State v. McCloud

901 So. 2d 498, 2005 WL 711830
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 29, 2005
Docket04-KA-1112
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 901 So. 2d 498 (State v. McCloud) 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. McCloud, 901 So. 2d 498, 2005 WL 711830 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

901 So.2d 498 (2005)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Troy McCLOUD.

No. 04-KA-1112.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

March 29, 2005.

*501 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Twenty-Fourth Judicial District, Parish of Jefferson, Terry M. Boudreaux, Desirée M. Valenti, Assistant District Attorneys, Gretna, Louisiana, for Plaintiff/Appellee.

Laura M. Pavy, Louisiana Appellate Project, New Orleans, Louisiana, for Defendant/Appellant.

Troy McCloud, Angola, Louisiana, in Proper Person.

Panel composed of Judges SOL GOTHARD, MARION F. EDWARDS and CLARENCE E. McMANUS.

CLARENCE E. McMANUS, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On November 13, 2002, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a bill of information charging defendant, Troy McCloud, with distribution of cocaine within one thousand feet of a school, LSA-R.S. 40:981.3. Defendant was arraigned on November 20, 2002, and pled not guilty.

On February 5, 2003, defendant filed a Motion to Appoint Sanity Commission to Determine Competency to Stand Trial. The trial court granted the motion and appointed a sanity commission. The court held a competency hearing on March 18, 2003. The parties stipulated to the contents of the doctors' report, and the court found defendant competent to stand trial.

On April 8, 2003, the trial court heard and denied defendant's motions to suppress evidence and identification. On that day, the state amended the bill of information to change the police item number.

*502 On August 25, 2003, Judge Martha Sassone, the presiding judge, issued an Order of Recusal, directing that defendant's case be realloted. The case was thereafter assigned to Judge Greg Guidry, Division "E" of the Twenty-Fourth Judicial District Court. On November 13, 2003, defense counsel indicated that defendant wished to waive his right to a jury trial. The court held a bench trial that day, and found defendant guilty as charged.

Defendant filed a pro se Motion for New Trial on December 4, 2003. The motion was argued and denied on February 2, 2004. On that day, the court sentenced defendant to forty-five years at hard labor, directing that the first two years of the sentence be served without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Defendant made an oral motion for appeal. On February 3, 2004, defendant filed a Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence and a Motion for Appeal. The trial court granted the appeal motion on February 4, 2004. The trial court set defendant's Motion for Reconsideration of Sentence for hearing, but no ruling is found in the record.

The state filed a Multiple Offender Bill of Information on February 17, 2004, alleging defendant to be a third felony offender. On May 20, 2004, the trial court held a habitual offender hearing, and found defendant to be a third felony offender. On that day, the court vacated defendant's original sentence, and imposed an enhanced sentence of sixty-five years at hard labor, without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Defendant made an oral motion for appeal, and the court granted the motion that day.

FACTS

Agent Vincent Carter testified that he is an undercover narcotics officer with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. On the afternoon of October 1, 2002, he went to a part of Marrero known as "Field of Dreams." Carter testified that the neighborhood is a high drug trafficking area. The agent was in an unmarked truck, which was equipped with audio and video equipment.

Carter stopped his truck at the corner of Fields Street and Ames Boulevard. Defendant approached the driver's side window of the vehicle. Carter attempted to buy cocaine from defendant, but defendant sensed he was an officer and would not deal with him at that point. Defendant got into the back of Carter's truck, and Carter drove a short distance to the corner of Fields and Meyers. Defendant went to the vehicle's passenger side window and sold Carter one rock of crack cocaine. Carter paid defendant with a marked twenty dollar bill and then left the area. Carter turned over the cocaine to Agent Eric Dufrene, a nearby surveillance officer. Dufrene testified that he measured the distance from the corner of Fields and Meyers to the Ames Elementary School to be less than one thousand feet. The videotape of the transaction was played for the court at trial. Carter identified defendant as the subject who was seen approaching the driver's side window. Carter noted that the video camera in his truck was positioned to record what occurred on the driver's side of the truck only. Since the cocaine transaction took place on the passenger side of the truck, it was not recorded.

Deputy Kurt Zeagler testified that he was working in uniform on the afternoon of October 1, 2002. Agent Carter contacted him by police radio following the transaction and gave him a description of the perpetrator and his location. Zeagler located defendant, who met the description given by Carter. Zeagler stopped defendant for a field interview. The officer *503 obtained defendant's name, address, height, weight, date of birth, and Social Security number. He recorded the information on a field interview card. Zeagler also took a Polaroid photograph of defendant.

Agent Dufrene testified that he compiled a photographic lineup using the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). He showed Agent Carter the videotape made during the cocaine transaction. Dufrene then showed Carter the photographic lineup. Carter identified defendant as the man who sold him the crack cocaine. Carter also identified defendant at trial. Zeagler testified that he obtained a warrant for defendant's arrest based on Carter's identification.

Defendant testified at trial that at 3:00 p.m. on October 1, 2002, he was leaving a McDonald's restaurant, and was going to have his hair fixed on Fields Street. He testified that he spoke with Carter at the corner of Field and Ames, but that he did not get into the back of Carter's truck. Defendant admitted he was pictured in Carter's videotape, but he denied that he gave Carter crack cocaine or that he received any money from the officer. He testified that the Polaroid photograph was a picture of him but said he did not know how the photograph was taken.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE

Defendant contends the record does not show a valid waiver his right to a trial by jury. He urges the court to reverse his conviction and remand for a new trial. Although the right to a jury trial may be waived in non-capital cases, it must be "knowingly and intelligently" waived. LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 780(A). Waiver of this right is never presumed. State v. McCarroll, 337 So.2d 475, 480 (La.1976); State v. Zeringue, 03-697, p. 10 (La.App. 5 Cir. 11/25/03), 862 So.2d 186, 193, writ denied, 03-3523 (La.4/23/04), 870 So.2d 298.

Although it remains the preferred method for the district court to advise a defendant of the right to a jury trial in open court before obtaining a waiver, that practice is not statutorily required. State v. Pierre, 02-2665 (La.3/28/03), 842 So.2d 321 (per curiam); State v. Lokey, 04-616 (La.App. 5 Cir. 11/30/04), 889 So.2d 1151, 1154.[1] It is, likewise, preferred, but not necessary, for the defendant to waive the right to a jury trial personally. Id. Counsel may waive the right on the defendant's behalf, provided the defendant's decision to do so was made knowingly and intelligently. Id.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
901 So. 2d 498, 2005 WL 711830, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-mccloud-lactapp-2005.