State v. Godfrey

476 So. 2d 1174
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 10, 1985
DocketCR85-159
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 476 So. 2d 1174 (State v. Godfrey) 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. Godfrey, 476 So. 2d 1174 (La. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

476 So.2d 1174 (1985)

STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Mason GODFREY, Defendant-Appellant.

No. CR85-159.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

October 10, 1985.

*1175 Cynthia C. Guillory, Lake Charles, for defendant-appellant.

*1176 Richard P. Ieyoub, Dist. Atty., F. Wayne Frey, Asst. Dist. Atty., Lake Charles, for plaintiff-appellee.

Before STOKER, DOUCET and KNOLL, JJ.

KNOLL, Judge.

Defendant, Mason Godfrey, was charged with attempted theft and aggravated battery in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:67, 14:27 and 14:34. Defendant pleaded guilty to aggravated battery but was allowed to withdraw his plea because of defendant's misunderstanding of the plea bargain and his contention that he was coerced into pleading guilty. After a bench trial, defendant was found guilty of aggravated battery whereupon the State filed a bill to sentence defendant as an habitual offender. The court found defendant to be an habitual offender, 2nd, and applied 3 enhanced penalties (LSA-R.S. 15:529.1; LSA-R.S. 14:95.2 and LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 893.1) imposing a sentence of 15 years at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

Defendant appeals, urging that the trial court erred: (1) in denying his motion to recuse the trial judge; (2) in that the State's evidence was insufficient to prove defendant's guilt and that he used a dangerous weapon; (3) in sentencing defendant as an habitual offender; (4) by finding that defendant used a gun in the commission of the crime when the gun was not admitted into evidence; and, (5) in imposing an excessive sentence. We affirm defendant's conviction finding that his 15 year sentence was not constitutionally excessive, but vacate the sentence finding C.Cr.P. Art. 893.1 and R.S. 14:95.2 inapplicable, and remand the case for resentencing.

FACTS

On December 15, 1983, Michael Barlow drove defendant and Nathaniel Smith to a Wal-Mart store in Lake Charles. Barlow remained in the car while defendant and Smith approached the garden center, a fenced-in area located adjacent to the parking lot. Defendant and Smith then attempted to steal a ten-speed bicycle by pulling it under the fence. A customer noticed the men trying to steal the bicycle and reported this to a store employee. The store manager, along with several other employees, immediately went to investigate. The store employees observed two black males between automobiles on the north side of the parking lot near the garden center, an area used mainly by the employees. As they approached the automobiles, the two men started toward them and became upset when one of the employees asked about the license numbers on the cars. The two men then administered a beating upon Lonnie Rogers, an employee, whereupon defendant struck Rogers with a gun. The two men then fled the scene on foot.

Defendant's version is that a gang of five whites surrounded them. After words were exchanged, defendant's buddy, despite defendant's attempts to restrain him, began fighting with one of the whites. When a second white joined the fracas, defendant hit him. In response to defendant's friend's insistence, he claims to have wrapped a rag around his rake (comb) and used it to scare the employees. He denies striking the victim and denies ever having a gun in his possession.

The store's employees testified that in response to defendant's friend yelling "shoot the m____ f____; shoot the m____ f____," defendant drew a blue-steel revolver from his coat pocket and struck Rogers twice in the face with the gun.

When defendant's case was called for trial, he entered into a plea bargain wherein he pleaded guilty to aggravated battery under the impression that: he would not receive more than 3 years; the State would nolle prosequi the attempted theft charge; and the State would not file an habitual offender bill, nor a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The State admitted the terms of the plea bargain were correct with the exception that it made no agreement with defendant on the number of years he would receive. Immediately *1177 upon entering his plea of guilty, the trial court sentenced defendant to 7 years at hard labor. Defendant objected, alleging the State violated the plea bargain, that he was coerced into pleading guilty, and moved to withdraw his guilty plea. After the trial court interrogated defendant as to his allegations and thoroughly explained to defendant that the State would be released from the earlier plea bargain, it gave defendant the benefit of the doubt and allowed defendant to withdraw his guilty plea, and set aside the 7 year sentence. Subsequently, defendant elected to be tried by judge alone, wherein he was found guilty of aggravated battery. The State then filed an habitual offender bill against defendant, and after a hearing, the trial court found defendant to be an habitual offender, 2nd. The sentencing court made a determination that a firearm was used in the commission of the aggravated battery and applied Article 893.1 and R.S. 14:95.2, imposing a sentence of 15 years at hard labor, without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

RECUSATION

Defendant contends that the district judge, appointed pro tempore to hear the motion for recusal, erred in its refusal to recuse the trial judge. He argues that the trial judge was unable to conduct a fair and impartial proceeding because the same judge issued an order to gag defendant in a past unrelated criminal proceeding.

In a criminal case a judge shall be recused when he is biased, prejudiced, or personally interested in the cause to such an extent that he would be unable to conduct a fair and impartial trial. LSA-C. Cr.P. Art. 671(1). The trial judge is presumed to be impartial. State v. Edwards, 420 So.2d 663 (La.1982). To be entitled to the recusation of a trial judge, an accused must show bias, prejudice, or personal interest of a substantial nature, and such causes must be such that the judge would be unable to conduct a fair and impartial trial. State v. Maduell, 326 So.2d 820 (La. 1976).

Applying those principles to the case at hand, we conclude that no grounds exist for the recusal of the trial judge. The record is void of any evidence that the trial judge could not give defendant a fair and impartial trial. The mere fact that the trial judge presided over a prior criminal proceeding brought by the State against defendant is insufficient to establish the requisite bias or prejudice to order recusal. See State v. Bell, 346 So.2d 1090 (La.1977); State v. Navarre, 292 So.2d 210 (La.1974). Furthermore, we find this issue meritless since defendant waived his right to a jury trial after the denial of his motion to recuse the trial judge.

SUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE

Defendant combined assignments of error two and four, arguing that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction, particularly since the State failed to prove that defendant used a dangerous weapon, and failed to introduce into evidence the gun defendant allegedly used.

The standard of review for sufficiency of the evidence is whether a rational trier of fact, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). Where there is direct evidence, the trier of fact weighs the credibility of that evidence and the reviewer under Jackson

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Bluebook (online)
476 So. 2d 1174, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-godfrey-lactapp-1985.