State v. Harrison

588 So. 2d 771, 1991 WL 217781
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided October 29, 1991·No. 90-KA-1040·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

588 So.2d 771 (1991)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Glenn HARRISON.

No. 90-KA-1040.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

October 29, 1991.

*772 Harry F. Connick, Dist. Atty., Val M. Solino, Asst. Dist. Atty., New Orleans, for plaintiff-appellee.

Elizabeth W. Cole, Supervising Atty., Gladstone Jones, Student Practitioner, New Orleans, for defendant-appellant.

Before KLEES, BYRNES and PLOTKIN, JJ.

KLEES, Judge.

Defendant Glenn Harrison appeals his conviction of aggravated burglary, armed robbery, aggravated rape and aggravated crime against nature. We affirm.

On September 28, 1989 the grand jury returned a true bill charging the defendant with violating La.R.S. 14:60 (aggravated *773 burglary), R.S. 14:64 (armed robbery), R.S. 14:42 (aggravated rape), and R.S. 14:89.1 (aggravated crime against nature). On March 21, 1990, following a two day trial, a twelve-person jury returned verdicts of guilty of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, a violation of R.S. 14:62.3; guilty of first degree robbery, a violation of R.S. 14:64.1; and guilty as charged of aggravated rape and aggravated crime against nature. Defendant was sentenced to serve five years at hard labor on the first count, fifteen years at hard labor on the second count, life imprisonment at hard labor without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence on the third count, and fifteen years at hard labor on the fourth count. The court ordered that the sentences on the first and second counts run consecutively and that the sentence on the fourth count run concurrently. The defendant timely moved for an appeal.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

On the evening of September 20, 1988, the victim was returning home from work at about 5:00 p.m. when she noticed a man talking with her neighbor. The victim went to her house and proceeded to put conditioner in her hair. She then left home on her bicycle to go to the store. Upon returning, the man she had previously seen outside, whom she later identified as the defendant, asked her for a drink of water. She went inside her apartment, put her bicycle up, and then went to the kitchen to get the water. When she turned around, the defendant was behind her. The defendant put his hands on her mouth and stuck something in her side. He then gagged her with a blouse, tied her hands behind her back with a nightgown, and pushed her on the bed. The defendant threatened to put her eyes out; at that point she saw that the defendant was holding a screwdriver. The defendant then removed her pants, forced her to perform oral sex, and vaginally raped her. After completing the rape, the defendant demanded money; the victim gave him $15.00 or $20.00. She was then forced by the defendant to go to the bathroom to douche herself. Afterward, the defendant threatened the victim and left.

The victim dressed and went to her boyfriend's apartment. Her boyfriend testified at trial that she had banged on the door of his apartment and that she was hysterical at the time. The boyfriend then called the police. The first officers to arrive were Gerald Smith and his partner. Officer Smith took the victim back to her apartment to look over the scene. She pointed out that a bank book on the floor did not belong to her.

Detective Robert Harrison and his partner Joe Dejoie from the Sex Crimes Unit were called to the scene. Detective Harrison testified that the victim was very upset and was continually crying. During the investigation, a passport was found in the apartment. Both the passport and the bank book had the defendant's name in them.

Detective Harrison then took the victim to Charity Hospital. While they were there, his partner brought a photo line-up for her to view. She made an immediate and positive identification of the defendant.

Dr. Jeff Patterson testified that he examined the victim at Charity Hospital. The doctor found no seminal fluid, abrasions or bruises on her. However, he noted that she was very fearful and anxious.

The defendant did not testify at trial. The only defense witness was the defendant's mother, whose testimony pertained to whether the police had tried to execute an arrest warrant for the defendant. Trial testimony from Detective Lido Schubert established that the defendant was arrested in California approximately one year after the crime.

The defendant's conviction, sentencing, and appeal followed.

ERRORS PATENT

A review of the record reveals that the trial court imposed illegally lenient sentences for counts two and four. The trial court failed to state that the sentences were to be served without the benefit of probation, parole, and suspension of sentence as required by R.S. 14:89.1 and R.S. 14:64.1. However, because the errors are *774 favorable to the appellant and the State has not raised the issue, they will not be corrected on appeal. State v. Fraser, 484 So.2d 122 (La.1986).

A further review reveals that on the day of sentencing, the appellant filed a pro se motion in arrest of judgment, which was denied on that date. The record does not reflect whether the appellant waived his right to a twenty-four hour delay between the denial of this motion and his sentencing, as required by C.Cr.P. art. 873. In State v. Augustine, 555 So.2d 1331 (La. 1990), the Supreme Court held that the trial court's failure to observe the twenty-four hour delay did not constitute harmless error, even if the defendant did not raise that issue as error on appeal, where the defendant challenged his sentence on appeal. In the instant case, the defendant has not challenged his sentence and has not assigned as error the trial court's failure to observe the twenty-four hour delay. Thus, this error is harmless. State v. Albert Collins, 584 So.2d 356 (La.App. 4th Cir. 1991).

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE

The appellant's first assignment pertains to the trial court's refusal to grant a mistrial because of allegedly prejudicial and improper remarks made by the prosecutor during his rebuttal argument.

The scope of closing argument is set forth in La.C.Cr.P. article 774, which provides:

The argument shall be confined to evidence admitted, to the lack of evidence, to conclusions of fact that the state or defendant may draw therefrom, and to the law applicable to the case.

The argument shall not appeal to prejudice.

The state's rebuttal shall be confined to answering the argument of the defendant.

Even if such remarks go beyond the scope of Article 774, the remarks are harmless unless the reviewing court is thoroughly convinced that the remarks inflamed the jury and contributed to the verdict. State v. Jarman, 445 So.2d 1184 (La.1984); State v. Deboue, 496 So.2d 394 (La.App. 4th Cir. 1986) writ den. 501 So.2d 229 (1987); State v. Headley, 522 So.2d 1269 (La.App. 4th Cir.1988). See also State v. Mackey, 550 So.2d 215 (La.App. 4th Cir.1989).

The appellant first argues that the prosecutor improperly expressed his own personal beliefs as to the guilt of the defendant on two occasions. The first statement objected to was to the effect that the boyfriend believes the victim; Detective Harrison believes the victim; my office believes the victim. The defendant's objection to these remarks at trial was sustained by the court, which admonished the jury as follows: "The personal views of the prosecutor or the defense are not important; are not evidence. Just remember that."

The second remark objected to is:

I

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