State v. Lee

446 So. 2d 334
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 12, 1984
DocketKA-1126
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 446 So. 2d 334 (State v. Lee) 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. Lee, 446 So. 2d 334 (La. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

446 So.2d 334 (1984)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Herbert LEE.

No. KA-1126.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

January 12, 1984.

*336 William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Harry F. Connick, Dist. Atty., Joanne C. Marier, Asst. Dist. Atty., New Orleans, for plaintiff-appellee, State of La.

Bernard S. Dolbear, New Orleans, for defendant-appellant, Herbert Lee.

Before KLEES, GARRISON and CIACCIO, JJ.

KLEES, Judge.

On January 11, 1982, the appellant was charged by bill of information with aggravated *337 battery in violation of R.S. 14:34.[1] He waived his right to trial by jury and on September 16, 1982, the trial judge found him guilty as charged. On November 30, 1982, he was sentenced to serve seven years at hard labor.

FACTS

On November 5, 1981, at about 6:45 p.m., Curtis Robinson was shot and seriously wounded by a man he identified as the defendant, Herbert Lee. Robinson testified that on the morning of the shooting the defendant accosted him when he was on his way to work. The defendant accused Robinson of propositioning the defendant's girlfriend. Although Robinson denied this allegation, the defendant continued badgering him. As Robinson got on the bus to go to work, the defendant threatened to "get" him.

Sometime after 6:00 p.m., that same day, Robinson returned to his neighborhood to pick up his wallet which he had left at home. As Robinson approached the gate to his apartment, the defendant appeared from around the corner with a shotgun in his hand. From a distance of about 10 feet, the defendant shot Robinson in the leg. Robinson fell to the ground, and the defendant put the shotgun to Robinson's head and asked him if he "wanted more." The defendant then warned Robinson to stay away from his (the defendant's) girlfriend, and he fled.

Curtis Robinson further testified that he was subsequently taken to Charity Hospital, where he remained for over two months while fourteen operations were performed on him. He testified that in the aftermath of the shooting, his keys to his delivery truck were taken and his truck which he had parked a few blocks from the scene was stolen. He asserted that he had no doubts that the defendant was the man who shot him.

A shotgun, which Robinson identified as resembling the gun used to shoot him, was found two days later in a backyard in the neighborhood. The police determined that the gun was functional, but no tests were run to see if it had been recently fired. There was no evidence to connect this gun to either the shooting or the defendant.

Tanya Robinson, the victim's wife, testified that at about 6:45 p.m. she heard a gunshot outside of their apartment. She looked out of the back door and saw the defendant standing over a person lying on the ground, holding a shotgun on that person. Because a washing machine obstructed her view, she could not see who was lying on the ground. She heard the defendant ask the person on the ground if he "wanted more" and she heard the person reply "no". The defendant left. Mrs. Robinson then heard her name being called, went outside, and found Mr. Robinson lying wounded on the ground.

Marjorie Wheeler, who lives near the scene of the shooting, testified that at about 6:45 p.m. she was standing on her porch and she saw the defendant and his "wife" standing in the street. She heard the defendant say that he and Robinson had had "a fuss" earlier that morning. Ms. Wheeler testified that she then saw Robinson walk by on his way to his house. The defendant went around the corner and she went inside her house. She then heard a gunshot. On cross-examination, Ms. Wheeler admitted that she had told an insurance adjuster that she saw the defendant shoot Robinson. She testified that she did not see the shooting, but was merely repeating what others had told her.

Mary Ann Pollard, the defendant's "common law wife", testified that on the morning of the shooting the defendant went with his father to Pontchatoula to work on his sister's house. She said that on the evening of the shooting, she was sitting on the steps drinking beer when she "heard *338 words" coming from behind a truck. She went to the end of the truck and saw Robinson and a "little dude" arguing about a cocaine sale. She then heard a shot and saw the "little dude" running away.

Later, she testified, the police came to her house looking for "Herbert Hatten", the defendant's son. She said that the defendant did not return home that night because he had gone fishing and drinking after he finished working on his sister's house. She later contacted the defendant and told him that the police were looking for him.

Ms. Pollard testified that she had psychiatric problems but was not taking any medication at the time of the shooting. She said that the defendant was a jealous man. She denied telling him that Robinson tried to rape her. She testified that she had some problems remembering things that happened in the past. She had a prior conviction for receiving stolen goods.

The defendant, Herbert Lee, testified that on the morning of the shooting he approached Robinson, seeking to end the bad feelings they had for each other as a result of an earlier argument. Robinson rejected his offer of friendship. Lee then left the city with Darlene Maples and John Simmons to go fishing off the Manchac Bridge. They fished until dark, then returned to Maples' and Simmons' house to cook the fish. Lee spent the night at their house.

The next day Lee learned that the police wanted him. He testified that he went to both Central Lock-up and the Sixth District police station and was informed at both places that he was not wanted. He then went to Pontchatoula for a week. When he came back to New Orleans, he again went to the Sixth District, where he was then arrested.

Lee testified that he did not own any guns. He knew Robinson and Ms. Pollard had dated before, but he was no longer jealous. He testified that he did not know that Ms. Pollard and Robinson had seen each other the night before the shooting. Lee admitted having prior convictions for simple burglary and for a "pistol charge".

On rebuttal, Will Rumley testified that on the day of the shooting he saw the defendant in the neighborhood of the shooting at around 3:30 p.m. and again at around 6:00 p.m.

Assignments of Error I. and IV.

The appellant's assignment of error numbers one and four deal with the State's use of a photograph, exhibit S-3, to portray the scene of the shooting. By his assignment of error number four, the appellant alleges that because the photograph "clearly distorts the amount of light present and available to the alleged witnesses," its admission into evidence was error. However, the appellant does not even attempt to prove that the photograph "clearly distorts" the lighting conditions. The only mention of such distortion in the entire transcript is by the defense attorney himself who was not present at the scene anytime near the time of the shooting. The appellant's mere allegation of the photograph's distortion of the lighting conditions is not a sufficient basis for this court to conclude that the trial court erred by admitting the photograph into evidence. The appellant's assignment of error number four is without merit.

By his assignment number one, the appellant alleges that the State committed reversible error by failing to mention in its opening statement that it intended to introduce S-3, the photograph of the shooting scene.

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Bluebook (online)
446 So. 2d 334, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lee-lactapp-1984.