State v. Peters

298 So. 2d 276
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedJuly 29, 1974
Docket53754
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 298 So. 2d 276 (State v. Peters) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Peters, 298 So. 2d 276 (La. 1974).

Opinion

298 So.2d 276 (1973)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Sylvester PETERS.

No. 53754.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

December 3, 1973.
On Rehearing July 1, 1974.
Dissenting Opinion on Rehearing July 29, 1974.

Sydney I. Horn, Lake Charles, for defendant-appellant.

William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., LeRoy A. Hartley, Sp. Asst. Atty. Gen., Frank T. Salter, Jr., Dist. Atty., James L. Babin, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

SANDERS, Chief Justice.

Defendant, Sylvester Peters, was tried under two bills of Information, charging him with armed robbery (LSA-R.S. 14:64) and simple kidnapping (LSA-R.S. 14:45). The defendant was convicted of both offenses, before a 12-man jury. A motion in arrest of judgment was granted as to the conviction for simple kidnapping, on the ground that the jury was improperly constituted. LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 859(4). Defendant *277 was sentenced, under the armed robbery conviction, to serve 25 years in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

The defendant appeals his conviction for armed robbery, relying upon two bills of exceptions and an allegation of denial of due process, based upon the joint trial on the charges of armed robbery and simple kidnapping.

On the morning of March 14, 1973, the defendant allegedly went to the home of Mrs. Nelrene Clark, robbed Mrs. Clark at gun point of $64.00 and then, using a knife, cut her on her chest. After raping her, he forced Mrs. Clark to accompany him to Houston, Texas, where she was released.

BILLS OF EXCEPTIONS NOS. 1 and 2

These bills were reserved when the trial court admitted photographs of the victim, taken by the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Department, the day after the commission of the offense. The victim identified the photographs as being those taken of her the day after the perpetration of the crime (Tr. 38-40). The defense counsel objected to the introduction of the evidence on the grounds that a proper foundation had not been laid by the state. The defense contended that the photographs could not be properly identified by the photographer or officer. The contention is without substance.

The sufficiency of verification of a photograph for purposes of admissibility rests largely within the discretion of the trial judge. State v. Fox, 251 La. 464, 205 So.2d 42 (1967).

Recently, in State v. Mitchell, La., 278 So.2d 48, we rejected an identical contention, holding:

"As noted by the trial judge in his per curiam, it is not necessary that a picture be verified by the photographer in order for it to be offered into evidence."

See also State v. Chambers, 263 La. 1080, 270 So.2d 514 (1972).

In the present case, the identification of the photographs by the victim, that such photographs were those taken of her by the Calcasieu police officer the day after the offense, constituted a sufficient foundation for the introduction of this evidence at the trial.

Bills of Exceptions Nos. 1 and 2 lack merit.

In his appellate brief, the defendant raises an objection to the joint trial on the charges of armed robbery and simple kidnapping. It is his position that such a procedure denied him due process, despite the circumstance that the two charges arose out of the same events and that the simple kidnapping conviction was set aside in the trial court.

Insofar as the record before us shows, defendant filed no pretrial motion for severance, raised no objection to the joint trial, and has perfected no bill of exceptions.

The Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure is explicit as to method required in raising issues for appellate review. Article 841 of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure provides:

"An irregularity or error in the proceedings cannot be availed of after verdict unless it is objected to at the time of its occurrence and a bill of exceptions is reserved to the adverse ruling of the court on such objection. Failure to reserve a bill of exceptions at the time of an adverse ruling of the court operates as a waiver of the objection and as an acquiescence in the irregularity or ruling.

"This requirement shall not apply to:

"(1) A ground for arrest of judgment under Article 859, or the court's ruling on a motion in arrest of judgment; or
"(2) The court's ruling on a motion for a new trial based on the ground of bills of exceptions reserved during the trial."

*278 See also LSA-C.Cr.P. Art. 920.

Although the defendant filed a motion in arrest of judgment, this motion was grounded upon the fact that the jury was improperly composed for a case of simple kidnapping. This error was corrected when the trial judge sustained the motion as to the simple kidnapping conviction.

Furthermore, though a motion for a new trial was filed, this motion was founded upon the grounds set forth in Bills of Exceptions Nos. 1 and 2. These bills have been found to be without merit.

In conclusion, since a timely objection was not made in the trial court, and since this objection was not made a part of a formal bill of exceptions, the right to raise this issue has been waived. LSA-C.Cr.P. Arts. 841, 920; Fiano v. United States, 9 Cir., 271 F.2d 883 (1959), cert. den., 361 U.S. 964, 80 S.Ct. 593, 4 L.Ed.2d 545 (1960); McCrary v. State, 249 S.Ct. 14, 152 S.E.2d 235, cert. den., 386 U.S. 1013, 87 S.Ct. 1362, 18 L.Ed.2d 445 (1967); State v. Campbell, 230 S.Ct. 432, 96 S.E.2d 476, cert. den., 354 U.S. 914, 77 S.Ct. 1295, 1 L.Ed.2d 1427 (1957); Skaggs v. Illinois, 398 Ill. 478, 76 N.E.2d 455, writ. den., 333 U.S. 849, 68 S.Ct. 653, 92 L.Ed. 1131 (1948); Ramirez v. United States, 9 Cir., 294 F.2d 277 (1961).

For the reasons assigned, the conviction and sentence are affirmed.

BARHAM, J., dissents and assigns written reasons.

TATE, J., dissents and adopts reasons of BARHAM, J.

DIXON, J., dissents.

BARHAM, Justice (dissenting).

According to the record before us, the defendant was charged under two bills of information—one bill of information charged him with armed robbery, in violation of R.S. 14:64 and the other bill of information charged him with simple kidnapping, R.S. 14:45. The defendant was tried before a jury under both bills of information for both offenses.

Upon filing a motion in arrest of judgment alleging the improper joinder of the two offenses in the same trial, particularly alleging that the jury was improperly constituted for the crime of simple kidnapping, the motion in arrest of judgment was granted as to the conviction for simple kidnapping.[*] However, defendant's conviction for armed robbery was maintained and he was sentenced to twenty-five years in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

Although the defendant has pointed this Court to a defect in the pleadings and proceedings which constitutes reversible error, and which is discoverable from a mere inspection of the record, the majority has found that this matter is not before us. C.Cr.P. Art. 920.

C.Cr.P. Art. 706 states:

"Upon motion of a defendant, or of all defendants if there are more than one, the court may order two or more indictments consolidated for trial if the offenses

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Bluebook (online)
298 So. 2d 276, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-peters-la-1974.