State v. Scamardo

708 So. 2d 1126, 1998 WL 64016
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 11, 1998
Docket97-KA-197
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 708 So. 2d 1126 (State v. Scamardo) 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. Scamardo, 708 So. 2d 1126, 1998 WL 64016 (La. Ct. App. 1998).

Opinion

708 So.2d 1126 (1998)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Richard A. SCAMARDO a/k/a Richard Scamardo.

No. 97-KA-197.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

February 11, 1998.

*1127 Paul D. Connick, Jr., Terry M. Boudreaux, George Saleem Hesni, II, District Attorney's Office, Gretna, for Plaintiff/Appellee State.

Bruce G. Whittaker, Louisiana Appellate Project, Gretna, for Defendant/Appellant Richard A. Scamardo.

Before GRISBAUM, BOWES and CANNELLA, JJ.

BOWES, Judge.

Defendant, Richard A. Scamardo, was convicted of theft of goods valued at $100.00 to $500.00, a violation of La. R.S. 14:67.10, and he was sentenced to two (2) years at hard labor, with credit for time served. Defendant was subsequently adjudicated a fourth time felony offender and sentenced to twenty (20) years at hard labor, without benefit of probation or suspension of sentence, with credit for time served. Defendant now appeals. For the following reasons, we affirm the defendant's conviction and sentence.

*1128 FACTS

The evidence at trial adduced the following facts.

On December 20, 1994, Ricky Bremer was working as an executive assistant manager at a Walgreens store. Mr. Bremer testified that on that date, about 3:15 p.m., he was informed that there was a suspicious person in the store who had picked up some merchandise. Mr. Bremer walked to the aisle and saw the defendant "shoving" casino games into either his jacket or his shirt. As the defendant was walking towards the exit of the store, Mr. Bremer stopped him and asked the defendant if he had anything he wished to pay for. The defendant said no. At that point Mr. Bremer could see the merchandise under the defendant's jacket. Mr. Bremer testified that he and two other men detained the defendant. In the struggle, the defendant dropped the merchandise on the floor in the store hallway. Soon after, the police arrived and transported the defendant out of the store.

Three other Walgreens' employees testified at trial and corroborated Mr. Bremer's story. The merchandise was valued at approximately $172.00.

ANALYSIS

Counsel for defendant has filed a brief in which he assigns as error the trial court's failure to grant appellant's pre-trial motion to change his plea to not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity, or alternatively, to determine whether appellant was presently competent to proceed. In addition, counsel requests that we review the record for errors patent.

In addition, defendant has filed a pro se brief in which he raises four assignments of error, in which he alleges:

(1) that the trial court erred in vacating his original sentence prior to the multiple bill hearing;

(2) that the trial court erred in finding him to be a multiple offender,

(3) that the trial court erred in finding him to be a fourth felony offender; and

(4) that the trial court erred in denying his constitutional right to present a defense (by failing to allow him to change his plea from not guilty to not guilty by reason of insanity).

MOTION TO CHANGE PLEA/CAPACITY TO PROCEED

In his brief, counsel for defendant alleges that the trial court erred by not considering defendant's pre-trial motion to change his plea from not guilty to not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity, or alternatively in not finding that defendant had the mental capacity to proceed. In addition, defendant in his pro se brief alleges that the trial court, in failing to allow him to change his plea, denied him his constitutional right to present a defense.

The record reflects that defendant was originally represented by appointed counsel; however, shortly before trial, retained counsel enrolled in this case. On May 2, 1995, the day of trial, along with several other motions, defense counsel filed a motion to change defendant's plea from not guilty to not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. In this motion, defense counsel alleged that defendant was suffering from a mental defect and was not able to tell right from wrong at the time of the commission of the alleged crime. This motion was not considered prior to trial.

After he was convicted, defendant filed a motion for new trial based upon the trial court's failure to entertain his motion to change the plea, and the trial court's failure to "order an examination to determine the accused's mental condition at the time the offense was committed."

Subsequently, the defendant filed an application for appointment of a sanity commission. In the application the defendant alleged that:

(1) the defendant was unable to distinguish right from wrong at the time of the offense: and

(2) the defendant lacked the mental capacity to proceed.

The trial court considered the defendant's capacity to proceed and heard the defendant's motion for new trial. The trial judge *1129 found that defendant was competent to proceed and he denied the motion for new trial.

On appeal, defendant alleges that the trial court erred in failing to consider the motion to change the plea prior to the start of trial. However, this Court has held that motions pending at commencement of trial are waived if defendant proceeds at trial without raising as an issue the fact that the motions were not ruled upon. State v. Price, 96-680 (La.App. 5 Cir. 2/25/97), 690 So.2d 191. By proceeding to trial without objection, the defendant waived his right to have the motion considered.

Defendant argues alternatively that the trial court erred by not determining whether the defendant was competent to proceed prior to the trial of this matter.

La.C.Cr.P. art. 642 provides that once a defendant's mental capacity to proceed is called into question, there shall be no further steps in the criminal prosecution. La.C.Cr.P. art. 643 further provides that the court is required to order a mental examination of the defendant when it has reasonable grounds to doubt defendant's capacity. The ordering of a sanity commission to inquire into the defendant's present capacity to proceed rests in the sound discretion of the trial court. State v. Bibb, 626 So.2d 913 (La.App. 5 Cir.1993), writ denied, 93-K-3127 (La.9/16/94), 642 So.2d 188. Furthermore, the ruling of a district court on a defendant's mental capacity to proceed is entitled to great weight on appellate review, and will not be overturned absent an abuse of discretion. State v. Bibb, supra.

There is nothing in the record to suggest that the defendant raised the issue of his competency to proceed prior to trial. The defendant first raised the issue after trial in his application for appointment of a sanity commission. Pursuant to a sanity commission hearing, the trial court found the defendant was competent to proceed. Based on our review of the record, we find no abuse of discretion in this ruling of the trial court. Therefore, we find no error in this regard.

ERRORS PATENT

We have reviewed the record in accordance with La.C.Cr.P. art. 920; State v. Oliveaux, 312 So.2d 337 (La.1975); State v. Weiland, 556 So.2d 175 (La.App. 5 Cir.1990); and State v. Godejohn, 425 So.2d 750 (La. 1983) and note that the trial court failed to advise the defendant of the three year period for filing post-conviction relief as mandated by La.C.Cr.P. art. 930.8. Accordingly, we remand this matter and order the trial court to inform the defendant of the provisions of La.C.Cr.P. art.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
708 So. 2d 1126, 1998 WL 64016, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-scamardo-lactapp-1998.