State v. King

683 So. 2d 1228, 1996 WL 577170
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 9, 1996
DocketCR95-1648
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 683 So. 2d 1228 (State v. King) 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. King, 683 So. 2d 1228, 1996 WL 577170 (La. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

683 So.2d 1228 (1996)

STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Nathan Dewayne KING, Jr., Defendant-Appellant.

No. CR95-1648.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

October 9, 1996.
Rehearing Denied January 27, 1997.

*1230 Charles F. Wagner, Dist. Atty., Monique Yvette Metoyer, Alexandria, for State of Louisiana.

Joseph Richard Kutch, Pineville, for Nathan Dewayne King, Jr.

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

DECUIR, Judge.

The defendant, Nathan Dewayne King, Jr., was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in violation of La.R.S. 40:967 and sentenced to five years at hard labor. He appeals both his conviction and sentence.

FACTS

At about midnight on August 23, 1994, Kedrick Johnson and Frank Bordelon of the Alexandria City Police Department were working on a "drug interdiction team," which consisted of approximately eight officers. Authorities had received complaints of drug activity in an area near Third and Wahlder Streets in Alexandria, and proceeded to investigate. For reasons of stealth, the team parked two police units on the nearby levee and walked into the area. The policemen observed a large group of individuals on the porch of 404 Wahlder. A vehicle pulled up with its headlights out, and officers suspected a drug transaction was taking place. When the police team approached the building, the various suspects fled the porch, scattering at a running pace.

Officer Johnson chased one of the individuals, later identified as the defendant, into a nearby vacant lot. There, the defendant discarded a plastic bag, then fell down. Johnson restrained the defendant, who was then arrested.

ERRORS PATENT

There are four errors patent. None affect the defendant's case.

First, the bill of information charges the defendant with violating "La.R.S. 40:967A(1)G," possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Strictly speaking, no such provision exists. The state's brief repeats the error. Our reading of the information and the record suggests the state prosecuted King for La.R.S. 40:967A(1), possession with intent to distribute. The article has a subdivision *1231 "G," but it appears to have played no part in this case.[1]

A defendant may not raise the technical insufficiency of an indictment or information after conviction, where he has been fairly informed of the charges against him such that his case has not been prejudiced, and he is not truly subject to further jeopardy. State v. Cox, 474 So.2d 523 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1985) writ granted in part on other grounds, otherwise denied, 481 So.2d 1328 (La.1986). This error is insignificant.

As for the second error patent, the record does not affirmatively show the defendant was present when judgment was rendered, as required by La.Code Crim.P. art. 831. However, he was present during trial, and testified on his own behalf; there is nothing to indicate the defendant was removed from the courtroom. Additionally, the record clearly shows defense counsel was present to protect the defendant's interests and had the jury polled when it issued the verdict. La.Code Crim.P. art. 832; also State v. Smith, 587 So.2d 62 (La.App. 4 Cir. 1991), and State v. Williams, 536 So.2d 773 (La.App. 5 Cir.1988), writ denied, 95-1325 (La. 11/13/95), 662 So.2d 465. The defendant has not been prejudiced, and this error is also insignificant.

As for the third error patent, La. Code Crim.P. art. 880 provides that when imposing sentence the court shall give the defendant credit toward service of his sentence for time spent in actual custody prior to the imposition of sentence. The record indicates the trial court did not do so. Accordingly, we remand this case and order the district court to amend the commitment and minute entry of the sentence to reflect that the defendant is given credit for time served. State v. Moore, 93-1632 (La.App. 3 Cir. 5/4/94), 640 So.2d 561, writ denied, 94-1455 (La. 3/30/95) 651 So.2d 858.

There is a fourth and final error patent. La.Code Crim.P. art. 930.8 provides that at the time of sentencing the trial court shall inform the defendant of the prescriptive period for post-conviction relief. The record shows the court did not so inform the defendant. On remand, the district court is instructed to inform the defendant of the provisions of Article 930.8.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1:

The defendant alleges the state's evidence was insufficient to convict him of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

When the issue of sufficiency of evidence is raised on appeal, the critical inquiry of the reviewing court is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560, rehearing denied, 444 U.S. 890, 100 S.Ct. 195, 62 L.Ed.2d 126 (1979); State ex rel. Graffagnino v. King, 436 So.2d 559 (La.1983); State v. Duncan, 420 So.2d 1105 (La.1982); State v. Moody, 393 So.2d 1212 (La.1981). It is the role of the fact finder to weigh the respective credibility of the witness, and therefore the appellate court should not second-guess the credibility determination of the trier of fact beyond the sufficiency evaluations under the Jackson standard of review. See State ex rel. Graffagnino, supra, citing State v. Richardson, 425 So.2d 1228 (La.1983).

In order for the state to obtain a conviction, it must prove the elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

La.R.S. 40:967A(1) provides:

A. Manufacture; distribution. Except as authorized by this Part or by Part VII-B of Chapter 5 of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, it shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally:
(1) To produce, manufacture, distribute, or dispense or possess with intent to produce, manufacture, distribute, or dispense, *1232 a controlled dangerous substance classified in Schedule II;

The defendant's possession of the bag was established by Officer Johnson's testimony that he saw the defendant discard the bag. King's dispute of that testimony is clearly based upon credibility.

A determination of the weight of evidence presented is a question of fact. The resolution of a matter where conflicting testimony exists requires a determination of credibility of the witness and is a matter of weight of the evidence and not sufficiency. Tibbs v. Florida, 457 U.S. 31, 102 S.Ct. 2211, 72 L.Ed.2d 652 (1982). Such a determination rests solely with the trier of fact who may accept or reject, in whole or in part, the testimony of any witness. State v. Nolan, 503 So.2d 1186 (La.App. 3 Cir.) writ denied, 507 So.2d 226 (La.1987).

A fact finder's discretion will be impinged upon only to the extent necessary to guarantee the fundamental protection of due process of law. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). Where rational triers of fact could disagree as to the interpretation of the evidence, the rational trier's view of all evidence most favorable to the prosecution must be adopted on review.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
683 So. 2d 1228, 1996 WL 577170, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-king-lactapp-1996.