State v. Hooker

623 So. 2d 178, 1993 WL 310762
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 18, 1993
Docket25152-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 623 So. 2d 178 (State v. Hooker) 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. Hooker, 623 So. 2d 178, 1993 WL 310762 (La. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinion

623 So.2d 178 (1993)

STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
R. Kenneth HOOKER, Defendant-Appellant.

No. 25152-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

August 18, 1993.

*181 Indigent Defender Office by Richard E. Hiller and John M. Lawrence, Shreveport, for defendant-appellant.

Richard Ieyoub, Atty. Gen., Paul J. Carmouche, Dist. Atty., Ronald R. Inderbitzen, Catherine M. Estopinal, Asst. Dist. Attys., for plaintiff-appellee.

Before MARVIN, NORRIS and LINDSAY, JJ.

NORRIS, Judge.

The defendant, Kenneth Hooker, was charged by bill of information with simple burglary, La.R.S. 14:62. Tried by a six-member jury, he was found guilty as charged and later was adjudicated a third felony offender, La.R.S. 15:529.1. The district court sentenced him to 16 years at hard labor. Hooker now appeals, advancing several assignments of error. For the reasons expressed, we affirm the conviction but vacate the sentence and remand the case for resentencing.

Factual background

The burglary occurred in the early morning of January 18, 1992 at The Tire Center, a tire store on Common Street in downtown Shreveport. According to the manager, Troy Stevenson, the store had been previously entered by intruders who broke the window on a bay door. Stevenson had placed a piece of plywood inside the broken window. Apparently because of the prior entry, Shreveport police were staking out the location.

Officer Peck conducted the stake-out from across the street. Around 2:15 a.m., he saw two men run onto the parking lot and head for the bay door. The first suspect, wearing a long, green trench coat and blue jeans, pushed the board out of the broken window and climbed in. The second man helped the first through the window and glanced around as though keeping a lookout. Officer Peck radioed for assistance. The second man then attempted to clamber through the open window.

Quicker than expected, Officer Rance drove up in a marked police car. The second suspect, who was still in the window, hopped down and ran southwest; Officer Rance chased him by car. The first suspect then climbed out the window and fled to the southeast. Officer Peck pursued him on foot.

The suspect ran down Snow Street and toward a vacant building on Louisiana Avenue. Officer Peck lost sight of him for a few seconds, but saw him run through the open door of a deserted building (Officer Peck called it an old garment factory). Apparently in response to Officer Peck's radio message, other officers converged on the building and surrounded it. Officer Peck shouted to the man inside to come out but there was no response. The officers did not enter, but waited for the K-9 unit to arrive.

Moments later, Officer Ingram and the German Shepherd "Robin" came to the scene. Officer Ingram delivered three more verbal warnings, followed by Robin's barks, to the suspect inside the building, but he did not come out. Officer Ingram then sent the dog in; shortly he saw the suspect walking through a doorway visible from the point of entry. Officer Ingram ordered the suspect to lie down, but he did not comply; at this point Robin bit the suspect on the right forearm and brought him down. Officer Peck identified the suspect as the man in the green coat who successfully entered The Tire Center. He then arrested the suspect, who was identified as Kenneth Hooker.

Other officers at the scene then searched the vacant building; they found no one else inside. According to Officer Ingram, they found no evidence of any kind. The other suspect, who had not completely entered The Tire Center, eluded Officer Rance and was never apprehended.

Discussion

Hooker's fourth and fifth assignments of error have not been briefed. They are therefore deemed abandoned. URCA rule *182 2-12.4; State v. Schwartz, 354 So.2d 1332 (La.1978); State v. Kotwitz, 549 So.2d 351 (La.App.2d Cir.1989), writ denied 558 So.2d 1123 (1990).

Alleged discovery violations

Hooker's first two assignments are based on the fact that he filed a discovery motion but the State did not disclose Officer Ingram's report until he was placed on the witness stand. Hooker urges the trial court erred by denying his motion for mistrial and by permitting Officer Ingram to testify, when sanctions under La.C.Cr.P. art. 729.5 were appropriate.

Hooker filed a timely pretrial motion to discover, among other things, the initial reports of the investigating officers. R. p. 12. In response the State filed several initial reports, but none from Officer Ingram. When the State placed Officer Ingram on the stand, he testified that he had made a report. R. p. 85. Defense counsel moved for a mistrial or, alternatively, to prohibit the officer from testifying. R. pp. 85, 89. The prosecutor stated that he had never seen the report; the officer testified he had a copy of it, which the trial court admitted into evidence and gave copies to the State and defense. The court denied both motions, but called a recess for counsel to review the report and prepare additional cross examination. R. p. 90.

La.C.Cr.P. art. 729.5 provides, in pertinent part:

If at any time during the course of the proceedings it is brought to the attention of the court that a party has failed to comply with this Chapter [Discovery and Inspection] or with an order issued pursuant to this Chapter, the court may order such party to permit the discovery or inspection, grant a continuance, order a mistrial on motion of the defendant, prohibit the party from introducing into evidence the subject matter not disclosed, or enter such other order, other than dismissal, as may be appropriate.

The article is permissive and does not mandate any particular remedy. Mistrial is a drastic remedy which should be granted only when the defendant suffers such substantial prejudice that he has been deprived of any reasonable expectation of a fair trial. State v. Sepulvado, 359 So.2d 137 (La.1978); State v. Stills, 600 So.2d 134 (La.App.2d Cir. 1992). Failure to comply with discovery merits mistrial only when the State's conduct substantially affects the defendant's right to prepare a defense. State v. Mitchell, 412 So.2d 1042 (La.1982); State v. DeMoss, 582 So.2d 964 (La.App.2d Cir.1991).

Exclusion of the undisclosed evidence is sometimes an appropriate remedy. See, e.g., State v. Williams, 452 So.2d 1299 (La.App. 3d Cir.1984). However, it is not warranted unless there is substantial prejudice to the defendant. Such prejudice could consist of surprise or a showing that the undisclosed evidence would have changed the defense strategy. State v. Downing, 451 So.2d 1221 (La.App.2d Cir.1984); State v. Alpine, 404 So.2d 213 (La.1981). Trial courts may offset the effect of late disclosure by calling a recess or granting a continuance. State v. Ashley, 463 So.2d 794 (La.App.2d Cir.1985); State v. Busby, 464 So.2d 262 (La.1985), cert. denied 474 U.S. 873, 106 S.Ct. 196, 88 L.Ed.2d 165 (1985). The trial court has wide discretion in fashioning a remedy. State v. Knighton, 436 So.2d 1141 (La.1983), cert. denied 465 U.S. 1051, 104 S.Ct. 1330, 79 L.Ed.2d 725 (1984). The propriety of the remedy depends on the circumstances of the case. State v. Norwood, 396 So.2d. 1307 (La.1981).

In brief Hooker argues he was severely prejudiced because he waived a preliminary examination in exchange for copies of all initial reports; at trial counsel argued that his "understanding," based on these reports, was that Hooker came out of the vacant building voluntarily, and did not have to be subdued by the dog.

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623 So. 2d 178, 1993 WL 310762, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-hooker-lactapp-1993.