State v. Jones

741 So. 2d 706, 98 La.App. 3 Cir. 1520, 1999 La. App. LEXIS 1252
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided April 28, 1999·No. No. CR98-1520·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

| WOODARD, Judge.

This appeal arises from a case in which Andre Jones, the Defendant, was found guilty of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, in violation of La.R.S. 40:967, and conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, in violation of La.R.S. 14:26; 40:967. He appeals his conviction and sentence. We affirm in part, but remand with instructions, and we reverse in part.

FACTS

On June 21, 1997, the Defendant attempted to pass counterfeit money at the Gotto Go convenience store in Jena, Louisiana. The LaSalle Parish Sheriff Department (LPSD) was alerted, and pursuant to Deputy Larry Morphis’ investigation, several search warrants were issued, one of which described “[t]he first silver/grey mobile home on south side (sic) of Edwards Street % mile east of Parker Lane serving as the residence of Andre Jones and all outlying appurtenances,” to search for any and all contraband, counterfeit bills, equipment or machinery used in the manufacturing or reproduction of counterfeit money-

| ¡.Officers from the LPSD arrived at the Defendant’s trailer on June 22, 1997 at 7:40 a.m. A team composed of Deputies Morphis, Darryl Husbands, and Glen Humphries covered the trailer’s front entrance. Another team composed of Sheriff Dennis Warwick, Deputy Randy Lowe, and Patrolman Jim Attaway were guarding a door located at the back of the trailer. Then, the officers pounded on the door and announced their presence. At that time, the following events occurred in a'matter of seconds. The LPSD officers heard heavy footsteps, someone running from one end to the other end of the trailer, and a toilet flushing. The front [710]*710team tried to force its way into the trailer but encountered problems with the front door. Consequently, Deputy Morphis ordered the back team to go in. Upon entering the trailer, Patrolman Attaway, one of the first officers inside the trailer, saw the Defendant exiting a bathroom located to his right, where the running was heard. He subdued and handcuffed the Defendant.

The back door enters into a hall and faces a middle bedroom. To the right is a main bathroom, and at the right end of the trailer is another bedroom. To the left is a dining room and kitchen area, and at the left end is a master bedroom wherein is located a bathroom. The master bedroom’s toilet appeared broken.

Patrolman Attaway handcuffed the Defendant and placed him in the trailer’s hallway. The officers found and promptly handcuffed Ms. Rosie Wilford located in the master bedroom, and Ms. Shantae Simmons and Mr. Leonard Lewis located in the middle Bedroom. Then, the officers unhooked the sewer line and flushed the main bathroom’s toilet a couple of times. As a result, two plastic bags containing cocaine and loose rocks of cocaine spilled out onto the ground.

The Defendant was charged by a bill of information with the crime of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, in violation of La.R.S. 40:967, and with the crime of conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, in violation of La.R.S. 14:26; 40:967. After a twelve-person jury trial held on January 27-28, 1998, the Defendant was found guilty, as charged, on each count. Thereafter, on July 1, 1998, he was sentenced to serve 180 months at hard labor, the first sixty months to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension on the possession charge. On the conspiracy charge, the court sentenced the Defendant to serve eighty months at hard labor, with two and one-half years to be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension. The full term sentences are set to run concurrent with each other except for that portion designated as being without the benefit of parole which are to run [3consecutive to each other. Also, the sentences are to be served consecutive with any other prior sentences. The Defendant appeals.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR

The Defendant asserts the following assignments of error:

1. The verdict is contrary to the law and evidence.
2. The verdict of guilt failed to exclude every reasonable hypothesis of innocence.
3. The trial court erred by allowing the State to prosecute a double inchoate offense.
4. The trial court erred in admitting evidence obtained as a result of an unconstitutional search and seizure.
5. The trial court erred by admitting evidence seized by officers who exceeded the scope of the authority under the search warrant.
6. The trial court erred by admitting evidence seized as a result of a search based upon an invalid and unsigned search warrant.
7. The trial court erred by allowing Detective Larry Morphis to testify as an expert and give opinion evidence.
8. The trial court erred by allowing prosecutor to repeatedly make reference to inadmissible other crimes evidence.
9. The trial court erred by denying appellant his constitutional rights to present a defense and to compel attendance of witness, Clyde Bowen, by allowing State to intimidate witness into not testifying.
10.The trial court erred by giving prohibited burden-shifting instruction to the jury that “you may infer Defendant intended the natural and probable consequences of his act.”
[711]*71111. The trial court erred by imposing excessive sentences in light of Defendant’s age and circumstances.
12. The defendant was denied his Sixth Amendment right to effective assistance of counsel.

JjLAW

ERRORS Patent

In accordance with La.Code Crim.P. art. 920, all appeals are reviewed for errors patent on the face of the record. After reviewing the record, we found one error patent requiring vacation of the Defendant’s sentence.

The trial court sentenced the Defendant to an illegal sentence. For count one, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, the trial court sentenced the Defendant to fifteen years at hard labor, with the first five years to be served without benefit of parole. On count two, conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute, the trial court sentenced the Defendant to serve eighty months at hard labor, to run concurrent with the fifteen years with two-and-one-half years to be served without benefit of parole. The trial court then stated that it was going to make “it” consecutive to the first five years without benefit of parole. It is unclear whether “it” was referring to the entire sentence for count two or only the two and one-half years without benefit of parole. Nevertheless, we find that both sentences are illegal since the penalties in effect at the time the offenses were committed did not provide for the restriction of parole benefits.

The penalty provision for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, provided for in La.R.S. 40:967(B), was amended in 1997 by Act 1284, § 1 effective August 15, 1997. In effect, the amendment provides for the first five years of the sentence to be served without benefit of parole. On the contrary, the penalty provision prior to the amendment did not provide for a restriction of parole benefits.

In the case sub judice, the offense was committed June 22, 1997, prior to the effective date of the amendment.

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State v. Jones, 741 So. 2d 706, 98 La.App. 3 Cir. 1520, 1999 La. App. LEXIS 1252 (La. Ct. App. 1999).

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