State v. Morton

97 So. 3d 1034, 12 La.App. 5 Cir. 27, 2012 WL 1957549, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 764
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 31, 2012
DocketNo. 12-KA-27
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 97 So. 3d 1034 (State v. Morton) 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. Morton, 97 So. 3d 1034, 12 La.App. 5 Cir. 27, 2012 WL 1957549, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 764 (La. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

MARC E. JOHNSON, Judge.

|2Pefendant, Donald Morton, appeals his conviction of possession with intent to distribute cocaine from the 24th Judicial District Court, Division “P”. For the following reasons, we affirm the conviction, amend the sentence, and remand the matter to the trial court with instructions.

[1036]*1036 STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On April 5, 2011, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a bill of information charging Defendant, Donald Morton, with knowingly and intentionally possessing cocaine in excess of 28 to 200 grams, in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:967 F. On April 6, 2011, Defendant was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. Subsequent to pleading not guilty, Defendant filed several pretrial motions, including a motion to suppress evidence and statement, which were denied on July 27, 2011. On August 8, 2011, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney amended the charged offense to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in violation of LSA-R.S. 40:967 A.

| ^Defendant waived his right to a jury, and on August 23, 2011, the trial court found Defendant guilty as charged. On September 28, 2011, the trial court denied Defendant’s motion in arrest of judgment, or in the alternative, motion for new trial. On the same date, the court sentenced Defendant to imprisonment at hard labor for a term of 15 years, to be served without the benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence, with credit for time served, and to run concurrently with Defendant’s sentence in case number 11-1619.1 On October 5, 2011, Defendant filed a motion for reconsideration of sentence.2 On October 6, 2011, the trial court granted Defendant’s motion for appeal. Defendant now timely appeals his conviction.

FACTS

Detective Brad Roniger, of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Narcotics Division, testified that on February 18, 2011, he received information from an individual named Miranda Hickman concerning a drug deal. The information obtained prompted the surveillance of Mike’s Discount Convenience Store (“Mike’s Discount”) at 6611 Westbank Expressway in Marrero.3 Participating in the surveillance of Mike’s Discount with Detective Roniger were Sergeant Klein, Detective Clogher, Detective Voohries and Detective Bermudes.4 Three unmarked police units were utilized to conduct the surveillance. Detective Roniger testified that the surveillance was intended to corroborate information that a black male Lsubject driving a dark-colored vehicle with distinctive stripes would meet Hickman at Mike’s Discount to sell her narcotics.5

Once the vehicle described by Hickman was observed by the officers and Hickman had entered the passenger side of the vehicle, the officers positioned one of their unmarked units in front, and one in back, of Defendant’s vehicle. Detective Roniger testified that when Defendant observed Detective Clogher exiting one of the units, [1037]*1037Defendant drove his vehicle forward and backward striking both unmarked units. Defendant was subsequently removed from his vehicle, advised of his Miranda 6 rights, and placed under arrest.

After placing Defendant under arrest, Detective Roniger testified that he spoke to Hickman who advised him that she did not have any narcotics on her person. Detective Roniger also testified that he did not personally perform a search of Defendant’s vehicle; however, he was aware that a small quantity of crack cocaine was recovered from inside the vehicle. The officers then relocated to Defendant’s residence where a search warrant had been authorized. Upon conducting a search of the rear shed, which had been converted into a residence, Detective Roniger testified that a crack pipe, a digital scale, and a clear plastic bag containing cocaine were seized by the officers. Detective Roniger further testified that at the time of Defendant’s arrest, approximately $600 in cash was found on Defendant’s person. Defendant stated that he had a legitimate means of income; however, he failed to specify the source of his earnings.

Detective Ronnie Voohries, of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Narcotics Division, also testified that he participated in the surveillance conducted at Mike’s Discount on February 18, 2011. Detective Voohries testified | ¿substantially similar to Detective Roniger regarding the surveillance, drug transaction, and arrest of Defendant, in which the surveillance was commenced to corroborate the information gained from Hickman. Detective Vooh-ries testified that subsequent to Defendant’s arrest, he conducted a search of Defendant’s vehicle and found a rock-like object inside a plastic bag in the front seat of the vehicle near the area of the arm rest. The officers then relocated to Defendant’s residence at 1208 Marshall. When they arrived at the house, Detective Voohries testified that a woman by the name of Clarisa Ellie and her child were present. Detective Voohries learned from Ellie that Defendant did not live in the main residence. Detective Voohries confirmed this information upon conducting a protective sweep of the interior of the main residence where he did not observe any male clothing or other items indicating Defendant’s presence. Ellie also advised Detective Voohries that she was renting the main residence from Defendant, and Defendant resided in the back residence. After speaking to Ellie, a search warrant was obtained for the back residence.

Detective Shane Klein, of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Narcotics Division, testified that he placed Defendant under arrest at Mike’s Discount on February 18, 2011. Detective Klein testified regarding the facts leading up to Defendant’s arrest, which corroborated the testimonies of Detectives Roniger and Voohries. Namely, Detective Klein testified that after observing Hickman enter Defendant’s black Chevrolet Lumina with a silver stripe, he began to approach Defendant’s vehicle on foot when Defendant proceeded to drive his car into the two police vehicles that were blocking him in. Defendant was then placed under arrest by Detective Klein for striking a police vehicle and was read his Miranda rights. Detective Klein testified that Defendant acknowledged that he understood his rights. Once the crack cocaine was recovered from Defendant’s vehicle, | (¡Detective Klein asked him about the contraband, to which Defendant “just nodded his shoulders and said, ‘you know, what can I say?”’ Detective Klein also asked Defendant whether he had any nar[1038]*1038cotics at his home. Defendant informed Detective Klein that he had a crack pipe at his home and further provided his verbal consent to search his residence located at 1208 Marshall. On the way to his house, Defendant led the officers to believe that he was living inside the main residence at 1208 Marshall, and that upon their arrival, there would be a woman and child present.

Upon arrival at the residence, the officers attempted to use Defendant’s keys to enter the front door, however, they did not fit. A female eventually opened the door and once inside the house, Detective Klein learned Defendant actually lived in the back residence. Detective Klein advised Defendant that he was going to include the back residence in the Consent to Search Form but Defendant immediately withdrew his consent. Thus, Detective Klein obtained a search warrant for the front and back residences.7

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Bluebook (online)
97 So. 3d 1034, 12 La.App. 5 Cir. 27, 2012 WL 1957549, 2012 La. App. LEXIS 764, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-morton-lactapp-2012.