State v. Henry

788 So. 2d 535, 2001 WL 499381
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 11, 2001
Docket2000 KA 2250
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 788 So. 2d 535 (State v. Henry) 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. Henry, 788 So. 2d 535, 2001 WL 499381 (La. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

788 So.2d 535 (2001)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Randean HENRY.

No. 2000 KA 2250.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

May 11, 2001.
Rehearing Denied July 6, 2001.

*537 Melissa W. Moreau, Heidi L. Mabile, Thibodaux, for Appellee, State of Louisiana.

Alfred F. McCaleb, III, Livingston, for Defendant/Appellant, Randean Henry.

Before: WHIPPLE, KUHN and DOWNING, JJ.

WHIPPLE, Judge.

The defendant, Randean Henry, was charged by bill of information with one count of fourth offense driving while intoxicated, a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:98. He pled not guilty and filed a motion to quash the bill of information, but the motion was denied. Following a jury trial, he was found guilty as charged. He moved for post-verdict judgment of acquittal, but the motion was denied. Thereafter, he was sentenced to twenty years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.[1] Defendant appeals, designating five assignments of error.

FACTS

On January 29, 1999, at approximately 12:37 a.m., Louisiana State Trooper Timothy James Breaux was patrolling Louisiana Highway 308. Trooper Breaux saw the defendant's vehicle cross the center line of Highway 308 on three separate occasions within a one mile distance and signaled to the defendant to pull into a convenience store. After detecting a strong odor of alcoholic beverages on the defendant's breath, and observing the defendant's slurred speech and swaying as he stood outside his vehicle, Trooper Breaux had the defendant perform three field sobriety tests, all of which he failed. Trooper Breaux arrested the defendant for *538 driving while intoxicated (DWI) and transported him to the sheriffs office for a breath test. The defendant was advised of, and waived, his rights concerning testing for intoxication. His breath registered a blood alcohol level of .19 grams percent at 2:10 a.m. He requested a blood test for alcohol and was transported to St. Anne Hospital for testing. The defendant signed a consent form at 2:50 a.m., and thereafter, blood testing revealed his blood alcohol content was 0.15 grams percent.

INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL

(Assignment of Error Nos. 1 and 5)

In assignment of error number 1, the defendant contends his trial attorney failed to make an opening statement and did not present witness testimony or documentary evidence at trial, and, thus, rendered ineffective assistance of counsel. He argues: trial defense counsel failed to offer testimony or evidence to dispute the validity of a January 11, 1989 conviction used as a predicate by the State; counsel failed to object to State evidence concerning the predicates; and counsel failed to present witness testimony or other evidence to show the defendant's medical condition could have affected the field sobriety and blood tests. He claims the failure to uncover or present mitigating evidence is reversible error, citing State v. Brooks, 94-2438 (La.10/16/95), 661 So.2d 1333 (on rehearing).

In assignment of error number 5, the defendant contends his trial attorney rendered ineffective assistance of counsel by failing to move to quash the use of a May 14, 1997 guilty plea (17th JDC docket number 286,250) as a predicate by the State.[2] He argues the guilty plea was invalid because he was asked to admit to prior convictions and to agree to the sentence to be imposed before either the charge he was pleading guilty to was read to him or before he was sworn. He relies upon State v. Jones, 93-873 (La.App. 3d Cir.2/2/94), 631 So.2d 609, writ denied, 94-0574 (La.6/3/94), 637 So.2d 498; State v. Perry, 95-206 (La.App. 3d Cir.5/31/95), 657 So.2d 437; State v. Gautreaux, 607 So.2d 1086 (La.App. 3d Cir.1992); State v. Longo, 560 So.2d 530 (La.App. 1st Cir.1990); and State v. Davis, 98-1763 (La.App. 1st Cir.5/14/99), 734 So.2d 896.

Initially, we note that a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel is more properly raised by an application for post-conviction relief in the district court where a full evidentiary hearing may be conducted. However, where the record discloses evidence needed to decide the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel, and that issue is raised by assignment of error on appeal, the issue may be addressed in the interest of judicial economy. State v. Williams, 632 So.2d 351, 361 (La.App. 1st Cir.1993), writ denied, 94-1009 (La.9/2/94), 643 So.2d 139.

A claim of ineffectiveness of counsel is analyzed under the two-pronged test developed by the United States Supreme Court in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984). In order to establish that his trial attorney was ineffective, the defendant must first show that the attorney's performance was deficient, which requires a showing that counsel made errors so serious that he was not functioning as the counsel guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment. Secondly, the defendant must *539 prove that the deficient performance prejudiced the defense. This element requires a showing that the errors were so serious that defendant was deprived of a fair trial; the defendant must prove actual prejudice before relief will be granted. It is not sufficient for defendant to show that the error had some conceivable effect on the outcome of the proceeding. Rather, he must show that but for the counsel's unprofessional errors, there is a reasonable probability the outcome of the trial would have been different. Further, it is unnecessary to address the issues of both counsel's performance and prejudice to the defendant if the defendant makes an inadequate showing on one of the components. State v. Serigny, 610 So.2d 857, 859-60 (La.App. 1st Cir.1992), writ denied, 614 So.2d 1263 (La.1993).

Under our adversary system, once a defendant has the assistance of counsel, the vast array of trial decisions, strategic and tactical, which must be made before and during trial rest with an accused and his attorney. The fact that a particular strategy is unsuccessful does not establish ineffective assistance of counsel. State v. Folse, 623 So.2d 59, 71 (La.App. 1st Cir. 1993).

We note that trial defense counsel timely filed, and zealously argued, a motion to quash the bill of information herein, specifically attacking the State's use of the January 11, 1989 conviction the defendant references on appeal (and another predicate, 17th JDC docket number 248,871). When his motion was unsuccessful, defense counsel preserved the issue for review. Further, the defendant's contention that trial defense counsel failed to object to State evidence concerning the predicates is incorrect. Additionally, while trial defense counsel may not have presented witness testimony or other evidence to show that the defendant's medical condition could have affected the field sobriety and blood tests, counsel vigorously cross-examined the State's witnesses, questioning and challenging the reliability of the field sobriety and blood tests on various bases, including the defendant's use of medication for a back injury and his physical condition of having one leg that was one and one-half inches shorter than his other leg.

With regard to the May 14, 1997 guilty plea, we note that the transcript of the May 14, 1997 guilty plea in 17th JDC docket number 286,250,[3]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
788 So. 2d 535, 2001 WL 499381, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-henry-lactapp-2001.