State v. Lagarde

917 So. 2d 623, 2005 WL 3179448
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 29, 2005
Docket05-KA-268
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 917 So. 2d 623 (State v. Lagarde) 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. Lagarde, 917 So. 2d 623, 2005 WL 3179448 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

917 So.2d 623 (2005)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Shawn LAGARDE.

No. 05-KA-268.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

November 29, 2005.

*625 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Terry M. Boudreaux, Anne Wallis, Donald Rowan, Jr., Assistant District Attorneys, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District, Parish of Jefferson, Gretna, Louisiana, for Plaintiff/Appellee.

Margaret S. Sollars, Louisiana Appellate Project, Thibodaux, Louisiana, for Defendant/Appellant.

Panel composed of Judges THOMAS F. DALEY, MARION F. EDWARDS, and WALTER J. ROTHSCHILD.

THOMAS F. DALEY, Judge.

Defendant, Shawn Lagarde, appeals his conviction of possession of cocaine in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:967(C). Lagarde pleaded guilty to the charge under State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (1976) after the trial court denied his Motion to Suppress Evidence. On appeal, Lagarde argues that the trial court erred in denying his Motion to Suppress because he was unrepresented by an attorney at the time the statement was made. After consideration, we affirm defendant's conviction.

Lagarde was charged in a Bill of Information with possession of cocaine in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:967(C), a charge to which he pled not guilty. Lagarde filed pre-trial motions, including a Motion to Suppress Confession, Identification, and Physical Evidence. He also filed a Motion to Quash the Bill of Information on the basis that the State had failed to timely commence trial. On December 15, 2004, the day the matter was set for trial, the judge denied the Motion to Quash. Jurors were then selected, and a hearing was held on the Motion to Suppress outside of the presence of the jury. Thereafter, Lagarde withdrew his not guilty plea and pled guilty as charged under LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 893 and State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (1976).[1] The defendant was sentenced to one year of imprisonment at hard labor. The trial judge suspended the imposition of the sentence, and placed defendant on active probation for one year. The trial judge also ordered Lagarde to pay a $300.00 fine and costs. This timely appeal follows.

FACTS[2]

According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, a search warrant was executed on August 27, 1998 at 918 Dimarco Street where Lagarde resided. The officers located approximately.2 grams of crack cocaine. The Probable Cause Affidavit further states that Lagarde testified on March 30, 2001 in Division E of the 24th Judicial District Court that the crack cocaine belonged to him.

The transcript of Lagarde's testimony at the March 30, 2001 hearing, which the State submitted at the hearing on the Motion to Suppress in this case, reflects that Lagarde testified as a witness for the prosecution in the matter of State of Louisiana versus Terell Gibson, Docket Nos. 99-2956, *626 99-2957, 99-4977, 99-4978, in Division E of the 24th Judicial District Court. After Lagarde was sworn, the prosecutor asked if he knew who owned the crack cocaine found pursuant to a search warrant executed at 913 Dimarco Drive, Apartment D in Marrero. Lagarde replied affirmatively. Thereafter, the prosecutor advised Lagarde that he was under oath and had the right to an attorney. The prosecutor also stated that if Lagarde said something that "incriminates yourself, you don't have to do that." The prosecutor asked if Lagarde understood, and Lagarde replied affirmatively. After the prosecutor asked about the ownership of the cocaine again, defendant replied that the cocaine belonged to him, and not to Terell Gibson.

Lagarde also said that the firearm seized pursuant to the warrant did not belong to Terell Gibson. Further, Lagarde testified that he claimed ownership of the "stuff" when the search warrant was executed, but that the agent executing the warrant did not listen. On cross-examination, Gibson's attorney asked Lagarde if he slept in the room where the drugs were found. Lagarde responded that he slept in that room on the previous night.

Immediately after Lagarde stepped down from the witness stand, the prosecutor nolle prosequied the aforementioned cases against Gibson. Thereafter, the transcript reflects that court was adjourned. The Probable Cause Affidavit reflects Lagarde was arrested at 11:55 a.m. that day. On May 2, 2001, the State filed a Bill of Information charging Lagarde with possessing cocaine on August 27, 1998 in Jefferson Parish.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE

Lagarde claims that the trial judge should have suppressed his prior testimony at the Gibson hearing in which Lagarde admitted ownership of the cocaine. Specifically, Lagarde contends that the testimony was in violation of his right to counsel and against self-incrimination. Lagarde also contends that Miranda warnings should have been administered before he inculpated himself.[3] The State responds that the trial court properly denied the Motion to Suppress because (1) defendant had no right to counsel; (2) defendant voluntarily incriminated himself despite being advised of the privilege against self-incrimination; and (3) Miranda warnings were not required since Lagarde was not subject to a custodial interrogation.

The first issue is whether Lagarde had a right to counsel when he testified in the Gibson matter. The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right ... to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense." La. Const. art. I, § 13 provides in part:

... When any person has been arrested or detained in connection with the investigation or commission of any offense, he shall be advised fully of the reason for his arrest or detention, his right to remain silent, his right against self incrimination, his right to the assistance of counsel and, if indigent, his right to court appointed counsel. In a criminal prosecution, an accused shall be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against him. At each stage of the proceedings, every person is entitled to assistance of counsel of his choice, or appointed by the court if he is indigent and charged with an offense punishable by imprisonment.

In McNeil v. Wisconsin, 501 U.S. 171, 111 S.Ct. 2204, 115 L.Ed.2d 158 *627 (1991), the United States Supreme Court stated that the Sixth Amendment right to counsel does not attach until a prosecution is commenced, which is, "`at or after the initiation of adversary judicial criminal proceedings-whether by way of formal charge, preliminary hearing, indictment, information, or arraignment.'"[4]See also, Davis v. United States, 512 U.S. 452, 456-457, 114 S.Ct. 2350, 2354, 129 L.Ed.2d 362 (1994), "The Sixth Amendment right to counsel attaches only at the initiation of adversary criminal proceedings ... and before such proceedings are initiated a suspect in a criminal investigation has no constitutional right to the assistance of counsel."

Under Louisiana law, a defendant's right to counsel guaranteed by the State Constitution attaches no later than the defendant's initial appearance or first judicial hearing.[5]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
917 So. 2d 623, 2005 WL 3179448, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lagarde-lactapp-2005.