State v. Friday

979 So. 2d 672, 2008 WL 786479
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 26, 2008
Docket43,157-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 979 So. 2d 672 (State v. Friday) 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. Friday, 979 So. 2d 672, 2008 WL 786479 (La. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

979 So.2d 672 (2008)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee
v.
James FRIDAY, Appellant.

No. 43,157-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

March 26, 2008.

Louisiana Appellate Project by James E. Beal, Jonesboro, for Appellant.

*673 Walter E. May, Jr., District Attorney, for Appellee.

Tammy G. Jump, Assistant District Attorney.

Before PEATROSS, DREW & MOORE, JJ.

PEATROSS, J.

Defendant, James Friday, was convicted of second degree battery, a violation of La. R.S. 14:34.1. He now appeals his conviction only. For the reasons set forth herein, the conviction of Defendant is affirmed.

FACTS

James and Kimberly April Friday ("April") were married on October 31, 2003. The couple lived in Castor, Louisiana, and had one child together while April had a daughter from a previous relationship. On June 2, 2005, the couple began arguing over various issues, including money.[1] During the argument, Defendant asked April to leave and April asked Defendant to leave. Eventually, April decided she would leave the home and go to her mother's house which was across the street. As April was preparing to leave, Defendant demanded she return some money April had, some of which Defendant had given to her for a truck payment, some spending money and some of which was child support money April had received from her daughter's father. April advised Defendant that she would give him the money that was intended for the truck note, but not the rest of the money and she then took some money from her wallet and was holding it in her hand when Defendant grabbed her arm and began twisting it. Defendant used both hands to twist April's arm despite her protestations that he was hurting her and that her arm was breaking. As Defendant continued to twist April's arm, they eventually heard a popping sound and Defendant let go of her arm and walked out of the room. Defendant then called April's mother on the telephone and told her that the two had been arguing and that April's arm was broken. April's mother came over to the house and took April to the Natchitoches Parish Hospital where an x-ray revealed that April's arm was broken. According to Dr. James Albright, an expert in the field of orthopedic surgery, April sustained a spiral fracture of the ulna, a very unusual fracture which requires a great amount of twisting force to produce a break and causes tremendous pain.

While April was en route to the hospital, Defendant called a friend of his, Patrick Thrasher, who is also a deputy with the Bienville Parish Sheriff's Office. Defendant told Deputy Thrasher that he and April were arguing about money and he had "messed up." Defendant asked what he should do and was told not to hide and that he would probably be arrested. After the conversation, Deputy Thrasher, who was on duty, waited for a call from the Sheriff's Office regarding the incident. When he was contacted, Deputy Thrasher went to the hospital where he spoke with April.

Deputy Thrasher asked April, "You've been horse-playing?" to which April responded, "No." Initially, Deputy Thrasher appeared to believe the situation was not serious; however, once he learned that April's arm was broken, he took written statements from April and her mother.

As previously stated, Defendant was arrested, charged and convicted of second degree battery. He was sentenced to *674 serve three years in jail,[2] two of which were suspended, with Defendant being placed on two years' probation, subject to numerous special conditions of probation. Defendant now appeals his conviction.

DISCUSSION

Assignment of Error Number One (verbatim): The trial court erred in denying defendant's motion for mistrial after extensive inculpatory statements attributed to the defendant were used at trial without any prior notice to defendant.

Defendant argues that a mistrial was warranted after the State was allowed to introduce the testimony of April wherein she made statements regarding the crime that were attributed to Defendant. He further asserts that the State failed to give notice of its intent to use the statements, further warranting a mistrial.

The State counters that the statements about which Defendant complains were not inculpatory; and, therefore, a mistrial was not warranted. We agree.

On motion of the defendant, a mistrial shall be ordered when prejudicial conduct inside or outside the courtroom makes it impossible for the defendant to obtain a fair trial or when authorized by La. C. Cr. P. arts. 770, 771 or 775. State v. Ellis, 42,520 (La.App. 2d Cir.9/26/07), 966 So.2d 139. La. C. Cr. P. art. 770 provides:

Upon motion of a defendant, a mistrial shall be ordered when a remark or comment, made within the hearing of the jury by the judge, district attorney, or a court official, during the trial or in argument, refers directly or indirectly to:
(1) Race, religion, color or national origin, if the remark or comment is not material and relevant and might create prejudice against the defendant in the mind of the jury;
2) Another crime committed or alleged to have been committed by the defendant as to which evidence is not admissible;
(3) The failure of the defendant to testify in his own defense; or
(4) The refusal of the judge to direct a verdict.
An admonition to the jury to disregard the remark or comment shall not be sufficient to prevent a mistrial. If the defendant, however, requests that only an admonition be given, the court shall admonish the jury to disregard the remark or comment but shall not declare a mistrial.

La. C. Cr. P. art. 771 sets out permissive grounds for requesting an admonition or a mistrial when a prejudicial remark is made under grounds that do not require an automatic mistrial under Article 770. Article 775 also sets forth additional permissive grounds for mistrial, which include, that

[u]pon motion of a defendant, a mistrial shall be ordered, and in a jury case the jury dismissed, when prejudicial conduct in or outside the courtroom makes it impossible for the defendant to obtain a fair trial, or when authorized by Articles 770 or 771.

The determination of whether actual prejudice has occurred lies within the sound discretion of the trial court, and this decision will not be overturned on appeal *675 absent an abuse of that discretion. State v. Price, 40,408 (La.App. 2d Cir. 12/16/05), 917 So.2d 1201, writ denied, 06-0156 (La.6/16/06), 929 So.2d 1284.

La. C. Cr. P. art. 768 provides:

Unless the defendant has been granted pretrial discovery, if the state intends to introduce a confession or inculpatory statement in evidence, it shall so advise the defendant in writing prior to beginning the state's opening statement. If it fails to do so a confession or inculpatory statement shall not be admissible in evidence.

All statements which may be damaging in nature at trial are not inculpatory. As contemplated by La. C. Cr. P. art. 768, an "inculpatory statement" refers to an out-of-court admission of incriminating facts made by the defendant after the crime has been committed. An incriminating statement is one which admits a fact tending to establish guilt, or from which guilt may be inferred. State v. Seymour, 449 So.2d 1189 (La.App. 2d Cir.1984), writ denied, 452 So.2d 173 (La.1984).

Notice under La. C. Cr. P. art.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
979 So. 2d 672, 2008 WL 786479, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-friday-lactapp-2008.