State v. Labom

602 So. 2d 35, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 1524, 1992 WL 108525
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 20, 1992
DocketNo. Cr91-1049
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 602 So. 2d 35 (State v. Labom) 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. Labom, 602 So. 2d 35, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 1524, 1992 WL 108525 (La. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

JOHN A. PATIN, Judge Pro Tem.

Defendant, Michael Labom, was charged by a single bill of information with two counts of telephone harassment. The defendant originally pled not guilty to both charges. By motion defense counsel raised the question of defendant’s mental capacity to proceed and the court appointed a sanity commission consisting of two doctors to examine and report on the mental condition of the defendant. After a hearing in which the trial court found the defendant capable of proceeding and after a denial of the defendant’s motion to suppress tape recorded conversations, the defendant entered a plea of nolo contendere to both charges. He was sentenced to serve two years on each count to run consecutively. This appeal followed.

Appellant lists five assignments of error:

1. It was manifest error of law for the court to deny defendant’s motion to suppress evidence and/or inculpatory statements.
2. It was manifest error of law for the court to force defendant to trial after the sanity commission declared that because of his brain damage he could not offer much help to his attorney with respect to defending the charges against him.
3. It was manifest error of law for the court to deny defendant’s request to be given credit for the time he spent in jail pending his sentence on July 9, 1991.
4. It was manifest error of law for the court to deny defendant to make bail pending his appeal of his conviction and sentence.
5. Errors patent on the face of the record.

The basic factual situation arose when Mrs. Brenda Dowden reported to the Natchitoches City Police that she was receiving obscene and harassing phone calls at the Klassy Kids Store, her place of business. Mrs. Dowden stated that she wanted a recorder put on her phone so that she could tape the telephone calls. On October 9, 1990, the city police installed a telephone jack on the outside of the phone and hooked it into a cassette recorder and recordings were made of the harassing phone calls.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1:

In this assignment of error the defendant claims that the trial court erroneously denied his motion to suppress physical evidence and/or inculpatory statements. The defendant argues that the tape recording of the conversations was obtained without a court order authorizing the interception of the conversation.

Although Louisiana law generally prohibits the interception of wire or oral communications an exception is made where the interceptor is a party to the communication. State v. West, 553 So.2d 945 (La.App. 4th Cir.1989), writ denied, 558 So.2d 567 (La.1990) appeal after remand, 578 So.2d 1016 (La.App. 4th Cir.1991). La.R.S. 15:1303 C(3) provides:

(3) It shall not be unlawful under this Chapter for a person acting under color of law to intercept a wire or oral communication, where such person is a party to the communication or one of the parties [37]*37to the communication has given prior consent to such interception. Such a person acting under color of law is authorized to possess equipment used under such circumstances.

In State v. West, supra, the court relied on this provision to hold that recordings made by the victim with her son’s tape recorder were admissible. In the instant case the victim requested that the police install a tape recorder on her phone line. The statute specifically authorizes law enforcement personnel to intercept telephone conversations where a party to the conversation consents, and the police were not required to obtain a court order. It was at the victim’s request that the conversation was intercepted. Accordingly, the tapes were not illegally obtained and they are admissible. This assignment of error lacks merit.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 2:

The defendant contends the trial court erred in forcing him to trial after the sanity commission found that he had brain damage and stated that he was unable to assist in his own defense. Defense counsel filed an application for appointment of a sanity commission alleging the following:

There is good reason to believe that the defendant did not then and does not presently have the mental capacity to distinguish right from wrong and to understand the proceedings against him so to assist in his defense and that defendant’s mental incapacity to distinguish right from wrong and to proceed because of, or as result of, mental disease or defect.

Although the motion raised the issue of capacity to proceed with trial as well as capacity at the time of commission of the crime, this assignment raises only the issue of the defendant’s capacity to assist in his defense. Accordingly, this review will be limited to whether the trial court erred in determining that the defendant was capable of understanding the proceedings against him. The only evidence introduced at the hearing consisted of the reports of Drs. Charles E. Cook and A.F. Breazeale. After reviewing the evidence the trial court stated:

THE COURT: Okay. The report of Dr. Cook says, in effect, that the examination reveal(s) a history of drug and drinking habits by the defendant. He concludes and says, “In summary, I feel that the man did have period(s) of drug and alcohol induced amnesia and that he probably cannot offer much help to his attorney with respect to defending the charges against him.” Well, the man does not have to have an alcohol or drug problem to not be much help to his lawyer. On the report of Dr. Breazeale, this states, “... indicates no lack of mental capacity to determine the wrongful nature of his actions.” It goes on and says, “In conclusion, it would appear that this client was aware of making indecent phone calls over a period of time. These were repeated acts.” The court rules that the defendant is capable of understanding the difference between right and wrong at the time of the incidents in question and also is capable of assisting his counsel in the defense of this ease. The court finds the defendant to be sane and in full possession of his mental and physical faculties.

Defense counsel argues in his brief that Dr. Cook’s report is clear and understandable and that Dr. Breazeale’s report is inconclusive. On the issue of whether the defendant is capable of understanding the proceedings against him and able to assist counsel in his defense, the trial court was presented with two conflicting reports.

Since Louisiana law presumes a person is sane and responsible, the defendant has the burden of establishing incapacity. La.R.S. 15:432. The defense must prove by a clear preponderance of the evidence the defendant is incompetent to stand trial as a result of a mental disease or defect. La.C.Cr.P. art. 641; State v. Machon, 410 So.2d 1065 (La.1982). While a court is permitted to receive the aid of expert medical testimony on the issue, the ultimate decision of competency is the court’s alone. La.C.Cr.P. art. 647; State v. Rogers, 419 So.2d 840 (La.1982). A trial court’s determination of the mental capaci[38]*38ty of a defendant is entitled to great weight, and his ruling will not be disturbed in the absence of manifest error. State v. Morris, 340 So.2d 195 (La.1976).

In the instant case, the defendant did not prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he was incompetent to stand trial. Dr. Cook noted in his report:

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Townley
657 So. 2d 129 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1995)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
602 So. 2d 35, 1992 La. App. LEXIS 1524, 1992 WL 108525, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-labom-lactapp-1992.