State v. Lee

395 So. 2d 700
Supreme Court of Louisiana·Decided March 2, 1981·No. 80-KA-1695·Published·Cited by 16 cases

Opinion

395 So.2d 700 (1981)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
James Allen LEE.

No. 80-KA-1695.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

March 2, 1981.

William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Paul Carmouche, Dist. Atty., Dale G. Cox, Tommy J. Johnson, Asst. Dist. Attys., for plaintiff-appellee.

Daryl Gold, Simms & Gold, Leesville, James R. Dawson, Johnston, Thornton,

*701 Dawson & Hunter, Shreveport, for defendant-appellant.

WATKINS, Associate Justice Ad Hoc.[*]

On July 15, 1977, defendant James Allen Lee was indicted by a Caddo Parish Grand Jury for the offense of First Degree Murder, a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:30. A twelve person jury found the defendant guilty as charged on June 29, 1979. The trial court sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence in accordance with the recommendation of the jury. On appeal the defendant urges three arguments as grounds for reversal of his conviction and sentence.

FACTS

The facts incident to the murder are not at issue. The defendant was convicted of shooting Jerry Dennis, the owner of the Shady Oaks Cafe, following an altercation over missing car keys. The defendant turned himself in to police several hours later. Following his arrest and indictment the defendant entered a plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. The record reveals that a sanity commission was appointed and the defendant was ruled competent to stand trial on October 31, 1977. Three days into trial, however, defense counsel moved that the defendant be re-examined for mental capacity and the trial judge declared a mistrial on the grounds that the defendant was incapable of assisting his attorney in his defense due to a mental disease or defect. Defendant was then committed to East Louisiana State Hospital in Jackson. In March of 1979 the District Court issued an order for the defendant's return and following re-evaluation by a sanity commission, the defendant was deemed capable of standing trial. During trial, the defendant persistently interrupted the proceedings by pseudo-Biblical rhetoric and singing the Star Spangled Banner. After numerous warnings by the trial judge, defendant Lee was removed to an adjoining room where he could hear the trial proceedings. After continued outbursts and interruptions from the next room, the defendant was bound and gagged. The jury rejected defendant's plea of insanity and found him guilty of First Degree Murder, recommending that the defendant be sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. The defendant urges the following three (3) arguments as grounds for reversal of his conviction and sentence.

ARGUMENT NO. I

(Assignments of Error Nos. 5, 6, 8, and 26)

By these assignments the defendant urges that the trial court erred in removing the defendant from the courtroom during trial, in overruling defense counsel's objection regarding an alleged inability to communicate effectively with his client, and in having the defendant handcuffed, shackled and gagged. The defendant argues that these measures effectively deprived him of the right to be present during trial, and to confront the witnesses against him.

As stated above, the selection of prospective jurors as well as the trial proceedings were repeatedly interrupted by defendant's disruptive behavior. He began by singing the Star Spangled Banner in front of the prospective jurors. Despite a reprimand and warning from the judge the defendant continued by reciting scripture. The judge initially ordered the defendant removed from the courtroom, but reconsidered and warned both defendant and counsel that he would give defendant Lee another chance but remove him if the behavior continued. After additional outbursts and warnings the defendant was ordered removed to an adjoining room, with the understanding that he would be allowed to return once he agreed to act in an acceptable manner. Arrangements were made for the proceedings to be piped into the adjoining room and an attorney was appointed to sit with the defendant. Jury selection continued and the *702 defendant again began singing the National Anthem, and speaking in a ministerial fashion. Though these outbursts were in the adjoining room, they were loud enough to disrupt proceedings in the courtroom. The defendant at this point had been handcuffed and shackled following an altercation with deputies. The trial judge stated that he had no alternative but to consider gagging the defendant. After some discussion, however, the judge proceeded without having defendant Lee gagged. At some point the defendant was returned to the courtroom only to interrupt the proceedings again by singing the National Anthem. Again the judge warned him that he would be removed and gagged unless he controlled himself. The defendant's disruptive behavior continued throughout the proceedings, and included a prolonged interruption of the state's closing argument. In light of the innumerable interruptions at all stages of the court proceedings it appears that the defendant's arguments objecting to the measures taken by the court are without merit.

In Illinois v. Allen, 397 U.S. 337, 90 S.Ct. 1057, 25 L.Ed.2d 353 (1970) the United States Supreme Court held that "a defendant can lose his right to be present at trial if, after he has been warned by the judge that he will be removed if he continues his disruptive behavior, he nevertheless insists on conducting himself in a manner so disorderly, disruptive, and disrespectful of the court that his trial cannot be carried on with him in the courtroom." 90 S.Ct. at 1060. The court went on to state three permissible ways of dealing with an obstreperous defendant: (1) bind and gag him, thereby keeping him present; (2) cite him for contempt; (3) take him out of the courtroom until he promises to conduct himself properly.

The defendant was given every opportunity to remain in the courtroom without restraint if he conducted himself properly. The handcuffs and shackles were utilized only after the defendant struggled with deputies. The judge saw further outbursts as a security risk and only then allowed the restraints. Considering the incessant outbursts it appears the judge acted with considerable restraint. When the defendant was held in an adjoining room he was able to hear the trial proceedings and was accompanied by a second attorney to relay any messages to lead counsel in the courtroom. This Court has stated that: "We recognize that the use of restraining devices, including manacles, is within the sound discretion of the trial judge. In the absence of a clear showing of abuse of discretion on the part of the trial judge, a conviction will not be disturbed on appeal because of restraint imposed upon defendant." State v. Burnett, 337 So.2d 1096 at 1099 (La.1976). There was no such abuse of discretion here.

We find these assignments to be without merit.

ARGUMENT NO. II

(Assignments of Error Nos. 10 and 28)

By these assignments the defendant urges that the trial court erred in instructing the jury that the defendant was presumed sane and to possess a sufficient degree of reason to be responsible for his acts and further in allowing the prosecutor to argue this in his opening and closing statements. More generally, the defendant argues that the presumption of sanity utilized in our criminal system is constitutionally defective.

Under the Louisiana statut

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