State v. Green

647 So. 2d 536, 1994 WL 680444
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in State v. Green. Read the opinion of the Court — 614 So. 2d 758
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided December 7, 1994·No. CR94-617·Published

Opinion

647 So.2d 536 (1994)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Hamilton GREEN.

No. CR94-617.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

December 7, 1994.

*537 John Phillip Haney, St. Martinville, for State.

Lawrence Blake Jones, Robert Clemenz, New Orleans, for Hamilton Green.

Before KNOLL and WOODARD, JJ., and BERTRAND[*], J. Pro Tem.

LUCIEN C. BERTRAND, Jr., Judge Pro Tem.

Defendant, Hamilton Green, was charged by bill of information with three counts of aggravated assault in violation of La.R.S. 14:37 and four counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of La.R.S. 14:95.1. In a separate bill of information he was also charged with one count of unauthorized use of a movable in violation of La.R.S. 14:68 and one count of possession of marijuana, second offense, in violation of La. R.S. 40:966D(2).[1]

*538 On October 20, 1993, defendant entered pleas of not guilty to all charges. However, on the date of trial, January 11, 1994, defendant withdrew his former pleas and entered a plea of guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of unauthorized use of a movable over $1,000.00 and one count of possession of marijuana, second offense. Defendant was sentenced on February 16, 1994 to 10 years with the Department of Corrections without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence for one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. For one count of possession of marijuana, second offense, defendant was sentenced to five years and for one count of unauthorized use of a movable, defendant was sentenced to three years. Defendant's sentence for possession of marijuana, second offense, and unauthorized use of a movable are to be served concurrently, but consecutively with the sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Although the defendant initially assigned six errors, he has briefed only four. Those assignments of error not briefed are considered abandoned. Uniform Rules—Courts of Appeal, Rule 2-12.4.

FACTS

When the defendant entered his guilty plea, the State alleged the following facts which defendant admitted to be true. On August 23, 1993, Iberia Parish sheriff's deputies went to defendant's home in New Iberia to execute a warrant on defendant for aggravated assault. After defendant's arrest, the deputies obtained permission from Mrs. Green, defendant's wife, to search the home for weapons. Mrs. Green showed the deputies a .38 caliber weapon, which she indicated was hers, and three shotguns, which she indicated belonged to her husband. The weapons were allegedly given to defendant by family members. The search also revealed a .38 caliber weapon located under the mattress in defendant's bedroom.

For the charges of unauthorized use of a movable and possession of marijuana, second offense, the State alleged the following facts. On October 3, 1993, Morris Polk reported that his 1993 Mercury Topaz had been stolen. A deputy spotted a vehicle meeting this description being driven by defendant with a female passenger. The deputy arrested defendant and searched the vehicle, wherein he found marijuana smoking papers, a bag of marijuana on the visor of the driver's side, and a marijuana cigarette in the purse of the passenger. Although the defendant admitted these facts to be true, his attorney would admit only that defendant drove the vehicle and that marijuana was found.

After retaining new counsel, defendant filed a Motion to Withdraw Guilty Plea on February 4, 1994, at which time the motion was summarily denied by the trial judge. Defendant reurged the same motion at his sentencing on February 16, 1994. The trial judge again denied this motion after hearing arguments advanced by defense counsel.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1

Defendant argues that the trial court should have granted his Motion to Withdraw Guilty Plea because the State did not provide notice of its intention to use defendant's written inculpatory statement until 20 minutes before trial. Defendant claims that the surprise of this late notice prevented him from entering into a free and voluntary plea and that had the statement been included in the State's previous response to discovery, he would have accepted a more favorable plea bargain that was offered one week before trial.

La.C.Cr.P. Art. 559 provides that the court may permit a plea of guilty to be withdrawn at any time before sentence. The trial court is vested with a great deal of discretion in permitting the withdrawal of a guilty plea, but its discretion may not be exercised arbitrarily and can be corrected on appeal. State v. Johnson, 544 So.2d 767 (La.App. 3rd Cir. 1989).

If a motion for withdrawal of a guilty plea contains specific allegations that the guilty plea was involuntary, the Boykin colloquy was defective, there was a breach of the plea bargain agreement, or some other specific allegation that the plea is constitutionally infirm, the trial court should vacate the plea or conduct a hearing on the matter. *539 State v. Parker, 581 So.2d 314 (La.App. 1st Cir.1991).

Defendant's Motion to Withdraw Guilty Plea did not contain the specific allegations mentioned above; however, defendant reurged his motion before sentencing, arguing that the surprise of the State's notice only 20 minutes before trial of its intent to use his written inculpatory statement rendered him unable to make a free and voluntary decision.

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.

Although defendant was granted pre-trial discovery, there is some question as to whether or not the substance of the written inculpatory statement was included in the State's response to defendant's discovery request. However, it is undisputed that the State did comply with Article 768 by giving notice of its intent to use the inculpatory statement prior to the beginning of its opening statement. At that time, the defendant could have filed a motion to continue, if he suffered any prejudice by the Article 768 notice. State v. Quimby, 419 So.2d 951 (La. 1982).

The record reveals that defendant was extensively questioned by the trial court about the voluntariness of his plea. The trial judge read the statute for each crime to which defendant was pleading guilty and informed the defendant of the possible sentence he could receive for each crime. The trial court asked the defendant questions beyond the normal Boykinization procedure to insure that defendant was entering a knowing, intelligent and voluntary plea.

In State v. Lewis, 539 So.2d 1199 (La. 1989), the Louisiana Supreme Court discussed the question of voluntariness as follows:

Based upon a complete review of all relevant considerations on the issue of voluntariness, the ultimate question must be answered of whether the statement was "the product of an essentially free and unconstrained choice" or the result of an overborne will.

539 So.2d at 1205.

Although Lewis dealt with the voluntariness of a defendant's statement, we find that its language is helpful in determining whether a guilty plea was voluntarily made.

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State v. Green, 647 So. 2d 536, 1994 WL 680444 (La. Ct. App. 1994).

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State v. Johnson
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State v. Allen
267 So. 2d 544 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1972)
State v. Quimby
419 So. 2d 951 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1982)
State v. Green
647 So. 2d 536 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1994)