State v. Howard

66 So. 3d 1160, 10 La.App. 5 Cir. 869, 2011 La. App. LEXIS 655, 2011 WL 2020855
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided May 24, 2011·No. No. 10-KA-869·Published·Cited by 10 cases

Opinion

CLARENCE E. McMANUS, Judge.

1 ¿This is defendant’s second appeal.

Defendant, Kevin Howard, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute heroin, a violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966 A and possession of 28 grams or more, but less than 200 grams of cocaine, a violation of LSA-R.S. 40,:967 F. He was sentenced to 15 years at hard labor on each count, to be served concurrently with each other, and with any other sentences he was currently serving. The court also imposed a [1163] fine of $50,000 as to Count 2. State v. Howard, 09-928 (La.App. 5 Cir. 5/25/10), 37 So.3d 1099.

On appeal, this Court conditionally affirmed the defendant’s convictions1, and his sentence on count 2. This Court further remanded the case to the trial court ■with instructions for it to conduct an evi-dentiary hearing on the issue of whether defendant executed a valid waiver of his right to a jury trial, reserving defendant’s right to appeal in the event of an adverse ruling. State v. Howard, 37 So.3d at 1105, 1107. This Court also remanded for a contradictory hearing on the claims of ineffective assistance of counsel to allow defendant the opportunity to develop an adequate record on those issues, reserving defendant’s right to appeal in the event of an adverse decision. State v. Howard, 37 So.3d at 1107.

Lastly, this Court vacated the sentence on Count 1 and remanded for resentencing so the trial court could order at least five years to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence in accordance with LSA-R.S. 40:966 B(1). State v. Howard, 37 So.3d at 1107.

On remand, an evidentiary hearing was held in the trial court as ordered by this Court. After considering the evidence, the trial judge found that the jury waiver was given knowingly, intelligently, and persistently, and that defendant’s attorney, Jake Lemmon, had not been ineffective as counsel. The transcript indicates that the trial judge sentenced defendant on Count 1 to imprisonment at hard labor for fifteen years, with the first five years to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. This appeal followed.

In his first allegation of error in this second appeal defendant argues that, on remand, the trial judge erred by finding that the jury waiver was made knowingly and intelligently.

During the evidentiary hearing held on remand, defendant testified that during the course of the trial, he met with his trial attorney, Mr. Lemmon, and that Mr. Lem-mon told him that it was probably a bad idea to have a judge trial given his history. Defendant further testified that he (defendant) asked for a judge trial and that it was his idea to do so. Defendant testified that Mr. Lemmon did not discuss with him the voir dire process of selecting a jury, the qualifications of a juror, or the number of individuals on a jury panel. He asserted that Mr. Lemmon did not discuss with him the number of jurors that would be seated at his trial or 14the number of jurors it would require to obtain a verdict. Defendant also asserted that Mr. Lemmon did not discuss with him jury challenges or the consequences of a jury failing to reach a verdict. He explained that Mr. Lemmon told him it was his (defendant’s) choice as to whether he should be tried by a jury or the judge, but that it was “a bad idea just going with one man, the judge.” When asked whether he was aware that he had the right to a jury trial, defendant replied, “I just thought it was better with the judge, I just went with my own feelings.” Defendant stated that on the morning of trial, the judge said that he was going to have a bench trial as “That’s what you wanted from the get-go;” He said the judge did not explain to him that he had a constitutional right to a jury trial. Defendant did not recall the commissioner informing him of his right to a jury trial when he was arraigned, or the commis[1164] sioner telling him that he had 15 days from the date of the arraignment to make the selection. Defendant testified that he had no legal training.

On cross-examination, defendant admitted that he told Mr. Lemmon he wanted a judge trial instead of a jury trial. Defendant also admitted that he understood that it was his choice as to whether to have a judge trial or a jury trial. He understood that he could have had a jury trial if he had wanted one. Defendant told Mr. Lemmon he wanted a judge trial, even though Mr. Lemmon said it was a bad idea, and that it was his right to do that.

The trial judge then asked defendant some questions. Defendant testified that he was in the graduate program at Southern University when this incident occurred, and was nearing completion of his master’s degree in public administration. He said he was proceeding successfully in that program. Defendant asserted that he was a drug addiction counselor at the Baton Rouge Detox Center. He admitted that he had two prior convictions, and that he had asked the trial judge on a number of occasions for a bench trial.

| ¡-.Defendant also recalled that the trial judge twice refused his request for a bench trial, prior to granting the request on the day of trial, and that his request was against defense counsel’s advice.

Defendant testified that the trial judge did not tell him he had a constitutional right to a jury trial. He admitted that he knew what a jury and a judge were, and he understood that he could have a jury trial if he wanted a jury trial. Instead, defendant chose not to have a jury trial, but to have a judge trial.

Mr. Lemmon testified that he remembered this case and recalled the trial preparations he engaged in, and the discussions he had with defendant. He stated that from the very beginning, defendant wanted to waive a jury trial and be tried by the court alone. Mr. Lemmon explained that they had discussed that topic at length on multiple occasions in court and in meetings at the public defenders’ office. He thought he had to file a special motion asking the court to reconsider its position on allowing defendant to waive the jury and be tried by the court alone.

Mr. Lemmon’s position as a defense attorney was he would never elect to try a case before a judge when a defendant has a prior criminal history. Nevertheless, Mr. Lemmon testified that he prepared for both a jury and a judge trial hoping defendant would change his mind. He remembered the issue was addressed a lot in court because it was a serious point of contention in his eyes.

On cross-examination, Mr. Lemmon testified that he advised defendant he had a right to a jury trial. He believed that defendant knowingly and intelligently waived his right to a jury trial. Mr. Lem-mon stated that defendant adamantly wanted a judge trial. He pleaded with defendant and his family from the very beginning when he first met defendant not to take a bench trial. Mr. Lemmon was relieved when the trial judge initially denied defendant the ability to have a judge trial because he thought that was his first successful step in defending defendant. | i;Mr. Lemmon stated that he indicated on the day of trial in front of the judge that it was against his advice that defendant was electing to have a judge trial.

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State v. Howard, 66 So. 3d 1160, 10 La.App. 5 Cir. 869, 2011 La. App. LEXIS 655, 2011 WL 2020855 (La. Ct. App. 2011).

66 So. 3d 1160 (State v. Howard) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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