State v. Guy

775 So. 2d 454, 2000 WL 1125628
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 19, 2000
Docket99-KA-1893
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 775 So. 2d 454 (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, 775 So. 2d 454, 2000 WL 1125628 (La. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

775 So.2d 454 (2000)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Wilfred GUY.

No. 99-KA-1893.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

July 19, 2000.

*455 Harry F. Connick, District Attorney for Orleans Parish, Cate L. Bartholomew, Assistant District Attorney for Orleans Parish, New Orleans, LA, Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee.

Karen G. Arena, Louisiana Appellate Project, Metairie, LA, Counsel for Defendant/Appellant.

(Court composed of Chief Judge ROBERT J. KLEES, Judge DENNIS R. BAGNERIS, Sr., and Judge MICHAEL E. KIRBY).

BAGNERIS, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

Defendant Wilfred Guy was charged by bill of information on April 21, 1998 with *456 attempted second degree murder, a violation of La. R.S. 14:27 and 14.30.1. Defendant pleaded not guilty at his May 13, 1998 arraignment. A twelve-person jury found defendant guilty as charged on March 3, 1999, following trial. On March 16, 1999, the trial court sentenced defendant to serve twenty-five years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, with credit for time served. On April 1, 1999, the trial court adjudicated defendant a second-felony habitual offender, vacated his original sentence, and resentenced defendant to twenty-five years at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. On July 14, 1999 the trial court denied defendant's motions to quash and to reconsider sentence, and granted defendant's motion for appeal.

FACTS

New Orleans Police Detective Cathy Carter answered a call regarding a shooting that occurred in the 3000 block of First Street on March 29, 1997. Upon arriving on the scene, Johnny Andrew, the victim, was unable to speak, but his wife informed the detective that a tenant had chased Andrew around a car and shot him. City of New Orleans Emergency Medical Technician Miles Watts responded to the shooting on March 29, 1997, and found Andrew suffering from three gunshot wounds to his person.

New Orleans Police Detective Michael Roussel testified that Andrew suffered multiple gunshot wounds and appeared to be in lot of pain. He testified that Andrew's wife and a neighbor both identified defendant as the person that shot the victim. Detective Roussel obtained an arrest warrant for defendant based upon the statements given by the witnesses.

Mr. Philip Donald testified that on March 29, 1997, he was sitting on the corner of First and Johnson Streets, and observed Andrew, several houses away working on his truck. During the two hours Mr. Donald was on the corner, he saw defendant, whom he knew by name, but not personally, "swapping words" with Andrew about a "bill." Andrew told defendant to go and see his wife, at which time defendant got up and walked away. Defendant called out to Andrew, referring to him as a "bitch." Andrew replied, "and you." At that point defendant pulled a silver pistol from underneath his shirt and fired shots in the direction of Andrew. He fired at Andrew over his truck. Andrew ran, and defendant followed, shooting at him. Andrew attempted to make it inside to his residence, but fell at his door, into his flowerbed. At that point defendant stood over Andrew and shot him. Mr. Donald said he went into his residence to retrieve a handgun, but said that when he returned, defendant got into his truck and left. Andrew was bleeding on his porch of his house. Mr. Donald said he heard five shots fired before Andrew fell, and heard more than one shot afterward. He said the two men were loudly arguing.

Cassandra Andrews, Andrew's wife, testified that she knew defendant, and that defendant had been renting a residence from her. As of the day of the shooting, she had served defendant, who lived in the residence with a female companion and his two daughters, an eviction notice. She said she had spoken to defendant about the situation and said he had not expressed any anger. She was inside her home when she saw defendant walk by, then heard Andrew say "talk to my wife." She went outside just in time to see defendant shoot her husband. Mrs. Andrews stated that her husband had been shot five times, and stayed in the hospital for approximately six weeks.

Mrs. Andrews admitted on cross-examination that her husband was walking behind defendant before defendant started shooting. She admitted that her husband owned a gun, but said he kept it in the bedroom and did not have it outside with him on the day of the shooting.

Andrews testified that defendant first shot him in his hand then continued to *457 shoot at him as he ran. Andrew said he fell down onto his porch when hit by the second bullet. Defendant kept on shooting as Andrew attempted to get inside, and Andrew said he was shot again as he hung onto his screen door. Andrew said he begged defendant not to shoot him or kill him. He said he did not attempt to strike defendant, nor did he give defendant any reason to believe he would harm him. He said he was lying on the seat of his truck talking to defendant, and got out and stood up. Defendant was saying that Andrew and his wife did not know who they were "fucking with," and Andrew told defendant that his wife wanted to talk to him. Defendant replied, "fuck you," and Andrew said "man, same to you." Defendant pulled out the gun at that point. Defendant said he did not own a gun.

Detective Roussel, recalled by the defense, reiterated that Andrew had been unable to talk, and that he got the defendant's name from Mrs. Andrews and another witness. Detective Roussel was shown the application he completed for an arrest warrant, in which he attested that Andrew and two witnesses had positively identified the perpetrator. Detective Roussel admitted that this was incorrect insofar as Andrew having identified the perpetrator.

Jacqueline LeBan, defendant's sister, testified that her sister had died on March 29, 1997. She said defendant was at the hospital that morning. She later saw defendant at her mother's home in Gentilly. She could not recall precisely what time this was, but said it was after 11:00 a.m. She said defendant was still there around 1:00 p.m., but he was not there after 3:00 p.m., when police came looking for him. She was not sure whether defendant was at their mother's home at 2:00 p.m.

Gregory Guy, defendant's brother, testified that after he and defendant left the hospital on March 29, 1997, they went to his mother's residence. They arrived there at approximately 12:30 p.m. He could only say that the last time he noticed his brother there, it might have been approximately 1:00 p.m.

ERRORS PATENT

A review of the record reveals an error patent. La.C.Cr.P. art. 873 requires a twenty-hour delay between the denial of a motion for new trial and sentencing. La.C.Cr.P. art. 853 requires a motion for new trial to be filed and disposed of before sentence. A minute entry for the date of the original sentencing reflects that defendant filed an oral motion for a new trial on that date, which was denied that same date, with no evidence that defendant waived the twenty-four hour delay. However, the sequence indicates that the motion was filed after sentencing. If the motion was not filed until after sentencing, it cannot be said that the trial court erred with respect to any delay or with respect to disposition of the motion after sentencing. Moreover, where the original sentence is vacated and the defendant is resentenced as a habitual offender, the defendant has not been prejudiced by the trial court's failure to observe the twenty-hour delay, and he is not entitled to any relief as a result of such error. State v. Bentley, 97-1552, p. 3 (La.App. 4 Cir.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
775 So. 2d 454, 2000 WL 1125628, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-guy-lactapp-2000.