State v. Holloway

847 So. 2d 200, 2003 WL 21106499
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 16, 2003
Docket37,021-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 847 So. 2d 200 (State v. Holloway) 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. Holloway, 847 So. 2d 200, 2003 WL 21106499 (La. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

847 So.2d 200 (2003)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee,
v.
Cedric HOLLOWAY, Appellant.

No. 37,021-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

May 16, 2003.

*204 Paula Corley Marx, Louisiana Appellate Project, Lafayette, for Appellant.

Richard Ieyoub, Attorney General, Paul J. Carmouche, District Attorney, Edward M. Brossette, J. Thomas Butler, Assistant District Attorneys, for Appellee.

Before BROWN, GASKINS and MOORE, JJ.

GASKINS, J.

The defendant, Cedric Holloway, was tried before a jury on a charge of possession of cocaine. He was convicted of attempted possession of cocaine, adjudicated a habitual offender, and sentenced to 20 years at hard labor, without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. The defendant's conviction and adjudication as a habitual offender are affirmed; his sentence is affirmed as amended.

FACTS

At about 9 p.m. on January 14, 2000, members of the Shreveport Police Department's Street Level Interdiction Unit ("SLIU") conducted a sweep of the 900 block of Pickett Street. This action was in response to citizens' complaints about drug activity in the area. The SLIU did not have information about specific individuals.

First, Agents Jerry O'Glee[1] and Jerry Silva were dropped off by another agent and took up positions in an alleyway behind a row of houses. Their purpose was to cover any exits or routes of escape of individuals that would run from the police once they knew that the police were in the area. Next, Agents Derrick Brown and Jason Brook entered the area in a semi-marked police vehicle. This was the "wing" car, going in with the purpose of having people run from it, towards the waiting officers.

When the defendant and another man saw the car with Agents Brown and Brook, they immediately went into the alley between two houses, out of the sight of the agents in the car. From their places in the alleyway, Agents O'Glee and Silva observed the defendant and the other male, running or walking[2] around the back of a house towards them. The two men were about six feet apart. When the defendant was approximately 15 to 20 yards from Agents Silva and O'Glee, Agent Silva turned around to check the rear to make sure no one was coming at the officers from behind. Agent O'Glee continued to watch the defendant. At that point, Agent O'Glee saw the defendant toss a plastic baggie towards the back corner of one of the houses. Agents O'Glee and Silva then made their presence known and detained the men.

When Agents Brown and Brook joined them, Agent O'Glee told Agent Brown about the defendant tossing something. *205 Agent Brown went to the area indicated by O'Glee to search for the item thrown down by the defendant. The ground was moist from beer and urine, and the area was littered with empty beer bottles and empty plastic narcotics baggies. Although the lighting was not good, the agents testified that it was lit well enough to see without a flashlight, except for the immediate area directly underneath the house. At the corner brick post of one house, Agent Brown found a baggie containing two rocks that appeared to be crack cocaine. The baggie was relatively clean, indicating to Agent Brown that it had been on the ground only a short time. The defendant was placed under arrest, advised of his Miranda rights, and escorted to the police car. The other male was searched; since nothing illegal was found on him, he was allowed to leave.

After the defendant was placed in the police car, Agents Brown and Brook interviewed him. Agent Brown testified that the defendant made a post-Miranda statement, saying that he wanted to see if he could get help from the officers. Agent Brown told the defendant that if the defendant told him what he knew, "I'll see what I can do for you." At that point, the defendant stated that he had purchased the cocaine earlier that day from a residence on East 64th Street in Shreveport. The agents asked the defendant to show them the residence to determine if the information was valid. The defendant then recanted his statement and stated that he didn't want to help. The interview was terminated, and the defendant was taken to the city jail.

The defendant was originally charged by bill of information with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute. In an amended bill of information, he was charged with second offense possession of a Schedule II, controlled dangerous substance, in violation of La. R.S. 40:967(C) and 40:982. Finally, in another amended bill of information, he was charged with possession of cocaine.

The defendant filed a multitude of pro se motions. They included a "motion to quash/dismiss," four "motion[s] to suppress evidence," two "motion[s] to quash the arrest" and a "motion for criminal records and pending charges of all state's witnesses." Most of these motions argued that the police actions in the sweep that had resulted in the defendant's arrest were illegal.

On December 7, 2000, an evidentiary hearing was held on the defendant's pro se motions. The defendant, instead of his counsel, cross-examined the state's witnesses, and argued the motions to the judge. Other than to state that the defendant had no witnesses and that he had shared the discovery received from the state with the defendant, the defendant's counsel remained silent during the hearing. The defendant's motions were denied.

On January 8, 2001, a free and voluntary hearing was held at the state's request regarding the defendant's postarrest statement to Agents Brown and Brook. At this hearing, the defendant's counsel cross-examined the witnesses and argued the matter to the trial court. Agent Brown testified on behalf of the state. He stated that after the defendant had been arrested for possession of cocaine, he told Agents Brown and Brook that he had bought the cocaine from a house on East 64th Street. He also testified that the defendant was not under any fear, duress or intimidation at the time of the interview. The trial court found the defendant's postarrest statement to be free and voluntary.

On January 9, 2001, the defendant was tried before a jury, which found him guilty of the responsive verdict of attempted possession *206 of cocaine. On January 12, 2001, the defendant filed motions for new trial and for postverdict judgment of acquittal.

On January 16, 2001, the state filed a habitual offender bill of information, alleging the defendant to be a fourth felony offender. The defendant pled not guilty.

The defendant filed additional pro se motions. These included a "motion for mistrial," and four motions to quash the habitual offender bill.[3]

On February 21, 2002, the trial court held a multiple offender hearing. The defendant was present, represented by new appointed counsel.[4] First, the trial court considered and denied the defendant's motions. The state called Sgt. Owen McDonnell of the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, who was accepted as an expert in fingerprint comparison and analysis. Sgt. McDonnell fingerprinted the defendant prior to testifying. He testified that the fingerprints on the bills of information from previous convictions were the same as the defendant's fingerprints. The trial court took the matter under advisement.

On April 16, 2002, the trial court adjudicated the defendant to be a fourth felony offender. In the same hearing, the defendant was sentenced to a hard labor sentence of 20 years, without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence, with credit for time served.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
847 So. 2d 200, 2003 WL 21106499, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-holloway-lactapp-2003.