State v. Randle

827 So. 2d 657, 2002 WL 31236414
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided October 2, 2002·No. CR02-309, CR02-310·Published·Cited by 7 cases

Opinion

827 So.2d 657 (2002)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Ronald RANDLE.

Nos. CR02-309, CR02-310.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

October 2, 2002.

*659 Stephanie Cochran, District Attorney, Lake Charles, LA, for State/Appellee.

Paul Marx, Louisiana Appellate Project, Lafayette, LA, for Defendant/Appellant.

Court composed of BILLIE COLOMBARO WOODARD, OSWALD A. DECUIR, and MICHAEL G. SULLIVAN, Judges.

WOODARD, Judge.

On August 1, 1997, the State charged Ronald Randle, by bill of information, with simple burglary, unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, theft, and felony grade illegal possession of stolen things, violations of La.R.S. 14:61, La.R.S. 14:62.3, La. R.S. 14:67, and La.R.S. 14:69, respectively. Additionally, on August 23, 2000, it charged him with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, a violation of La.R.S. 40:966(A)(1). Based on a plea agreement, he pled guilty to felony illegal possession of stolen things and possession *660 of marijuana with intent to distribute in exchange for the State's dismissal of the remaining charges.

The trial court sentenced Mr. Randle to serve ten years at hard labor, with six years suspended, on the possession of marijuana with intent to distribute conviction and five years at hard labor, one year suspended, on the illegal possession of stolen things conviction, both, to run concurrently. Additionally, he received five years supervised probation upon release. Furthermore, the court informed him that the sentences were subject to diminution for good behavior and that they were not enhanced pursuant to any habitual offender laws. Lastly, it informed him of the time delays for seeking post conviction relief.

Mr. Randle filed a motion to reconsider his sentence, which the court, ultimately, denied. He appeals.

* * * * *

On June 17, 1997, Deputy Howard Vincent and Deputy Sittig were dispatched to Mr. and Mrs. Greg and Tammy Naquin's home for an alleged burglary. Fresh footprints led them from the Naquin home to Mr. Joseph Papillion, Jr.'s home, next door. Ronald Randle, among others, resided with Mr. Papillion. After consent, the deputies searched the home and found the Naquins' belongings in Mr. Randle's possession.

On January 29, 1999, Corporal Chaddick and Corporal Harrell observed Mr. Randle, riding his bicycle away from a lawnmower, late at night, in the middle of the road. During a patdown, he continuously attempted to put his hand in his pocket. Corporal Harrell reached into the pocket and located a cell phone bag, containing ten marijuana cigars. After being Mirandized, Mr. Randle stated that he smokes marijuana but does not sell it.

ERRORS PATENT

In accordance with La.Code Crim.P. art. 920, we review all appeals for errors patent. After reviewing the record, we find three.

The first two involve Mr. Randle's sentences. The trial court sentenced him for both convictions in one proceeding. He received a ten year sentence, with six years suspended, for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and five years, one year suspended, for illegal possession of stolen things, to run concurrently with his sentence for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. However, the issue of probation remained unclear. Later in the proceeding, the trial court stated:

Actually, that's why I gave him the ten years and suspended the balance. The other five of those six years that were suspended will be probated and held over his head for him to stay out of trouble, pursuant to the conditions of Article 893.1. [He later clarified that he meant to refer to article 895.]
. . . .
And further, that he would make restitution, once it's determined, with regard to the amount of items that were taken.
. . . .
All right. I'm sorry if I didn't indicate, but it is five years supervised probation, following his release, under the condition of 893.1, which would include, as I indicated, restitution, no crimes, and he will have to pay the $50 per month supervision fee during that time frame.
. . . .
And undergo drug screening as ordered by the Office of Probation and Parole.

Although the lower court does not make it clear, it is possible to infer that it placed *661 the Defendant on probation on both counts. In the first sentence, the court refers to the ten-year sentence that it imposed for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. However, the court appears to be referring to that same sentence when it states that "[t]he other five of those six years that were suspended will be probated and held over his head[.]" The trial court's reference to six years is a reference to the six years that were suspended on the possession with the intent to distribute marijuana sentence, and its reference to five years is to the five years of probation. In the very next sentence, however, the court appears to be contemplating the sentence for illegal possession of stolen things because it imposed restitution for the items taken as a condition of probation. Then, in the final sentence of the above excerpt, the trial court appears to contemplate the sentence imposed for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, since it ordered the Defendant to undergo drug screening as a condition of probation. Thus, it appears that the trial court may have been contemplating both sentences when it imposed the five years of probation, intending to impose probation on both counts.

However, another error patent adds to the ambiguity of the sentences imposed. The trial court ordered that Mr. Randle "make restitution, once it's determined, with regard to the amount of items that were taken." Later, it ordered that the Defendant be responsible for only one-half of the restitution, as there was a codefendant involved. To begin with, it is unclear whether the trial court ordered restitution as a condition of probation or as La.Code Crim.P. art. 883.2 requires. La. Code Crim.P. art. 883.2 requires the court to impose restitution to the victim where the court finds that the victim suffered an actual pecuniary loss or incurred costs of prosecution without requiring suspension of a defendant's sentence. This article, however, does not apply, in this case, as the offense occurred prior to the article's effective date.[1] Thus, if the trial court was ordering restitution under La.Code Crim.P. art. 883.2, it did so improperly.

If, however, it imposed restitution as a condition of probation, it is not clear whether the trial court intended for it to be a condition of probation on one or both counts. Because it stated that he should pay restitution to the victims for the items taken, it appears that the court intended it to be a condition of the probation for illegal possession of stolen things. However, it did not specify such, and, restitution could arguably be a proper condition for possession with the intent to distribute marijuana if restitution were reasonably related to his rehabilitation on that offense. Consequently, the uncertainty as to the court's intent in the imposition of restitution adds to the ambiguity of the sentences imposed. Therefore, we find that the sentences are indeterminate. Accordingly, we vacate them and remand for resentencing.

Additionally, the trial court failed to set the amount of restitution, an error which, alone, renders a sentence illegal. Therefore, upon remand, we instruct the court that i

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State v. Randle, 827 So. 2d 657, 2002 WL 31236414 (La. Ct. App. 2002).

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