State v. Huckaby

368 So. 2d 1059
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedMarch 5, 1979
Docket62925
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 368 So. 2d 1059 (State v. Huckaby) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Huckaby, 368 So. 2d 1059 (La. 1979).

Opinion

368 So.2d 1059 (1979)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Billy Joe HUCKABY.

No. 62925.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

March 5, 1979.

*1060 Frank W. Middleton, III, Michael Wolf, McCollister, McCleary, Fazio, Mixon, & Holliday, W. L. Wilson, Taylor, Porter, Brooks, & Phillips, Baton Rouge, for defendant-appellant.

William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Ossie Brown, Dist. Atty., Mary V. Gilliland, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

SAMUEL, Justice Ad Hoc.

Defendant Billy Joe Huckaby was charged by grand jury indictment with aggravated rape in violation of La.R.S. 14:42. On May 27,1976, after trial before a jury of twelve persons, he was found guilty as charged. Thereafter, the trial court sentenced defendant to serve fifty years at hard labor in the custody of the Department of Corrections.[1] Before this Court, defendant relies upon twelve assignments of error for reversal of his conviction and sentence.[2]

Context Facts

On January 22, 1976, Ms. S. went to the market, then returned home and was preparing lunch, when her door bell rang. When she answered the door, she was confronted by a man with a gun who ordered her into a bedroom and proceeded to rape her. Based on the victim's description of her rapist and on descriptions of an automobile seen parked in front of the victim's house by her neighbors, and likewise observed by Ms. S. as she looked out her window immediately following the incident, an investigation ensued leading to defendant's arrest. Both prior to and during trial, the victim identified defendant as the perpetrator of the crime. Evidence seized from defendant's residence, pursuant to a search warrant, was introduced at trial.

Assignments of Error Nos. 1, 2 and 3

Defendant argues that the trial court erred in restricting defense examination of witnesses at the hearing on the motion to suppress identification evidence (Assignments of Error Nos. 1 and 2) and in denying the motion to suppress at the close of the hearing (Assignment of Error No. 3).

Defendant was arrested on January 23,1976, the day following the alleged rape, *1061 and at 6:00 p. m. was placed in a lineup and identified by the victim. Prior to the lineup, an attorney was appointed to represent the defendant,[3] and defendant and appointed counsel selected the lineup participants. At the hearing on the motion to suppress the identification, defense counsel attempted to question various police officers, as well as the victim herself, about the details of the victim's description of her assailant given to authorities prior to the lineup. When the prosecuting attorney objected to these questions, defense counsel argued that evidence of the victim's prior descriptions was relevant to establish that, with the exception of defendant, the state failed to include in the lineup any individuals manifesting the particular features previously described by the victim. Noting that defendant had not established any state control over the selection of the lineup participants, the trial court sustained the state's objection and precluded counsel from eliciting details of the prior descriptions.

Frequently, evidence of the victim's prior description of the perpetrator of the crime charged is relevant to a determination of whether a pre-trial identification should be suppressed. See State v. Guillot, 353 So.2d 1005 (La.1977). However, under the facts of this case, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in ruling that such evidence was not pertinent to the suppression issue. Although counsel was given an opportunity to show otherwise, the evidence established that defendant and the attorney appointed to represent him at the lineup[4] selected the five other lineup participants. Thus the victim's prior description of her assailant was not relevant to show that the state had discriminatorily excluded from the identification procedure individuals displaying characteristics similar to those described by the victim.

Moreover, the trial court did not err in denying the motion to suppress the identification. It is the likelihood of misidentification, not merely suggestive identification procedures, which violates due process. Manson v. Brathwaite, 432 U.S. 98, 97 S.Ct. 2243, 53 L.Ed.2d 140 (1977); Neil v. Biggers, 409 U.S. 188, 93 S.Ct. 375, 34 L.Ed.2d 401 (1972); State v. Guillot, supra. Here the totality of circumstances establish that the pre-trial identification had independent indicia of reliability: although the victim's assailant apparently wore a wig and sunglasses, she had a face to face confrontation with him for some period of time; her identification at the lineup procedure was positive; and the lineup took place the day following the commission of the offense. Moreover, the victim described a tatoo including the words "Can I" or "I Can" she observed on her assailant's leg. The accuracy of this description was established at trial when the state introduced a photograph of defendant's leg depicting a tatoo which reads "Can I Do It," with the words "Can I" appearing larger than the rest of the slogan.[5] See State v. Guillot, supra.

Assignments of error 1, 2 and 3 are without merit.

Assignments of Error Nos. 4, 9 and 10

Defendant contends that the trial court committed reversible error in denying his motion to suppress the fruits of a search conducted pursuant to a warrant (Assignment of Error No. 4) and in admitting into evidence at trial various items seized during the search (Assignments of Error Nos. 9 and 10).

*1062 On January 23, 1976, the day following the rape, officers from the Baton Rouge Police Department obtained a search warrant for a residence on Walker Drive, Brown Heights Subdivision, in Baker, Louisiana. The warrant was issued upon the following affidavit by Sergeant Wayne Spina and Detective William Rose of the Baton Rouge City Police Department:

That on 1/22/76, Det. Sgt. Phil Theriot, of Baton Rouge City Police Dept. contacted, Baker, La., Police Department Personnel, Sgt. Funderburk, and was advised that one Warren Gable, W/M, RT. 4, Box 90, Denham Springs, La., owned a vehicle (a white over maroon Chrysler, with a whip C.B. Antenna, Lic # 40A559), which fits the description of auto used in crime as described by victim to affiant. Upon checking with Warren Gable by Det. Perkins and Sgt. O'Brien, (B.R.C.P. D.), it was learned that above described vehicle had been purchased by one Billy Joe Huckaby, W/M who resided in Brown Heights Subdivision. Sgt. Wayne Spina located above vehicle at 7251 Walker Drive, Brown Heights Subdivision, Baker, La. Above Billy Joe Huckaby was found in Denham Springs, La., on 1/23/76, and came to Denham Springs, La. Police Department, where he was observed by affiant to fit the description given to them by the victim of the Aggravated Rape. It was also learned by officers that Billy Joe Huckaby was in the vicinity of 12411 East Robinhood Drive at the time of the Aggravated Rape and Armed Robbery.

The warrant was executed that same day at approximately 6:30 p. m. Various items were seized and later introduced into evidence at trial.

The affidavit clearly recites facts sufficient to establish probable cause for the issuance of a search warrant. La.Const. Art. 1, § 5 (1974); La.C.Cr.P. art. 162. See State v. Richards, 357 So.2d 1128 (La.1978);

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Bluebook (online)
368 So. 2d 1059, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-huckaby-la-1979.