State v. Guiden

399 So. 2d 194
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedMay 18, 1981
Docket80-KA-2589
StatusPublished
Cited by140 cases

This text of 399 So. 2d 194 (State v. Guiden) 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. Guiden, 399 So. 2d 194 (La. 1981).

Opinion

399 So.2d 194 (1981)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Florain GUIDEN, Jr.

No. 80-KA-2589.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

May 18, 1981.
Rehearing Denied June 22, 1981.

*196 William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Paul Carmouche, Dist. Atty., James C. McMichael, Jr., Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

Marlin Risinger, Jr., Shreveport, for defendant-appellant.

JONES, Justice Ad Hoc.[*]

Following trial by jury, Florain Guiden, Jr., was found guilty as charged on two counts—attempted armed robbery (R.S. 14:27, 64) and attempted first degree murder (R.S. 14:27, 30). Subsequently, defendant was sentenced, as a second offender, to be imprisoned at hard labor for 40 years on each count, without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence, with the sentences to run concurrently.

Defendant appeals his conviction and sentence on each count, relying upon five assignments of error.

Facts

On March 15, 1979 at about 1:00 o'clock P.M., two men got into Gary Neeley's taxicab at the Shreveport bus station and designated a general area to which they wished to be transported. Upon reaching their destination one of the passengers demanded Neeley's money, threatening him with a gun. When Neeley refused the demand, the other passenger grabbed the gun from his companion and shot Neeley twice, once in the abdomen and once in the upper arm. Both the assailant and his accomplice fled the scene of the crime.

Neeley gave a description of the two men to police officers on the day of the offense. The following day, while in the hospital, Neeley was shown a photographic lineup and identified the picture of Guiden as the man who shot him. From another photographic lineup, Fair Wayne Bryant was identified as Guiden's accomplice. Arrest warrants were issued for the two men.

Guiden was arrested in Lake Charles, outside his motel room, on March 27, 1979. *197 Bryant was arrested later and charged jointly with Guiden with attempted armed robbery and attempted first degree murder. Upon motion of Guiden severance was ordered and the state proceeded to trial against Guiden alone.

Assignment of Error No. 1

In this assignment the defendant contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress the victim's in-court identification because it was tainted by an impermissibly suggestive pre-trial identification procedure.

In December 1979 the victim, Neeley, was subpoenaed by the state to appear at Bryant's trial on the amended bill of information. Defendant, a black male, was present in the prisoners' dock of the courtroom, seated by one other individual, a white male. Defendant was allegedly present to discuss a possible plea bargain. Although the Bryant trial was continued, during preliminary court proceedings Neeley had an opportunity to observe the defendant. The victim subsequently informed the assistant district attorney assigned to handle the prosecution of this case that he recognized defendant as the person who shot him.

Even if suggestive identification procedures are proven by the defense, it is the likelihood of misidentification, and not the mere existence of suggestiveness, which violates due process. Manson v. Brathwaite, 432 U.S. 98, 97 S.Ct. 2243, 53 L.Ed.2d 140 (1977); State v. Williams, 375 So.2d 364 (La.1979). In State v. Guillot, 353 So.2d 1005 (La.1977), this court announced that it would employ the following five factors set forth in Manson to balance the corrupting effect of a suggestive identification: the witness' opportunity to view the crime; the degree of attention paid by the witness; the accuracy of any prior description; the level of certainty displayed at the confrontation; and the amount of time between the crime and the confrontation.

In this case the record shows that the defendant sat on the front seat of the taxicab next to the victim, who had the opportunity to observe Guiden's face for some 15 or 20 minutes prior to the shooting. The crime occurred during daylight hours and defendant wore no device to obscure his facial features.

Although Neeley told the police that his assailant had "sort of a harelip", on the day following the offense he was able to positively identify defendant during the course of a photographic lineup. Guiden did not, in fact, have a medical harelip. Neeley explained that he appeared to have a scar on his lip, but this did not interfere with his speech.

Based upon these factors, we conclude that the victim's in-court identification of the defendant had a basis independent of any alleged taint that might have resulted from the courtroom encounter in December 1979.

This assignment is without merit.

Assignment of Error No. 2

Defendant argues in this assignment that the trial court erred in refusing to suppress his confession because it was coerced and because the state did not give a proper 768 notice of its intent to offer the confession in evidence.

A review of the testimony adduced at the hearing on the motion to suppress reveals that defendant was informed of his Miranda rights prior to giving the inculpatory statement. Defendant testified that he understood those rights and knew that he did not have to give a statement. His allegations of threats were specifically rebutted by the State. We agree with the trial judge that the State discharged its burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant's confession was given freely and voluntarily after defendant was accorded his Miranda rights.

Defendant further argues that his confession was inadmissible because the notice of the state's intent to introduce the confession, pursuant to La.C.Cr.P. Art. 768, was defective since it was given to defense counsel rather than to defendant personally.

*198 According to the record, in response to a motion for discovery, the state filed a response to which was attached a copy of the signed statement given by defendant to the Shreveport police. A copy was forwarded to defense counsel. Hearing on the motion to suppress was held on November 7, 1979, at which the confession was thoroughly discussed. Trial on the merits began on March 31, 1980.

Defendant does not claim that he was either surprised or prejudiced by the state's failure to personally serve him with the 768 notice rather than his counsel. Under the circumstances we find that there was an adequate compliance by the state with Article 768. See State v. Sneed, 316 So.2d 372 (La.1975).

Also in connection with this assignment, the defendant argues for the first time, on appeal, that his confession was inadmissible because he was not timely afforded counsel as required by La.C.Cr.P. Art. 230.1.

Since this issue was not raised in the trial court, the record is barren of any evidence pertaining to the events which transpired between the date of defendant's arrest in Lake Charles, his subsequent transfer to Shreveport and the appointment of counsel in Shreveport.

It was pointed out in State v. Baylis, 388 So.2d 713 (La.1980):

"It is well settled that an irregularity or error cannot be availed of after verdict unless it was objected to at the time of the occurrence, and the party objecting made known to the court the action which he desired the court to take, or his objection to the action of the court, and the grounds therefor. C.Cr.P. 841.

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Bluebook (online)
399 So. 2d 194, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-guiden-la-1981.