State v. Picard

897 So. 2d 49, 2004 WL 2071921
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedSeptember 17, 2004
Docket2003 KA 2422
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 897 So. 2d 49 (State v. Picard) 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. Picard, 897 So. 2d 49, 2004 WL 2071921 (La. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

897 So.2d 49 (2004)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Greg PICARD.

No. 2003 KA 2422.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

September 17, 2004.

*51 Doug Moreau, District Attorney, Baton Rouge, By Wick Cooker, Jeanne Rougeau, Assistant District Attorney, Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee State of Louisiana.

Kevin P. Monahan, Baton Rouge, Counsel for Defendant/Appellant Greg Picard.

Before: GUIDRY, GAIDRY, and McCLENDON, JJ.

GAIDRY, J.

The defendant, Greg Picard, was charged by bill of information with driving while intoxicated (DWI), fourth offense, a violation of La. R.S. 14:98(E). He pled not guilty and moved to quash the bill of information. The trial court denied the motion. On April 22, 2003, following a trial by jury, the defendant was found guilty as charged. He was fined $5,000.00 and sentenced to imprisonment for fourteen years at hard labor. The trial court suspended all but sixty days of the imprisonment sentence and ordered that this period be served without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.[1] Defendant now appeals.

FACTS

On March 30, 2001, Louisiana State Police Trooper Jimmy Thaxton stopped the defendant after observing him driving in excess of the posted speed limit (81 miles per hour in a 60 miles per-hour zone) on Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge. According to Trooper Thaxton, the defendant smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated. The defendant performed poorly on all field sobriety tests administered. The defendant was arrested and transported to State Police Troop A for an intoxilyzer test. After being informed of his rights relating to the chemical test for intoxication, the defendant refused to submit to the test. He was transported to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and charged with DWI. The defendant had three prior DWI convictions.

*52 MOTION TO QUASH

In his first assignment of error, the defendant challenges the validity of two of his predicate convictions: February 3, 2000, Docket Number CF99-4653, in the district court of Tulsa County, Oklahoma, and May 23, 1997, Docket Number CF97-347, in the district court of Tulsa County, Oklahoma. Specifically, he asserts that the documents submitted by the State in support of these Oklahoma convictions were insufficient to prove that the trial court advised him of the elements and/or nature of the offenses to which he pled guilty. Thus, he contends the State failed to carry its burden of proving the constitutionality of the alleged predicate guilty pleas.

The State contends the defendant is procedurally barred from raising the issue of the validity of his prior DWI convictions on appeal because he stipulated to the existence of these convictions at his jury trial. In the alternative, the State contends the documents introduced as proof of the Oklahoma predicates were adequate to show the existence of these prior DWI guilty pleas and that the defendant was represented by counsel. Thus, the State argues that since the defendant made no affirmative showing of an infringement of his rights, there is a presumption of regularity in the predicate convictions.

In the instant case, as the State points out in its brief, prior to presenting any evidence, the following stipulation was entered into the record:

[T]he State and defense enter into a stipulation wherein the defendant, Greg Picard, is the same person who has previously been convicted of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic beverages three times. Once for an offense on April 23, 1993 and a conviction on May 10, 1994, in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court, Docket Number 9-93-777, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Two, for an offense on January 21, 1997 and conviction on May 23, 1997, in the Tulsa County, Oklahoma District Court, Docket Number CF97-347. Three, for an offense on September 21, 1999 and conviction on February 3, 2000, in the Tulsa County, Oklahoma District Court, Docket Number CF99-4653.

We note, contrary to the State's contentions, the language of the aforementioned stipulation does not reflect a waiver of the defendant's right to challenge the constitutionality of the predicate convictions. While the language of the stipulation indicates that the defendant is the same person who was previously convicted of the alleged predicate offenses, the stipulation does not address whether the defendant was adequately advised of his Boykin rights or whether he was represented by counsel at the time of the predicate guilty pleas. Because the defendant did not stipulate to the constitutionality of the alleged predicate convictions, we cannot say he waived the issue of the validity of the predicates, which he now challenges on appeal.

In order for a guilty plea to be used as a basis for actual imprisonment, enhancement of actual imprisonment, or conversion of a subsequent misdemeanor into a felony, the trial judge must inform the defendant that by pleading guilty he waives: (a) his privilege against compulsory self-incrimination; (b) his right to trial and jury trial where applicable; and (c) his right to confront his accuser. The judge also must ascertain that the accused understands what the plea connotes and its consequences. State v. Cadiere, 99-0970, p. 3 (La.App. 1st Cir.2/18/00), 754 So.2d 294, 296. If the defendant denies the allegations of the bill of information, the State has the initial burden to prove the existence of the prior guilty plea and that the *53 defendant was represented by counsel when it was taken. If the State meets this burden, the defendant has the burden to produce some affirmative evidence showing an infringement of his rights or a procedural irregularity in the taking of the plea. If the defendant is able to do this, then the burden of proving the constitutionality of the plea shifts to the State. See State v. Deville, XXXX-XXXX (La.7/2/04), 879 So.2d 689. See also State v. Carlos, 98-1366, pp. 6-8 (La.7/7/99), 738 So.2d 556, 559-60. To meet this requirement, the State may rely on a contemporaneous record of the guilty plea proceeding, i.e., either the transcript of the plea or the minute entry. Everything that appears in the entire record concerning the predicate, as well as the trial judge's opportunity to observe the defendant's appearance, demeanor, and responses in court, should be considered in determining whether or not a knowing and intelligent waiver of rights occurred. Boykin only requires that a defendant be informed of the three rights enumerated above. The jurisprudence has been unwilling to extend the scope of Boykin to include advising the defendant of any other rights that he may have. State v. Henry, 2000-2250, pp. 8-9 (La.App. 1st Cir.5/11/01), 788 So.2d 535, 541, writ denied, 2001-2299 (La.6/21/02), 818 So.2d 791.

In the instant case, in support of predicate number one (CF99-4653) to enhance the instant offense, the State introduced a Tulsa County, Oklahoma bill of information charging the defendant with, among other things, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor, Second Offense. The State also introduced the transcript, minute entries, and guilty plea forms, all reflecting the defendant's guilty plea to the aforementioned charge and also indicating that defendant was represented by counsel at the time of the plea.

In support of the use of predicate number two (CF97-0347), the State introduced a bill of information, the minutes of the guilty plea, and guilty plea forms indicating that the defendant, while represented by counsel, pled guilty to the charged offense.

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Bluebook (online)
897 So. 2d 49, 2004 WL 2071921, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-picard-lactapp-2004.