State v. Jordan

774 So. 2d 267, 2000 WL 1536369
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 18, 2000
Docket00-KA-282
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 774 So. 2d 267 (State v. Jordan) 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. Jordan, 774 So. 2d 267, 2000 WL 1536369 (La. Ct. App. 2000).

Opinion

774 So.2d 267 (2000)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Shone JORDAN, a/k/a Devine Jordan.

No. 00-KA-282.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

October 18, 2000.

*269 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Ellen S. Fantaci, Terry M. Boudreaux, David P. Wolff, Debra Villio, Assistant District Attorneys, Louisiana, Counsel for State of Louisiana.

Carey J. Ellis, III, Louisiana Appellate Project, Rayville, Louisiana, Counsel for defendant-appellant.

Court composed of Judges CHARLES GRISBAUM, Jr., SOL GOTHARD and CLARENCE E. McMANUS.

McMANUS, Judge.

In this criminal matter, Defendant, Shone Jordan, appeals his convictions of three counts of manslaughter. We affirm Defendant's convictions but remand the matter for re-sentencing and correction of patent errors.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On January 28th, 1998, Shone Jordan,[1] Defendant, was charged by a three-count bill of information.[2] Count 1 charged him with manslaughter alleging that he killed Dana Jones on November 30th, 1997, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:31; Count 2 charged him with manslaughter in that he killed a juvenile victim, six weeks of age, on November 30th, 1997, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:31; Count 3 alleged he committed manslaughter by killing a juvenile victim aged ten years on November 30th, 1997, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:31; and, Count 4 alleged that he committed attempted first-degree murder of JPSO Agent Robert Gerdes on November 30th, 1997, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:27 and 14:30.

Defendant entered a plea of not guilty on February 9th, 1998. He filed various pre-trial motions, which included a motion for a bill of particulars requesting which sections or sub-parts of the statutes the State relied on as the basis for the manslaughter prosecution. On September 17th, 1998, the State responded that the prosecution was based on LSA-R.S. 14:31(2)(a) with an underlying felony of 14:108.1(d) and/or an underlying intentional misdemeanor of 14:108 and/or 14:98 A(1)(c). The prosecution was also alternatively based on LSA-R.S. 14:31(2)(b). On December 15th, 1998, the State filed a second answer to the motion for a bill of particulars and restated it was relying on LSA-R.S. 14:31(2)(a). The trial judge heard and denied Defendant's motion to quash and/or limit the prosecution on September 21st, 1998.

After several continuances, a jury trial[3] was held December 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th, 1998. The twelve person jury rendered a verdict finding Defendant guilty on all counts.[4] The judge polled the jury and determined that the verdicts were legal.[5] The State then noted its intent to *270 file a multiple bill against Defendant. No post-trial motions were filed. Defendant was sentenced on January 11th, 1999, after defense counsel stated Defendant was ready for sentencing. On counts 1, 2 and 3, Defendant was sentenced to 30 years at hard labor on each count, to run concurrently. He was sentenced on count 4 to 25 years at hard labor, to run consecutively with the sentences in counts 1, 2 and 3. The sentence on count 4 was imposed without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. He was given credit for time served. Defense counsel objected to the sentences as excessive, and stated his intent to appeal. On that date, the State filed a multiple offender bill of information, alleging Defendant was a fourth felony offender.[6] It recited that the State sought to enhance defendant's conviction of LSA-R.S. 14:31, manslaughter. On January 11th, 1999, after the convictions and sentencing, defendant filed a written motion for appeal, which was granted the same day.

Defendant filed a motion for discovery, bill of particulars, and inspection on January 28th, 1999, regarding the multiple offender bill of information. The State provided discovery. Defendant filed a response to the multiple bill alleging the following: the Boykin hearings were defective; the arrest documentation was inadmissible hearsay; and the prior offenses were insufficient to sustain the prosecution to determine multiple offender status. On February 4th, 1999, Defendant denied the allegations of the multiple bill and did not testify at the hearing. The multiple offender hearing was held on May 27th, 1999, July 22nd, 1999, August 9th, 1999, and October 18th, 1999. On February 4th, 1999, Defendant filed a motion to reconsider sentences, which was denied by the trial judge at the May 27th, 1999, hearing.

After considering expert testimony establishing that Defendant's fingerprints matched those found in State's exhibits Numbers 2 through 4, correlating to the three alleged prior felonies, and after reviewing the Boykin colloquies, the court adjudicated Defendant to be a fourth felony offender. Defendant waived legal delays. The trial judge sentenced Defendant to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life, without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence, and with credit for time served. Defendant stated that he would adopt his previously filed motion for appeal as it related to the multiple bill sentencing.[7]

FACTS

On November 30th, 1997, Agent Robert Gerdes of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office was working a paid detail for Dillard's Department Store in Lakeside Mall. As part of the detail, Gerdes was in full departmental uniform dress. At approximately 5:30 p.m. on November 3th, Gerdes was standing near the exit of the store into the mall when an alarm went off indicating that someone had left the store with an item on which the security tag was still attached.

Gerdes then walked to the entrance to Dillard's from the mall to see who was standing in the area when the alarm sounded. Gerdes noticed Defendant in the *271 middle of the mall carrying a Saks Fifth Avenue bag. Gerdes saw Defendant cradling the bag like a football and that the bag was torn and clothes were spilling out of the bag. At this point, a Dillard's employee approached Gerdes and told him that Defendant was the person who set off the alarm.

Gerdes yelled at Defendant that he was under arrest, and Defendant began to run toward a fire exit. Gerdes focused on Defendant because he was carrying the bag. Defendant went through the fire exit which led into the Causeway parking lot of Lakeside Shopping Center.

Defendant ran to a white Lincoln Town Car. Gerdes continued to yell at Defendant to stop. Defendant got into the passenger side of the car and yelled at another black male who was near the car to get in. When Gerdes arrived at the car, he threw the second man out of the way and focused on Defendant. Defendant then began to reach under the seat and Gerdes drew his weapon and ordered Defendant to show his hands.

Defendant would not comply with Gerdes's orders and slid into the driver's seat of the Lincoln. As Gerdes was ordering Defendant out of the car, Sergeant Harrison of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office arrived. Harrison was also working a paid detail in Dillard's that day. Once Harrison arrived in the area, Gerdes moved closer to the Lincoln to physically arrest Defendant. Gerdes moved between the Lincoln and the van parked next to it.

At this point, Defendant put the Lincoln into drive and attempted to crush Gerdes between the Lincoln and the van parked next to it. To avoid being crushed, Gerdes dove into the open driver's window of the Lincoln. Gerdes was hanging half in and half out of the Lincoln when Defendant began to struggle with Gerdes over the officer's weapon. Defendant attempted to point Gerdes's gun back at Gerdes.

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Related

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920 So. 2d 884 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2005)
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802 So. 2d 933 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2001)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
774 So. 2d 267, 2000 WL 1536369, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-jordan-lactapp-2000.