State v. Parker

112 So. 3d 366, 2012 La.App. 4 Cir. 0588, 2013 WL 1163515, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 539
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 20, 2013
DocketNo. 2012-KA-0588
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 112 So. 3d 366 (State v. Parker) 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. Parker, 112 So. 3d 366, 2012 La.App. 4 Cir. 0588, 2013 WL 1163515, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 539 (La. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

TERRI F. LOVE, Judge.

It The defendant Bobby K. Parker was charged by bill of information with simple burglary in violation of La. R.S. 14:62. Following a jury trial, the defendant was found guilty of the lesser offense of attempted simple burglary. The defendant argues on appeal that he received ineffective assistance of counsel and the trial court abused its discretion in imposing an unconstitutionally excessive sentence. Finding no merit to the issues raised on appeal, we affirm the conviction and sentence.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The defendant Bobby K. Parker (“the defendant”) was charged by bill of information with simple burglary in violation of La. R.S. 14:62. The defendant was tried by a jury finding him guilty of the lesser offense of attempted simple burglary. The defendant was later sentenced to five years at hard labor with credit for time served. Thereafter, the State filed a multiple bill against the defendant |awho had prior convictions for simple kidnapping and three counts of simple burglary.1 The State charged the defendant as a fourth offender.

[368]*368The defendant filed a motion for new trial and a motion to quash the multiple bill, or in the alternative, a motion for an out of time appeal. In the motion to quash, counsel for the defendant argued that had discovery regarding the defendant’s multiple offender status been provided prior to the trial or at trial, “counsel would have strongly encouraged [the defendant] to take a plea of a lesser sentence when possibly faced with 20 years to life as a multiple offender under La. R.S. 15:529.1 and [the defendant] more than likely would have accepted such a[n] offer rather than risk a possible life sentence.” Both motions were denied by the trial court.

At the multiple bill hearing, the defendant admitted that he was a multiple offender and was sentenced to twelve years at hard labor with credit for time served. The State objected to the sentence and filed a supervisory writ with this court. This court granted the State’s writ application and remanded the matter for resen-tencing with instructions to the trial court to resentence the defendant for a term of “not less than twenty years.”2 Accordingly, the defendant was sentenced to twenty years at hard labor. This appeal follows.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

|sThe property owners of 1809 North Broad Street began renovation after the property was damaged during Hurricane Katrina. A close family friend, Ronald Perkins, drove by regularly and stopped in occasionally to check on the property. By October 2009, the second floor was completed and the first floor was gutted. At that time, no one was living in the home.

Ronald Perkins Testimony

Ronald Perkins (“Mr. Perkins”) testified at trial that on October 9, 2009, between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., he was driving by 1809 North Broad Street when he looked down the alleyway and noticed boots sticking out of a rear window. He stopped and heard noise coming from the upstairs and noticed that a window was torn out. From the neutral ground, Mr. Perkins tried to call 911, but did not receive an answer. Mr. Perkins then flagged down a passing police vehicle.

Mr. Perkins testified he was in the house three days prior to the incident and also stopped by the house one day prior to the incident to check to see if the grass needed mowing. He testified that on the day prior to the incident, the rear window was not broken.

At trial, Mr. Perkins identified the defendant in court as the individual who was pulled from the house after he flagged down the police car. He also stated that he recognized him because the defendant lived “two doors down” from 1809 North Broad Street. He further testified that no one gave the defendant permission to enter the house.

|4Upon entering the house, Mr. Perkins testified that the house was in disarray; the television in one of the bedrooms was missing; dresser drawers were opened and clothing was “all over the place”; jewelry was missing; and it appeared someone had slept in the bathtub. A cable box and Play Station were also missing.

Officer Hillary Hunt Testimony

Officer Hillary Hunt (“Officer Hunt”) also testified that he responded to a call regarding a residential burglary at 1809 [369]*369North Broad Street. After arriving, he met with Mr. Perkins, who advised him that he had observed someone climbing through a window. Officer Hunt and his partner approached the residence, at which time Officer Hunt observed the defendant crawling out of a window. Officer Hunt testified that he ordered the defendant to come out and after the defendant emerged, Officer Hunt handcuffed him. Officer Hunter further testified that he observed a 26-inch television set near the window from which the defendant had emerged.

The crime lab took photographs, which were identified by Officer Hunt. No evidence was recovered from the defendant’s person, nor were any fingerprints lifted from the scene.

Michael Schmidt Testimony

Michael Schmidt, one of the joint owners of the house,3 testified that he knew the defendant as a neighbor, but had not given him permission to enter the house.

¡.ERRORS PATENT

A review of the record reveals no errors patent.

INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL

In his first assignment of error, the defendant argues that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because the “purported” admission to the multiple bill was not withdrawn after the case was remanded and the previous sentence was vacated. He further alleges that the State’s allegation that he is a quadruple offender relies on a release date from a 1994 conviction that was not proven, and that the defendant’s admission to his quadruple offender status was based upon an understanding that the sentence would be below the statutory minimum.

Generally, the preferred procedure for addressing ineffective assistance of counsel claims is a post-conviction proceeding in the trial court. State v. Watson, 00-1580, p. 4 (La.5/14/02), 817 So.2d 81, 84 (citing State v. Deloch, 380 So.2d 67, 68 (La.1980)). A post-conviction proceeding provides for a full evidentiary hearing to be conducted to explore the issue. Id. (citing State v. Stowe, 93-2020 (La.4/11/94), 635 So.2d 168, 173; Deloch, supra). Where the appeal record discloses sufficient evidence upon which to make a determination of counsel’s effectiveness, the decision may be made on appeal in the interest of judicial economy. State v. Seiss, 428 So.2d 444, 449 (La.1983).

Additionally, this court acknowledged that a defendant asserting an ineffective assistance of counsel claim must overcome a “sound trial strategy” presumption:

A court must indulge a strong presumption that counsel’s conduct falls within the wide range of reasonable professional | r,assistance; that is, the defendant must overcome the presumption that, under the circumstances, the challenged action “might be considered sound trial strategy.” Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. at 689, 104 S.Ct. at 2065. If an alleged error falls “within the ambit of trial strategy,” it does not “establish ineffective assistance of counsel.” State v. Bienemy, 483 So.2d 1105, 1107 (La.App. 4 Cir.1986). (citations omitted).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State of Louisiana Versus Kenneth C. Lods
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2023
State v. Dowell
198 So. 3d 243 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2016)
State v. Norah
131 So. 3d 172 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
112 So. 3d 366, 2012 La.App. 4 Cir. 0588, 2013 WL 1163515, 2013 La. App. LEXIS 539, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-parker-lactapp-2013.