into custody and transported by Officer McPhail to the Houston Police Department juvenile division. She was later taken to the Harris County Children's Protective Services.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NOS. 1 AND 2:

By these assignments of error, defendant contends the trial court erred in denying his motion to quash the indictment on the ground of prosecutorial misconduct. The defendant argues that the Harris County, Texas, Assistant District Attorney, Denise Dryer, violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by making statements to the press, which were likely to materially prejudice the criminal proceedings against the defendant. The defendant further argues the resulting publicity deprived him of the right to a jury trial in the parish in which the offense was committed, and to due process.

At the hearing on the motion held on April 6, 1992, fourteen (14) defense exhibits were introduced into evidence. Most of the evidence consisted of newspaper articles. The other items of evidence included a video tape of a debate between former State Representative, Danny Lemoine and current Representative, Dirk Deville, in which a discussion took place concerning a letter which Lemoine had written to a State District Judge in Harris County, Texas on behalf of the defendant. Other items of evidence consisted of the video tape of a broadcast on KLFY-TV Channel Ten (10) in Lafayette, Louisiana concerning the case. The newspaper coverage of this case was placed into evidence and consisted of articles from the Opelousas Daily World, Morning Advocate of Baton Rouge, Ville Platte Gazette, Houston Post, and the Houston Chronicle.

In summary, Ms. Dryer's actions were as follows: In August of 1990, the defendant was indicted by a Houston grand jury for injury to a child. Ms. Dryer was assigned to prosecute the case. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Dryer discovered that the offense occurred in Evangeline Parish, and Texas did not have jurisdiction over the case. In February of 1991, Ms. Dryer informed the defense counsel the case would be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. On March 7, 1991, Ms. Dryer traveled to Louisiana to meet with Evangeline Parish District Attorney, William Pucheu to discuss the case and to provide Mr. Pucheu with evidence. As a result of her meeting with Mr. Pucheu, Ms. Dryer concluded that Mr. Pucheu did not want to pursue criminal charges against the defendant. Ms. Dryer contacted Ms. Angela Simoneaux with the Morning Advocate, to report what she perceived as reluctance on Mr. Pucheu's part to prosecute the case. Subsequently, several articles were published in Texas and Louisiana newspapers dealing with the case. On July 23, 1991, the Evangeline Parish Grand Jury returned an indictment charging the defendant and Martha Sullivan with cruelty to a juvenile. The indictment was returned on behalf of the State of Louisiana and was prosecuted by the Louisiana Attorney General. Ms. Dryer is not an agent of this State, and, in speaking with the news media, she acted without the participation, consent or knowledge of Louisiana state officials. We conclude that the State of Louisiana should not be deprived of a right to prosecute a criminal offender because of the misconduct of an agent of another state over whom the State of Louisiana had no control.

Furthermore, prosecutorial misconduct does not warrant dismissal of the indictment. The trial judge properly relied on State v. Walker, 567 So.2d 581, 586 (La.1990) in denying the defendant's motion. *1356 In Walker, supra,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
616 So. 2d 1353, 1993 WL 105506, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-fontenot-lactapp-1993.