State v. Guy

737 So. 2d 231, 1999 WL 333332
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 19, 1999
Docket97-KA-1387
StatusPublished
Cited by48 cases

This text of 737 So. 2d 231 (State v. Guy) 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. Guy, 737 So. 2d 231, 1999 WL 333332 (La. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

737 So.2d 231 (1999)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Oswalt GUY.

No. 97-KA-1387.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

May 19, 1999.

*233 Guy H. Lillian III, New Orleans, Louisiana, Counsel for Defendant/Appellant.

Harry F. Connick, District Attorney, John Jerry Glas, Assistant District Attorney, New Orleans, Louisiana, Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee.

Court composed of Judge JOAN BERNARD ARMSTRONG, Judge JAMES F. McKAY III, Judge MICHAEL E. KIRBY.

KIRBY, Judge.

Defendant Oswalt Guy was charged with armed robbery, a violation of La. R.S. 14:64.[1] Defendant was arraigned on July 7, 1995, at which time he pleaded not guilty. On October 20, 1995, the trial court found probable cause. Following trial by a twelve-person jury, defendant was found guilty as charged. Defendant filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied on September 25, 1996. On December 2, 1996, defendant was sentenced to ninety-nine years at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. The State filed a bill of information charging defendant as a habitual offender.[2] On January 1, 1997, the trial court adjudicated defendant a second felony habitual offender, set aside the original sentence, and resentenced defendant to forty-nine and one-half years at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence under La. R.S. 15:529.1. Defendant filed motions for post-verdict judgment of acquittal and new trial, which were denied. From this conviction and sentence defendant appeals, raising assignments of error both through appellate counsel and pro se.

FACTS:

New Orleans Police Officer Michael Nieves testified that, at approximately 3:00 a.m. on the morning of April 17, 1995, he took a report of an armed robbery from Ms. Lisa McLendon. McLendon informed *234 the officer that, sometime after 6 p.m. on April 16, she had been robbed at the Chevron Gas Station located at 3134 Elysian Fields Avenue. The victim reported that the robber took her rental car, a 1995 Ford Taurus, and her purse, which was in the vehicle. McLendon reported the crime from her home.

New Orleans Police Officer Troy Anthony Williams testified that he arrested defendant on April 25, 1995. Defendant was riding in the front passenger seat of a stolen white Ford when Officer Williams and his partner began chasing it. The vehicle finally crashed and the three occupants, including defendant, fled. Another officer caught defendant in the neighborhood, after Officer Williams' partner broadcast a description of the suspects. Officer Williams identified defendant at the scene as having been in the vehicle at the time the chase began and as having fled from the vehicle after it crashed.

New Orleans Police Officer Travis McCabe testified that he and his partner were cruising two blocks from the crash scene when he noticed defendant slowly running or jogging. When defendant spotted the officers in their marked police unit, he stopped running and began walking. Officer McCabe testified that defendant "was in a panic as if he had ran." Officer McCabe said Officer Williams subsequently identified defendant as one of the subjects being sought.

New Orleans Police Officer Brian Elsensohn testified that he and his partner stopped defendant after defendant slowed from a jog to a walk when he spotted them. He said Officer Williams later identified defendant as the subject they were seeking.

New Orleans Police Detective Lionell Adams presented McLendon, the victim of the armed robbery, with two photographic lineups. He said she was unable to make an identification in one lineup but that, in the second, she identified the defendant.[3] McLendon informed the detective that defendant, who had a mustache in the photographs, had been clean-shaven at the time of the robbery.

Lisa McLendon identified defendant at trial as the person who robbed her at knifepoint on April 16, 1995, Easter Sunday. She said the robber took her white Ford Taurus and her purse containing her telephone, credit cards and keys. She said the robbery occurred between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Chevron Gas Station at the intersection of Interstate 610 and Elysian Fields Avenue. She went inside the gas station convenience store and called police; while McLendon was waiting for police to arrive, two youths stole four cartons of cigarettes and beer from the store. She said at that point she decided to go home, where she notified police. Officer Michael Nieves eventually came to her home around 3:00 a.m. the next morning. McLendon testified that Det. Adams subsequently showed her two photographic lineups. She said she was unable to identify anyone in the first lineup, but identified defendant in the second lineup, testifying that she had noticed defendant's particular facial features when he turned to look at her after she asked him during the robbery if she could have her purse. She said he had no facial hair at the time of the robbery. McLendon said the identification procedure took place approximately ten days after the robbery and that defendant had a slight mustache in the photograph she identified. She said she positively identified him during the identification procedure. She was asked if she told the investigating officer that the man who robbed her had any gold teeth. She said the man who robbed her did not have *235 gold teeth. At that point, defense counsel asked defendant to stand up and smile, and elicited from McLendon the admission that defendant did in fact have a gold tooth. On re-direct examination, McLendon stated that defendant did not smile at her like that during the robbery.

Augustine Guy, defendant's mother, testified that defendant was at home on the evening of April 16, 1995, at approximately 6:30 p.m. She said her son had had a gold tooth since before he went into jail, and that he was in jail about six years. Mrs. Guy also said her son had facial hair on April 16, 1995. At one point, Mrs. Guy confirmed that it was about five blocks from her residence to the location of the gas station where the robbery occurred, but later said she was sure it was more than five blocks. She also said at one point that it was two miles away. Mrs. Guy admitted she would help her son get out of trouble if she could, but said she would not lie for him.

Dave Coubaraous testified that he had known defendant for about fifteen years, and that he had been with defendant at defendant's mother's house on April 16, 1995. Coubaraous left at approximately 6:20 p.m. and returned around 7:00 p.m. He said defendant was there when he left and was there when he returned. Coubaraous stated that defendant had a mustache on April 16, 1995. He also testified defendant had had the gold tooth for about six years.

Edmond Don Wilson, a state probation officer, a decorated former police officer, and the top graduate in his class at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy, said he arrived at Mrs. Guy's residence on April 16, 1995, at approximately 5:45 p.m. He said came to visit his grandfather, Mrs. Guy's father. Wilson said he met defendant, his relative, for the first time in his life, and they talked a long time. Wilson said defendant was present until the time he left, between 8:00 and 8:15 p.m. Wilson stated that defendant was out of his sight for no more than ten minutes, and that he conversed with defendant even during that brief period. Wilson said Mrs. Guy's residence was a few miles from the intersection where the robbery occurred.

ERRORS PATENT

A review of the record reveals no errors patent.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
737 So. 2d 231, 1999 WL 333332, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-guy-lactapp-1999.