State v. Kelly

677 So. 2d 495, 1996 WL 230801
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 8, 1996
DocketCr 95-1663
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 677 So. 2d 495 (State v. Kelly) 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. Kelly, 677 So. 2d 495, 1996 WL 230801 (La. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

677 So.2d 495 (1996)

STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Leroy KELLY, Jr., Defendant-Appellant.

No. Cr 95-1663.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

May 8, 1996.

*496 Glenn G. Cortello, Charles F. Wagner, Dist. Atty., Alexandria, for State of Louisiana.

Willard Trichel Armitage Jr., Alexandria, for Leroy Kelly Jr.

Before DOUCET, C.J., and THIBODEAUX and DECUIR, JJ.

DECUIR, Judge.

The defendant, Leroy Kelly, Jr., was charged with eight counts of simple burglary in violation of La.R.S. 14:62. Prior to the institution of prosecution, an Application for Appointment of Sanity Commission was filed by the defendant and granted by the trial court. On May 9, 1995, prior to a sanity hearing, defendants waived formal arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. Defendant was found capable to proceed to trial on July 24, 1995. On August 1, 1995, defendant filed a Motion to Suppress his inculpatory statement, which was denied. Defendant then entered a guilty plea to all eight (8) charges of simple burglary on October 23, 1995. The plea was entered with the reservation of rights pursuant to State v. *497 Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (La.1976). Defendant was sentenced on October 23, 1995 to four (4) years at hard labor on each count, to run concurrent. Defendant appeals his conviction, alleging one assignment of error.

FACTS

On December 27, 1994, the defendant was detained for questioning by the Alexandria City Police. Prior to questioning, defendant was advised of his rights pursuant to Miranda. Defendant then admitted to committing eight burglaries.

ERRORS PATENT

Pursuant to La.Code Crim.P. art. 920, we have reviewed the record for errors patent on its face. We find one error patent.

Defendant was arraigned after he requested the appointment of a sanity commission but before a determination was made as to his competency to proceed to trial. No other proceedings occurred prior to the determination of defendant's sanity. According to La.Code Crim.P. art. 642:

When the question of the defendant's mental incapacity to proceed is raised, there shall be no further steps in the criminal prosecution, except the institution of prosecution, until the defendant is found to have the mental capacity to proceed.

Therefore, it was an error patent for the defendant to be arraigned after he raised the issue of his possible mental incapacity. State v. Beauchamp, 510 So.2d 22 (La.App. 1 Cir.), writ denied, 512 So.2d 1176 (La.1987); State v. Nicholas, 462 So.2d 1295 (La.App. 5 Cir. 1985); State v. Sharlow, 493 So.2d 213 (La. App. 5 Cir.), writ denied, 496 So.2d 329 (La.1986). However, since defendant did not contemporaneously object to the arraignment occurring before the sanity hearing, he waived any objection to such error, thereby rendering the error patent harmless. Beauchamp, 510 So.2d at 29; and State v. Charles, 450 So.2d 1287 (La.1984).

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR

By this assignment, defendant claims the trial court erred in not suppressing his statement. He alleges the statement was given without a valid waiver of his constitutional rights. On December 27, 1994, defendant was detained by police for questioning, and admitted to committing eight burglaries. Defendant moved to suppress the statement on July 27, 1995, alleging that he requested the assistance of counsel before he gave his statement and was denied that request. A hearing on the Motion to Suppress was held on August 4, 1995. After introducing a copy of defendant's statement, the state directed the court's attention to page three of the statement. Prior to that portion of the statement, defendant had been advised of his Miranda rights, particularly his right to an attorney:

Q: Then I advised you have the right to talk to a lawyer before we ask you any questions and have him with you during any questions, did you understand that?
A: Huh huh (yes).
Q: Can you say yes or no?
A: Yes.
Q: And you initialed it stating you understand it, is that correct?
A: Yes.
Q: Then I advised you if you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questions if you wish. Did you understand that part?
A: Yes.
Q: And you initialed it stating you understand it?
A: Yes.
Q: Then I advised you if you decide to answer questions now without a lawyer present you may stop answering at any time, did you understand that?
A: Yes.
Q: And you init[i]alled it stating that you understood your rights?
A: Yes.
Q: All these rights that I have read to you, did you understand them now?
A: Yes.
Q: Did you understand them when I first read them to you earlier?
A: Yes.
Q: Okay. And you signed the rights stating you understood them, is that correct?
*498 A: Yes.
Q: Then I advised you of your waiver of rights, is that correct?
A: Yes sir.
Q: Then I read it to you that I had been read this statement of my rights and I understand what my rights are?
A: Yes.
Q: And I'm willing to waive my rights, make a statement, ask questions. I do not want a lawyer at this time. I understand and know what I am doing. No promises or threats have been made to me and no pressure or coercion of any kind has been used against me. I read that to you and you signed right there stating you understood, is that correct?
A: Yes.

The following colloquy, which occurred after the above colloquy but before defendant gave his inculpatory statement, is the portion of the statement at issue in the present case:

Q: Did you have any questions about your rights?
A: Yea.
Q: Sir? What, what question do you have?
A: After all this here, do I still get a lawyer?
Q: Yes you can still get a lawyer. Okay. We talked voluntarily about several burglaries that happened, is that correct?

At the Motion to Suppress hearing, one of the officers who took defendant's statement, Detective Daryl Terry, stated that he did not think the defendant asked for a lawyer during his confession. Detective Terry testified that the defendant was very cooperative, and he just wanted to make sure he would still be able to get a lawyer. When asked on cross-examination if defendant acted as if he "didn't have his full mental facilities," Detective Terry responded, "No, sir. He was, ah, he was very cooperative. He was very well [sic] of what was going. He was very definite in explaining to us parts of the case, where the items were."

In denying defendant's Motion to Suppress, the trial court stated the following:

The key words that I got out of the transcript was after this here. Now, that shows an intent to come at a later date. It does not show an intent of immediacy and nowness, I need it now. I need my lawyer now or can I have a lawyer. If ...

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
677 So. 2d 495, 1996 WL 230801, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-kelly-lactapp-1996.