State v. Gales

622 So. 2d 808, 1993 WL 276819
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 27, 1993
Docket92-KA-2702
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 622 So. 2d 808 (State v. Gales) 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. Gales, 622 So. 2d 808, 1993 WL 276819 (La. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

622 So.2d 808 (1993)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Steve GALES.

No. 92-KA-2702.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

July 27, 1993.

*810 Harry F. Connick, Dist. Atty., Robyn C. Gulledge, Asst. Dist. Atty., New Orleans, for plaintiff/appellee.

Dwight Doskey, Orleans Indigent Defender Program, New Orleans, for defendant/appellant.

Before KLEES, ARMSTRONG and WALTZER, JJ.

WALTZER, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

The State filed two bills of information charging the defendant with three counts of attempted first degree robbery, violations of R.S. 14:27 and 14:64.1. After preliminary hearing and discovery motions were waived (the defendant was provided with a police report), trial was held and the defendant was convicted on all counts. The trial court denied the defendant's motion for judgment of acquittal. After waiving all delays, the defendant was sentenced on each count to thirteen years at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence, all counts to run concurrently. The defendant's motion to reconsider sentence was filed and denied; the motion to appeal was granted. On May 27, 1992 the State filed a multiple bill. On September 19, 1992 the hearing was held. After the defendant stipulated to identity, the trial court found him to be a second offender. The trial court vacated the original sentence as to count one only and resentenced the defendant to thirteen years at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence, to run concurrently with the sentences imposed on counts two and three.

FACTS

In the early morning hours on Mardi Gras, March 3, 1992, the victims, John Frazier, Lottie Lombard, and Mark Galladora, were sitting outside of a motor home which was parked on Carondelet Street. John Frazier and Mark Galladora were playing checkers while Lottie Lombard and a fourth person, also named Mark, played cards. The defendant walked past the group, looking back, then came back to their location and sat on a car. The defendant made a few sociable comments but none of the victims responded. The defendant then stated that he needed some money, $20.00, but added "I won't shoot anybody if you just give me the money". The defendant had his hands behind his back, causing the victims to believe he had a gun. John Frazier told the defendant that he had money inside the motor home which he could get for the defendant. After the defendant consented, John Frazier went inside and woke up his stepfather, Lt. Scott.

Lt. Richard Scott, a New Orleans police officer, was inside the motor home asleep when he was awakened by his stepson telling him that there was a guy outside demanding money or he would shoot. Lt. Scott armed himself and went outside where he saw the defendant, who said he needed money and that he wanted $20.00. He said that he did not wish to hurt anyone or shoot anyone. Because Lt. Scott did not see anything in the defendant's hand, he asked where defendant's weapon was, and the defendant again stated that he did not want to hurt anybody. At that time, Lt. Scott identified himself as a police officer and told the defendant to leave. The defendant replied that if Scott was a police officer he should arrest him. The defendant was then subdued by Lt. Scott while, at his stepfather's instruction, John Frazier called for police assistance. The defendant was arrested when other officers arrived at the scene.

The defendant testified on his own behalf at trial. He stated that at approximately 1:00 a.m. he was walking home from Bourbon Street down Carondelet Street. The defendant said that he went up to the people *811 at the table, i.e. the victims, and asked them for a dollar to catch the bus home. According to the defendant, he was intoxicated at the time. He denied having said anything about a gun. In the defendant's version, Ms. Lombard became angry and stated that if he had a gun he would have to shoot her before he would get any money. Frazier then offered to get the defendant a dollar from inside the motor home.

No other defense witnesses were presented at trial.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER 1

In his first assignment of error, the appellant contends that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel. Appellant states three grounds for his contention: (1) Counsel withdrew his request for a preliminary hearing and all discovery motions and failed to consult with the defendant before the trial; (2) Counsel allowed Lt. Scott to testify to hearsay evidence, and failed to properly object to this testimony; and (3) Counsel failed to make an objection to an inadequate jury instruction given by the trial court.

The issue of ineffective assistance of counsel is generally addressed by an application for post conviction relief filed in the trial court which then conducts a full evidentiary hearing on the issue. State v. Prudholm, 446 So.2d 729 (La.1984). However, when the appeal record contains enough evidence upon which to base a ruling on the issue, the appellate court will make a determination in the interest of judicial economy. State v. Seiss, 428 So.2d 444 (La.1983).

A claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is to be assessed by the two-part test of Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); State v. Fuller, 454 So.2d 119 (La.1984). The defendant must show that counsel's performance was deficient and that the deficiency prejudiced the defendant. Counsel's performance is deficient when it can be shown that he made errors so serious that counsel was not functioning as the "counsel" guaranteed the defendant by the Sixth Amendment. Strickland, 466 U.S. at 686-88, 104 S.Ct. at 2064. Counsel's performance will have prejudiced the defendant if he shows that the errors were so serious as to deprive him of a fair trial. To carry his burden, the defendant "must show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different. A reasonable probability is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome." Strickland, 466 U.S. at 693-95, 104 S.Ct. at 2068. The defendant must make both showings to prove that counsel was so ineffective as to require reversal.

If an alleged error falls "within the ambit of trial strategy" it does not "establish ineffective assistance of counsel." State v. Bienemy, 483 So.2d 1105 (La.App. 4th Cir. 1986). Moreover, "opinions may differ on the advisability of a tactic, hindsight is not the proper perspective for judging the competence of counsel's trial decisions. Neither may an attorney's level of representation be determined by whether a particular strategy is successful." State v. Brooks, 505 So.2d 714, 724 (La.1987), cert. denied 484 U.S. 947, 108 S.Ct. 337, 98 L.Ed.2d 363.

A review of the record in the instant matter shows that motions were set to be heard on May 1, 1992. On that date, defense counsel withdrew the motion for a preliminary hearing and all discovery motions. The entry also shows that the defense counsel "has received a copy of the police report." Apparently, once he received the police report, counsel was satisfied that he had received all the information from the State necessary to be apprised of the nature of the evidence against his client. The setting of the trial date for eighteen days later, on May 18, 1992, was not opposed by defense counsel.

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Bluebook (online)
622 So. 2d 808, 1993 WL 276819, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gales-lactapp-1993.