State v. Meyers

748 So. 2d 554, 1999 WL 1071638
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 24, 1999
Docket97-KA-2584
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 748 So. 2d 554 (State v. Meyers) 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. Meyers, 748 So. 2d 554, 1999 WL 1071638 (La. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

748 So.2d 554 (1999)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Scott MEYERS.

No. 97-KA-2584.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit.

November 24, 1999.

*556 Harry F. Connick, District Attorney, Orleans Parish, Nicole Barron, Assistant District Attorney, New Orleans, Louisiana, Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee.

John H. Thomas, Arnold & Thomas, New Orleans, Louisiana, Counsel for Defendant/Appellant.

*557 Court composed of Judge WILLIAM H. BYRNES, III, Judge JOAN BERNARD ARMSTRONG, Judge DENNIS R. BAGNERIS, Sr.

BAGNERIS, Judge.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

By bill of information dated June 24, 1994, Scott Meyers, Kentrell Young, and Nathaniel Williams were charged by bill of information with one count of armed robbery and one count of attempted second degree murder. Meyers, Young and Williams all pled not guilty. Meyers was tried separately from Young and Williams by a twelve-member jury that found him guilty as charged on both counts. Meyers was sentenced to ninety-nine years at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension on the armed robbery count and to fifty years at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence on the attempted second degree murder count, with the sentences to run consecutively. Subsequently, the State filed a multiple bill, but on August 1, 1996, after numerous continuances, the State decided not to file the multiple bill. Meyers filed motions for new trial. The trial court dismissed the motions for new trial.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

Michael Rouse testified that on May 8, 1994, at approximately 5:30 a.m., he and his wife returned home and discovered their son Christopher lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Mr. Rouse further testified that when his wife went to call 911, she discovered that the phones were missing. Mr. Rouse also stated that he noticed that Christopher was blinking his eyes and that his wife then went to a neighbor's house to call for help. Mr. Rouse asked his son who did this to him, and he testified that Christopher said, "Scott Meyers and Kentrell." Mr. Rouse also testified that a safe was missing and that his wife's jewelry box was upside down on the floor of the bedroom. He further testified that there was blood all over the house. Mr. Rouse testified that the doctors informed him that Christopher had been shot twice with one bullet piercing the spinal cord.

Christopher Rouse testified that he had had a party at the house while his parents were out of town, and Christopher admitted that he drank alcohol and smoked marijuana. After his friends left, Christopher lay down on the sofa and fell asleep. He awoke to answer the door and saw Meyers, whom he had known for about two years. He opened the door to let Meyers into the house, and Meyers hit him in the face. Christopher testified that Meyers had a gun in his hand and that Kentrell Young and Nathaniel Williams came into the house with Meyers. After the trio came in, Meyers hit Christopher in the nose and demanded money. Christopher testified that Meyers said that Meyers was going to kill Christopher and that the trio then dragged Christopher through the house. Christopher said that when the three men went into his parents' bedroom, they took jewelry and demanded that Christopher give them the combination to the safe. Christopher testified that he told them that he did not know the combination, but that it was probably in his parents' file cabinet. Christopher testified that he was then taken over to the file cabinet and beaten by Meyers and Kentrell. After this, he was dragged into the study where he was beaten again, and he blacked out. Christopher stated that Nathaniel Williams was not present when this happened and that the only person he saw with a gun was Meyers. Christopher testified that the next thing he remembered was that his parents came home, and that he realized he was paralyzed and was "pretty sure" he was dying. Christopher stated that he was left paralyzed from the shoulders down. He was able to pick out all three men from a photographic lineup. He admitted that he owed Kentrell fifty dollars for drugs.

*558 Nathaniel Williams testified that after he had come home from band practice, he received a telephone call from Meyers to come over to Meyers' house. After staying at Meyers' house for a while, they left to pick up Kentrell Young. Williams further testified that they then went to Christopher Rouse's house. Williams stated that Meyers went to the door while he and Kentrell stood to the side. Williams also testified that when Christopher opened the door to let Meyers in, Meyers, who had a gun in his hand, hit Christopher. Williams testified that Christopher asked Meyers why he did it, and Meyers replied that Christopher owed Meyers money. Meyers then ordered Williams to get a knife from the kitchen. Williams stated that after Christopher got the knife, Christopher gave it to Meyers. Williams testified that Kentrell also asked Williams to get a knife so that Kentrell could use it to open drawers without leaving fingerprints. Williams said that Kentrell was in the parents' bedroom when Williams gave Kentrell the knife and that Meyers was dragging Christopher into another room, which Williams called a dayroom. Williams said that he went into Christopher's room and sat on the bed for a short time. Williams stated that he then went to the parents' bedroom, where Meyers had dragged Christopher and where Meyers kept asking for the combination to the parents' safe. When Christopher said that he did not know the combination, Williams and Meyers went back to the dayroom to look through a filing cabinet. Williams testified that he went back into Christopher's bedroom and then heard a gunshot. Williams went to the dayroom and saw Christopher lying on the floor bleeding. Williams testified that Meyers and Kentrell were both in the room and that Meyers had a gun in his hand. Williams further testified that the gun jammed and that a bullet was ejected from it. Williams also stated that Meyers demanded that Williams hand Meyers a knife. Williams did so. Williams testified that Meyers then began stabbing Christopher in the back of the head. Williams further testified that after Meyers stopped stabbing Christopher, he ordered Williams to cut Christopher's throat. Williams stated that he took the knife, put the blade in a position where it was not showing and could not cut Christopher, and moved the knife as if he were cutting Christopher's throat. Williams further testified that he and Kentrell picked up the safe and carried it to Meyers' car and that they then drove to Meyers' house to drop off the safe. Williams also stated that the gun was thrown into Bayou St. John near the St. Bernard housing project and that they went back to Christopher's house where Meyers picked up bullets and bullet shells. Williams admitted that he had been drinking prior to the attack on Christopher, but he denied smoking marijuana.

Meyers testified that he met Williams and Kentrell that evening at his house and that they were going to another friend's house to get some marijuana. They then decided to go to Christopher's house to collect the money he owed Kentrell. Meyers admitted that when Christopher let them into the house, he punched Christopher out of anger. He denied beating Christopher and testified that Williams hit Christopher. He further testified that he did not see anything else that happened and that Kentrell admitted shooting Christopher. He also denied stabbing Christopher and stated that he saw Williams with a knife but did not see him use it.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
748 So. 2d 554, 1999 WL 1071638, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-meyers-lactapp-1999.