State v. Sanchez

462 So. 2d 1304
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 14, 1985
Docket84-KA-135
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 462 So. 2d 1304 (State v. Sanchez) 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. Sanchez, 462 So. 2d 1304 (La. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

462 So.2d 1304 (1985)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Victoria SANCHEZ.

No. 84-KA-135.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

January 14, 1985.
Writ Denied March 22, 1985.

*1305 Ronald S. Ruiz, New Orleans, for defendant-appellant.

John M. Mamoulides, Dist. Atty., Dorothy A. Pendergast, Asst. Dist. Atty., 24th Judicial Dist., Jefferson Parish, Gretna, for plaintiff-appellee.

Before CHEHARDY, CURRAULT and DUFRESNE, JJ.

DUFRESNE, Judge.

The defendant, Victoria Sanchez, was convicted by a jury of manslaughter, (LSA R.S. 14:31). She was sentenced to imprisonment for ten years at hard labor. The sentence was suspended and the defendant was placed on active probation for five years and a special condition was made that she return to Honduras permanently. We affirm the conviction, but remand for resentencing.

She relies on one assignment of error; that the trial judge erred in not granting the defendant's motion to suppress inculpatory statements.

The basic facts are these:

On the evening of December 18, 1982, John Cassanova (neighbor of the defendant) upon returning home, observed Victoria Sanchez clad only in panties and a "flimsy" blouse, standing outside on the lawn between his house and hers. He also observed his wife standing nearby holding two bath towels.

He spoke first to his wife who informed him that there had been a disturbance at the Sanchez residence and that "Vicky had come over for help, and that Vincente had killed himself ..." She then handed her husband the bath towels for Ms. Sanchez. Cassanova then spoke to Ms. Sanchez who told him "Sanchez tried to kill me, and then killed himself ..." Having previously been a medic, Cassanova decided to enter the Sanchez residence to determine whether Vincente Sanchez was in need of assistance. As he reached the den area of the house he observed Vincente Sanchez lying on the floor "with all of the weapons around him, as though it was some type of ornamentation around him." Cassanova *1306 felt for a pulse and as he touched the carotid artery, Sanchez's head turned and blood came from his mouth. At that point Cassanova felt sure Sanchez was dead.

As he had been trying to ascertain the medical condition of Vincente Sanchez, Victoria Sanchez had been screaming incoherently and Cassanova felt that she was on the brink of hysterics. As he watched, she began to use the towel he had previously given her to wipe off the guns which were laying near her husband's body. Cassanova interrupted the activity and told her to put more clothes on while he called the police to report the homicide. While he was waiting for the officers to arrive, Ms. Sanchez returned to the den from the bedroom area, sat on the sofa, and looking at her husband stated, "Oh, why did you make me do this?"

Shortly thereafter, Officer Theresa Gauci arrived at the residence. She attempted to speak with Ms. Sanchez but received no response. Because of the injury to Ms. Sanchez's arm, an ambulance was called and Ms. Sanchez, accompanied by two deputies, was transported to East Jefferson Hospital for treatment.

At the hospital, Ms. Sanchez received five (5) stitches on her left arm, and to calm her, an injection of vistaril. The hospital bill contained in the record also reflects that a tetanus shot was administered. She was discharged at 1:50 a.m. on the morning of December 19, 1982.

Detective Marco Nuzzolillo employed in the Homicide Unit of the Jefferson Parish, was called regarding the death of Vincente Sanchez at about 11:30 p.m. He arrived at the Sanchez residence at about 12:05 on the morning of December 19th, and began conducting the investigation. After directing the Crime Scene Technicians to process the scene, Nuzzolillo interviewed several witnesses, including the Cassanovas. He then proceeded to the East Bank Lockup to interview Ms. Sanchez who was being transported from the hospital to that location. Because he had been informed that Ms. Sanchez spoke only Spanish, he requested an interpreter from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, but was told that no one was available. State Trooper John Escoto was contacted by a close friend of the defendant. Escoto contacted the First District Lockup and, after learning that an interview was to be conducted, volunteered his services as an interpreter. He was accepted as such and proceeded to the lockup on Metairie Road where he met with Nuzzolillo and Victoria Sanchez.

Following an explanation by Trooper Escoto, a waiver of rights form was executed by Victoria Sanchez at 2:25 a.m. on the morning of December 19, 1982. Trooper Escoto testified that the initial interrogation lasted approximately twenty minutes, although Detective Nuzzolillo who conducted the questioning, stated it lasted closer to an hour.

Following the interview, they returned to the Sanchez house, at Nuzzolillo's request, arriving at approximately 3:58 a.m. Ms. Sanchez re-enacted the struggle of the previous evening, with Trooper Escoto acting as Vincente Sanchez.

On December 21, 1982, at 3:12 p.m. following further investigation by Detective Nuzzolillo, conflicting information was developed and another statement was taken from Ms. Sanchez. This statement, taken through a different interpreter, was substantially similar to the one previously given, except that Ms. Sanchez admitted that during the struggle she may have shot her husband.

Following the second statement, Ms. Sanchez was arrested for murder and the present prosecution ensued.

Although the defendant did not file assignments of error with the trial court, she has incorporated the one assignment of error in her appellant brief.

In the past, this court has ruled that assignments of error which were not formally filed with the trial court and therefore not included in the record, but rather were incorporated into the brief, have not been properly presented for review. See State v. Blanchard, 450 So.2d 738 (La.App. 5th Cir. 1984); State v. Jack, 448 So.2d 725 *1307 (La.App. 5th Cir.1984); State v. Sonnier, 441 So.2d 359 (La.App. 5th Cir.1983).

However, in the interest of judicial economy, rather than dismiss the defendant's appeal, we will nevertheless consider the argument presented by the defendant.

Defense counsel maintains that the statement given by Victoria Sanchez on December 19, 1982, was not freely and voluntarily made as she had been given 100 mg. of vistaril intravenously, a couple of hours earlier.

Before a confession can be introduced in evidence, it is incumbent upon the state to prove that it was free and voluntary and not made under the influence of fear, duress, intimidation, menaces, threats, inducements or promises. La.R.S. 15:451; State v. Robinson, 384 So.2d 332 (La.1980). The state must also establish that an accused who makes a confession during custodial interrogation was first advised of his Miranda rights. State v. Kersey, 406 So.2d 555 (La.1981).

Officer Marco Nuzzolillo, the chief investigator of the homicide from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office testified that he met and spoke to Victoria Sanchez concerning the death of her husband on two occasions, on December 19, 1982, at 2:25 a.m. and on December 21, 1982, at 3:12 p.m., each time advising her of her constitutional Miranda rights through an interpreter. Trooper John Escoto and Ms. Lenora Trombach acted as interpreters on December 19, 1982, and December 21, 1982, respectively. The Rights of Arrestee and Suspects form was signed by Mrs. Sanchez as well as by Officer Nuzzolillo and Trooper Escoto. Officer Nuzzolillo said Mrs.

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Bluebook (online)
462 So. 2d 1304, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-sanchez-lactapp-1985.