State v. Patterson

241 So. 3d 433
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 7, 2018
DocketNO. 2016–KA–1104
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 241 So. 3d 433 (State v. Patterson) 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. Patterson, 241 So. 3d 433 (La. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

JAMES F. MCKAY III, CHIEF JUDGE

*437Damon Patterson appeals his conviction and sentence. Based upon the record, evidence and applicable jurisprudence presented to this Court we affirm both his conviction and sentence.

STATEMENT OF CASE

On November 15, 2011, the State charged Damon Patterson (defendant) with being a felon in possession of a firearm, a violation of La. R.S. 14:95.1 (count 1); resisting an officer by force, in violation of La. R.S. 14:108.2 (count 2); possession of cocaine, in violation of La. R.S. 40:967(C)(2) (count 3)1 , and possession of drug paraphernalia, a violation of La. R.S. 40:1023 (count 4).

The defendant was arraigned on November 22, 2011, and entered not guilty pleas to all charges.

Following a hearing on May 8, 2012, the defendant was found competent to proceed.

On August 23, 2012, the court sentenced the defendant to twelve years at hard labor on count 1 and to two years on count 2, sentences to run concurrently. Also, the trial judge found the defendant guilty of count 4 and sentenced him to serve five months in Orleans Parish Prison, sentence to run concurrently with his other sentences.

On January 22, 2014, the State filed a multiple bill alleging that the defendant was a quadruple offender. On May 16, 2014, the court held a hearing on the multiple bill. The court found insufficient evidence to adjudicate the defendant a quadruple offender.

On May 7, 2015, after a previous ruling by the trial court, the State filed a new multiple offender bill again alleging the defendant was a quadruple offender. On June 29, 2015, following the trial of the multiple bill, the court adjudged the defendant a quadruple offender. The court vacated the defendant's twelve-year sentence for the crime of felon in possession of a firearm and re-sentenced him to thirty years at hard labor.

The defendant's timely appeal follows.

STATEMENT OF FACT

Officer Joseph Pollard, the State's expert fingerprint examiner, identified State's Exhibit 1 as the defendant's fingerprints, which Officer Pollard took on August 13, 2012. Officer Pollard identified the Orleans Parish cert pack under case number 381-113 in which the defendant pled guilty on November 12, 1997, to simple *438burglary of an inhabited dwelling. Officer Pollard compared the fingerprints on the back of the bill of information and found the fingerprints matched and that the fingerprints belonged to the defendant.2

Lydrell Varise of the NOPD's Communication Center testified that all 911 calls received by the department are recorded and assigned an item recall number (in this case J-5064-11) for future investigative purposes. Ms. Varise identified State's Exhibit 4 as the audio recording of the call for assistance placed by Ms. Marichelle Cooper.

NOPD Criminalist Jon Hoang, an expert in the identification of controlled dangerous substances, analyzed the loose powdery substance seized in this case. The plastic bag containing the substance was identified by Item No. J-5064-11. The substance proved to be cocaine.

Detective Jason Hickman responded to a call for service at 1218 Kabel Drive on October 4, 2001. Detective Hickman spoke to Ms. Cooper, the complainant/caller. She explained that the defendant was armed, using drugs and had barricaded himself in her residence. Ms. Cooper feared for the safety of her elderly father and children. Detective Hickman and Officer Theresa Morris entered the house accompanied by Ms. Cooper, who led them to the bedroom and unlocked the door for the officers to enter. Detective Hickman and Officer Morris, with their weapons drawn, opened the bedroom door. They observed the defendant standing about two feet from the door holding a black semi-automatic weapon, which he pointed directly at them. Detective Hickman ordered the defendant to put his weapon down. The defendant slowly placed his gun on the floor. Detective Hickman then ordered the defendant to exit the bedroom. As the defendant did so, Detective Hickman and Officer Morris holstered their weapons, whereupon the defendant became combative. He charged the officers and threw Officer Morris against the wall and Detective Hickman to the floor. The defendant refused to submit to the officers and continued to batter and wrestle with Detective Hickman and Officer Morris, who tased the defendant. The defendant remained out of control and ran to the front door. Backup officers arrived on the scene, and the struggle continued with the defendant attempting to enter his truck. An officer pepper-sprayed the defendant, but that did not stop him. Officer Morris tased the defendant a second time and still the defendant remained non-compliant. The fighting continued with other officers joining in the attempt to subdue the defendant. Detective Hickman struck the defendant in the leg with a baton, but the defendant continued to resist. Yet another contingency of officers arrived on the scene and finally secured and handcuffed the defendant. Detective Hickman reentered the house and retrieved the defendant's loaded gun from the bedroom. After giving a statement at the police station, Detective Hickman was transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries to his hands, knees and eye.

Officer Morris testified and corroborated Detective Hickman's reporting of their responding to a disturbance call on October 4, 2011, and their ensuing encounter with the defendant. Like Detective Hickman, Officer Morris suffered bodily injury from being tossed about by the defendant.

Sergeant Bradley Wax arrived on the scene after Detective Hickman and Officer Morris. Ms. Cooper advised Sergeant Wax *439that Detective Hickman and Officer Morris were inside the house trying to subdue the defendant. Sergeant Wax entered the residence as Detective Hickman and Office Morris were trying to calm the defendant in the hallway outside the bedroom. The defendant was talking wildly as he struggled with the officers as they attempted to handcuff him. Sergeant Wax approached the defendant and attempted to pacify him and talk about the disturbance. The defendant broke away from Detective Hickman and Officer Morris and headed toward the front door. Upon realizing the dangerous position the defendant placed the officer in, Sergeant Wax called for backup. He then re-engaged the defendant and was pulled down on the floor where he and Detective Hickman once again wrestled with the defendant. Officer Morris tased the defendant, but it had no effect on him. One of the officers pepper-sprayed the defendant. Detective Hickman struck the defendant in leg with his baton, and Officer Morris tased a second time. The defendant continued to struggle and yell wildly. Backup finally arrived and detained the defendant. Sergeant Wax also sustained bodily injury while subduing the defendant.

Detective Humbles responded to Sergeant Wax's call for backup at 1218 Kabal Drive. Detective Humbles and Detective Corey Foy observed the defendant in a kneeling position attempting to get up. Detective Hickman was on the ground and battered. Officer Morris was holding a taser in her hand, and Sergeant Wax had his radio in his hand requesting backup. As Detective Humbles exited his vehicle, the defendant got to his feet but was knocked down by officers.

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Bluebook (online)
241 So. 3d 433, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-patterson-lactapp-2018.