State v. Price

690 So. 2d 191, 1997 WL 78152
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 25, 1997
Docket96-KA-680
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 690 So. 2d 191 (State v. Price) 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. Price, 690 So. 2d 191, 1997 WL 78152 (La. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinion

690 So.2d 191 (1997)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Morris J. PRICE.

No. 96-KA-680.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

February 25, 1997.

*193 Bruce G. Whittaker, Staff Appellate Counsel, Gretna, for appellant Morris J. Price.

Paul C. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, Leigh Anne Wall, Assistant District Attorney, Research & Appeals, Parish of Jefferson, Gretna, for appellee State of Louisiana.

Before BOWES, GRISBAUM and CANNELLA, JJ.

CANNELLA, Judge.

Defendant, Morris Price, appeals his convictions of two counts of distribution of heroin, in violation of La. R.S. 40:966 A, and sentences. We affirm and remand. We grant the Motion to Withdraw filed by appeal counsel for defendant.

On April 6, 1995, defendant filed several pro se pre-trial motions, including a motion to quash based upon the time limit for commencement of trial having expired and a petition for writ of habeas corpus seeking release from custody based upon the state's failure to institute prosecution. The record *194 shows that a grand jury indictment was filed on the same day, but does not reflect any ruling on these specific pro se motions. Defense counsel also filed numerous pre-trial motions. The trial court denied the motion to suppress the identification.

On January 29, 1996, defendant filed a "Motion to Proceed Pro Se" and requested that the trial court provide him with tools necessary to conduct a pro se defense. On April 23, 1996, the state dismissed two of the four initial counts that had charged defendant with possession of heroin. On the same day, the appointed defense attorney withdrew as counsel of record and another attorney enrolled as retained counsel.

Trial was held on April 24, 1996. At the conclusion of trial, the jury found defendant guilty as charged on the two remaining counts of distribution of heroin. On May 16, 1996, prior to sentencing, the trial court denied defendant's pro se motion for arrest of judgment. Then, the trial court sentenced defendant to life imprisonment at hard labor, without probation or suspension of sentence, to be served consecutively, on each count. A timely motion for appeal was filed.

The testimony in trial is that, after receiving information from a confidential informant about a man named Morris Price who was selling heroin, Jefferson Parish narcotics officers made arrangements for an undercover narcotics purchase and surveillance. Agent Billy Lewis completed a background check and obtained a photograph of the suspect named Morris Price.

On June 8, 1994, Lewis met with the confidential informant who introduced him to a black male. The black male stated that his name was Morris. After the confidential informant left the area, Lewis told Morris that he wanted to buy three doses of heroin. The men arranged to meet at another location. When Morris brought Lewis the heroin, he also gave him a slip of paper containing the name "Morris" and a telephone number to be used for future purchases.

On June 16, 1994, Lewis called the telephone number which he had been given by Morris and made arrangements to purchase more heroin. About one hour later, Lewis and Morris met. Morris gave Lewis the heroin in exchange for cash. This transaction was videotaped and observed by other narcotics officers. The substances received by Lewis in both transactions tested positive for heroin. Morris was subsequently arrested.

During the trial, Agent Lewis identified defendant as the man who sold him the heroin in both transactions and who identified himself as Morris. Other police officers also identified defendant as the man that they personally observed selling the heroin.

In defendant's appeal, defense counsel filed an "Anders" brief and a motion to withdraw asserting that he reviewed the record and found no non-frivolous appealable issues. The brief and motion comply with the procedure approved by the United States Supreme Court in Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967), reh. denied, 388 U.S. 924, 87 S.Ct. 2094, 18 L.Ed.2d 1377 (1967) and discussed in State v. Benjamin, 573 So.2d 528 (La.App. 4 Cir.1990). In State v. Bradford, 95-929 and 95-930 (La.App. 5 Cir. 6/25/96), 676 So.2d 1108, this court noted the Louisiana Supreme Court's favorable response to the Fourth Circuit's policy regarding Anders briefs and adopted the same policy.

In applying the adopted procedure, a certified letter was sent from the Clerk of this court advising defendant of his right to file a supplemental brief in his own behalf. Defendant responded by filing a pro se supplemental brief.

Defendant asserts three assignments of error as follows: (1) erroneous opening jury instructions pertaining to reasonable doubt, (2) denial of his right to self representation and (3) denial of his right to a speedy trial.

In his first assignment of error, defendant argues that the trial court erred in giving an opening instruction to the jury prohibiting it from going beyond the evidence to find facts or circumstances which would tend to create doubt upon which to acquit. Specifically, defendant argues that this statement deprived him of the presumption of innocence, shifted the burden of proof, affected the reasonable doubt standard, constituted a comment *195 on his failure to testify and denied his right to a fair trial.

Prior to individual questioning during voir dire, the trial judge addressed the venire regarding their role and the general applicable principles of law. These statements included an explanation of the concept of reasonable doubt.

Our review of the transcript reflects that neither an objection nor a motion for mistrial was made to the comments. Generally, an error may not be raised on appeal in the absence of a contemporaneous objection to allow the judge to correct the error. La. C.Cr.P. art. 801. See also La.C.Cr.P. art. 841. State v. Jynes, 94-745 (La.App. 5 Cir. 3/1/95), 652 So.2d 91, 95. The remedies available for prejudicial remarks made "during the trial or in argument" are mistrial or admonition. La.C.Cr.P. arts. 770 and 771. State v. Loera, 530 So.2d 1271, 1282 (La.App. 2 Cir.1988), writs denied, 536 So.2d 1252 (La.1989). Since neither an objection nor a request for mistrial was made, the objection is waived. However, when an instruction is "of such importance and significance as to violate fundamental requirements of due process", in some instances the error may be raised for the first time on appeal, regardless of the contemporaneous objection rule. State v. Williamson, 389 So.2d 1328, 1331 (La.1980); State v. Jynes, 652 So.2d at 95-96 n. 2.

In this case, even assuming that a proper objection was made, after reviewing the entire statement of the trial judge, we find that the remark was neither a comment on defendant's failure to testify nor did it created any prejudice against defendant. In addition, we find no prejudice or error if we view the remarks as "jury instructions". A verdict will not be set aside because of an objection to a portion of the trial court's charge unless such portion, when considered in connection with the remainder of the charge, is shown to be erroneous and prejudicial. State v. Broussard, 202 La. 458, 12 So.2d 218, 220 (La.1942). A trial court charges a jury by presenting to the jury his entire instructions. The standard for reviewing jury charges requires that the charges be read as a whole. Thus, the appellate court considers the entire presentation. State v. James,

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Bluebook (online)
690 So. 2d 191, 1997 WL 78152, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-price-lactapp-1997.