State v. Goosby

111 So. 3d 494, 2013 WL 811423, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 370
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 6, 2013
DocketNo. 47,772-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 111 So. 3d 494 (State v. Goosby) 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. Goosby, 111 So. 3d 494, 2013 WL 811423, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 370 (La. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

CARAWAY, J.

11Following a jury trial, Tommy Goosby was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was subsequently adjudicated a second felony offender and sentenced to 20 years at hard labor. Goosby appeals his conviction and sentence. We affirm.

Facts

On July 17, 2009, Tommy Goosby was charged by amended bill of information with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of La. R.S. 14:95.1.1 The charge arose out of a gunfight that occurred between Goosby and R.D., an armed juvenile, on the afternoon of April 24, 2009. R.D. and three other juveniles had come to the apartment that Goosby sometimes shared with his girlfriend to discuss a stolen bike. It is unclear whether Goosby was in the apartment at the time.

Video evidence obtained from a security camera shows that the juveniles stayed at the apartment complex only three minutes. As the group was leaving the apartment as seen on the video, Goosby charged at R.D. who was armed with a gun. While Goosby attempted to pull something from his waist, R.D. pointed a gun at him. Goosby then pulled a gun on R.D. who, along with the other boys, fled the apartment complex through a gate. After Goosby retreated out of view of the camera, shots were exchanged between the juveniles and Goosby who were approximately 80|i>yards apart. Two of the three shots fired by Goosby hit two of the juveniles, including R.D., and inflicted serious, non-life threatening, injuries.

After the incident, Goosby and his girlfriend fled the scene and traveled to a relative’s house. After witnesses implicated Goosby in the shooting, police sought him out at the relative’s home. Police were unable to locate Goosby, but he turned himself in to police at approximately 10:30 that evening. In initial statements to police, Goosby denied any involvement in the incident. Goosby was arrested and charged as noted above.

[498]*498After his conviction, the state charged Goosby as a second felony offender based upon a previous 2006 conviction for illegal use of weapons. Goosby filed motions for new trial and judgment notwithstanding the verdict, based upon claims of insufficient evidence, discovery violations by the state including a failure to disclose evidence favorable to Goosby in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 873 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963), and denial of a fair trial. Those motions were denied. Goosby was adjudicated a second felony offender and sentenced to 20 years. He filed a timely motion for reconsideration of sentence which remains pending. This appeal ensued.

Discussion

On appeal, Goosby argues that although the state presented evidence sufficient to support a conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, it failed to prove that his possession of the gun was not justified by self-defense.

|sThe standard of appellate review for a sufficiency of the evidence claim is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979); State v. Tate, 01-1658 (La.5/20/03), 851 So.2d 921, cert. denied, 541 U.S. 905, 124 S.Ct. 1604, 158 L.Ed.2d 248 (2004); State v. Carter, 42,894 (La. App.2d Cir.1/9/08), 974 So.2d 181, writ denied, 08-0499 (La.11/14/08), 996 So.2d 1086. This standard, now legislatively embodied in La.C.Cr. P. art. 821, does not provide the appellate court with a vehicle to substitute its own appreciation of the evidence for that of the fact finder. State v. Pigford, 05-0477 (La.2/22/06), 922 So.2d 517; State v. Dotie, 43,819 (La.App.2d Cir. 1/14/09), 1 So.3d 833, writ denied, 09-0310 (La.11/6/09), 21 So.3d 297. The appellate court does not assess the credibility of witnesses or reweigh evidence. State v. Smith, 94-3116 (La.10/16/95), 661 So.2d 442. A reviewing court accords great deference to a jury’s decision to accept or reject the testimony of a witness in whole or in part. State v. Eason, 43,788 (La. App.2d Cir.2/25/09), 3 So.3d 685, unit denied, 09-0725 (La.12/11/09), 23 So.3d 913; State v. Hill, 42,025 (La.App.2d Cir.5/9/07), 956 So.2d 758, writ denied, 07-1209 (La.12/14/07), 970 So.2d 529.

The Jackson standard is applicable in cases involving both direct and circumstantial evidence. An appellate court reviewing the sufficiency of evidence in such cases must resolve any conflict in the direct evidence by viewing that evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution. When |4the direct evidence is thus viewed, the facts established by the direct evidence and inferred from the circumstances established by that evidence must be sufficient for a rational trier of fact to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant was guilty of every essential element of the crime. State v. Sutton, 436 So.2d 471 (La.1983); State v. Speed, 43,786 (La.App.2d Cir.1/14/09), 2 So.3d 582, writ denied, 09-0372 (La.11/6/09), 21 So.3d 299.

Where there is conflicting testimony about factual matters, the resolution of which depends upon a determination of the credibility of the witnesses, the matter is one of the weight of the evidence, not its sufficiency. State v. Speed, supra; State v. Allen, 36,180 (La.App.2d Cir.9/18/02), 828 So.2d 622, writs denied, 02-2595 (La.3/28/03), 840 So.2d 566, 02-2997 (La.6/27/03), 847 So.2d 1255, cert. denied, 540 U.S. 1185, 124 S.Ct. 1404, 158 L.Ed.2d 90 (2004).

At the time of the present offense, La. R.S. 14:95.1(A) made it illegal [499]*499for a person who had previously been convicted of felony illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities to possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon. Nevertheless, when a felon is in imminent peril of great bodily harm, or reasonably believes himself or others to be in such danger, he may take possession of a weapon for a period no longer than is necessary or apparently necessary to use it in self-defense or in defense of others. In such a situation, justification is a defense to the charge of felon in possession of a firearm. State v. Blache, 480 So.2d 304 (La.1985); State v. Goldsmith, 519 So.2d 299 (La.App. 2d Cir.1988); State v. Sanchell, 11-1672 (La.App.4th Cir.10/31/12), 103 So.3d 677. See also, State v. Dabney, 02-0934 (La.4/9/03), 842 So.2d 326. To prove this defense, the defendant must show that the threat of force by another was imminent and apparent and that he had no reasonable alternative but to possess the firearm. State v. Shed, 36,321 (La.App.2d Cir.9/18/02), 828 So.2d 124, writ denied, 02-3123 (La.12/19/03), 861 So.2d 561.

This court has held that the burden of proof of self-defense in a non-homicide case rests upon the defendant. That burden of proof is preponderance of the evidence, not beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Cheatham, 38,413 (La.App.2d Cir.6/23/04), 877 So.2d 164, writ denied, 04-2224 (La.6/24/05), 904 So.2d 717.

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Bluebook (online)
111 So. 3d 494, 2013 WL 811423, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 370, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-goosby-lactapp-2013.