State v. Graves

301 So. 2d 864
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedOctober 11, 1974
Docket54507
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 301 So. 2d 864 (State v. Graves) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Graves, 301 So. 2d 864 (La. 1974).

Opinion

301 So.2d 864 (1974)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Alvin L. GRAVES.

No. 54507.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

October 11, 1974.
Rehearing Denied November 6, 1974.

*865 Murphy W. Bell, Director, Woodson T. Callihan, Jr., Trial Attorney, Baton Rouge, for defendant-appellant.

William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Ossie Brown, Dist. Atty., Ralph L. Roy, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

SUMMERS, Justice.

By bill of information Alvin L. Graves was charged with armed robbery of Linda C. Moses in violation of Article 64 of the Criminal Code. After trial by jury Graves was found guilty as charged and sentenced to imprisonment for forty years without benefit of probation or parole. He was given credit for time served.

Six bills of exceptions were perfected. Defendant relies upon these bills to support his contention that he should be granted a new trial.

Bill 1

While making his opening statement to the jury the special prosecutor with the district attorney's office made this remark:

"Now, the evidence that we will bring, in addition to that which is eye witness testimony, will include Mr. Graves' efforts to obtain alibi witnesses or an alibi witness and intimidation in connection therewith. We will show I believe, flight from the State of Louisiana while he was out on bond in an effort to avoid being prosecuted...."

At this time defense counsel objected and moved for a mistrial arguing that the quoted remarks of the prosecutor were not correct. He asserted that when Graves absented himself, while out on bond after his arrest, his counsel advised the trial judge of his whereabouts. The trial judge then admonished the jury that the remarks of counsel in the opening statement were not evidence. He instructed the jury that only the testimony from the witness stand and physical objects offered during the trial could be considered as evidence.

After the jury was retired, argument of counsel ensued during which the prosecutor advised that he did not intend to convey to the jury the impression that Graves had endeavored to obtain an alibi witness. He meant, he said, to say the witness was obtained through the efforts of Graves' wife. When the argument was concluded, *866 the trial judge overruled the defense motion for a mistrial.

When the jury was recalled the prosecutor corrected his opening statement as follows:

"Now, as to this procurement of an alibi witness, we contend that Mr. Graves robbed—committed an armed robbery of Household Finance on July 20, 1972. The state will attempt to show, will show that Mr. Graves' wife knowing that it was important to establish an alibi for Mr. Graves, specifically knowing it was important to establish that he was at his residence at 2:35 on July 20, 1972, procured a witness to testify on his behalf and bring out that he was in fact in his trailer on the afternoon of the robbery. That witness testified at a preliminary examination and she committed perjury and she is going to recant and change her testimony. Of course, all of this will be brought out during the examination and cross-examination of this particular witness. Mr. Graves, himself, did not procure this witness. His wife did."

Defense counsel argues that the remark of the prosecutor referring to the alleged intimidation of a witness is evidence of another crime, inadmissible at the trial because of its unduly prejudicial effect. He relies upon State v. Moore, 278 So.2d 781 (La.1973) and State v. Prieur, 277 So.2d 126 (La.1973). Generally speaking, these cases stand for the proposition that evidence of other crimes to prove knowledge, system or intent is inadmissible when its relevance is outweighed by its prejudicial effect. To support its position, the defense also urges that Article 770 of the Code of Criminal Procedure requires that a mistrial be ordered when a remark or comment, made within the hearing of the jury by the district attorney, refers to another crime committed or alleged to have been committed by the defendant as to which evidence is not admissible.

The authority relied upon is not pertinent here. Although an attempt to bribe or influence a witness is a criminal offense under Louisiana law, La.R.S. 14:118, an attempt by an accused in a criminal prosecution to induce a witness to testify falsely may be introduced in evidence against him. This evidence is admissible since it leads to an inference that, if admitted, it would operate unfavorably to the accused. Similarly, an attempt to fabricate evidence is receivable in a criminal prosecution as evidence of one's guilt of the main facts charged, such fabrication being in the nature of an admission. State v. Rohfrischt, 12 La.Ann. 382 (1857); Staggs v. State, 51 Ala.App. 203, 283 So.2d 652 (Ala.Cr.App.1973); Curtis v. State, 44 Ala.App. 63, 202 So.2d 170 (1967); Davis v. Commonwealth, 204 Ky. 601, 265 S.W. 10 (1924); People v. Hooper, 50 Mich.App. 186, 212 N.W.2d 786 (1973); State v. Ettenberg, 145 Minn. 39, 176 N.W. 171 (1920); State v. Christian, 245 S.W.2d 895 (Mo.1952); State v. Minton, 234 N.C. 716, 68 S.E.2d 844 (1952); State v. Reuschel, 312 A.2d 739 (Vt.1973); 29 Am.Jur.2d, Evidence, 292 & 293. Before such attempts are admissible, however, there must be some evidence to connect the accused therewith or to show that the attempt by a third person was made with the authorization of the accused. People v. Terry, 57 Cal.2d 538, 21 Cal.Rptr. 185, 370 P.2d 985 (1962), cert. denied, 375 U.S. 960, 84 S.Ct. 446, 11 L.Ed.2d 318 (1963).

Strictly speaking the first remark of the prosecutor was erroneous, for the alibi witness was not obtained by the accused but by his wife on his behalf. But this error was made harmless by the judge's admonition to the jury and by the prosecutor's correction of the error soon thereafter. La.Code Crim.Proc. art. 921. The close relation demonstrated between this accused and his wife convinces us that, though the evidence of her attempt to induce an alibi witness to lie is prejudicial, it is admissible as revealing consciousness of guilt on the part of the accused. See Curtis v. State, supra.

A second issue raised by this bill, but not urged in brief, concerns defense counsel's objection to the remark of the prosecutor *867 in his opening statement that defendant fled from the State while out on bond to avoid being prosecuted.

Evidence of flight may properly be considered by the jury in determining guilt. It, too, tends to show consciousness of guilt and becomes one of the circumstances from which guilt may be inferred. And this result obtains notwithstanding that the evidence of flight may disclose another crime. State v. Nelson, 261 La. 153, 259 So.2d 46 (1972); State v. Johnson, 249 La. 950, 192 So.2d 135 (1966); State v. Neal, 231 La. 1048, 93 So.2d 554 (1957).

Thus the prosecutor's remarks were permissible and properly within the scope of the opening statement in explanation of the evidence by which the State expected to prove the charge. La.Code Crim.Proc. art. 766.

Bills 2 and 3

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State of Louisiana Versus Lance E. Douglas
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2024
State of Louisiana v. Robert Allen McPhearson
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2024
State Of Louisiana v. Jinel Sexton
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2021
State v. Bench
256 So. 3d 345 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018)
State of Louisiana v. Zachary Alexander Bench
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018
State v. Coleman
133 So. 3d 9 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2014)
State v. Carmouche
117 So. 3d 136 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013)
State of Louisiana v. Jamal James Carmouche
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013
State v. CURINGTON
51 So. 3d 764 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010)
State v. Calvert
986 So. 2d 255 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State v. Velasquez
918 A.2d 45 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 2007)
State v. Hamilton
747 So. 2d 164 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1999)
State v. Broussard
649 So. 2d 726 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1994)
State v. Smith
591 So. 2d 1219 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1991)
State v. Burke
529 A.2d 621 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 1987)
State v. Payano
528 A.2d 721 (Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 1987)
State v. Thomas
504 So. 2d 907 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1987)
State v. Williams
497 So. 2d 1376 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1986)
State v. Clark
492 So. 2d 862 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1986)
State v. Tobias
441 So. 2d 400 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1983)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
301 So. 2d 864, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-graves-la-1974.