State v. Scott

975 So. 2d 782, 2008 WL 373606
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 13, 2008
Docket42,997-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 975 So. 2d 782 (State v. Scott) 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. Scott, 975 So. 2d 782, 2008 WL 373606 (La. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

975 So.2d 782 (2008)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee
v.
Jason Eric SCOTT, Appellant.

No. 42,997-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

February 13, 2008.

*783 Charles R. Whitehead, Jr., Natchitoches, for Appellant.

William R. Jones, District Attorney, Julie C. Jones, Assistant District Attorney, for Appellee.

Before BROWN, C.J., and PEATROSS, and LOLLEY, JJ.

BROWN, Chief Judge.

Defendant, Jason Eric Scott, in separate indictments was charged with the aggravated rape of his 4-year-old niece (potentially a capital offense) and pornography involving juveniles. During pretrial proceedings, defendant filed a motion to suppress inculpatory statements. Defendant's motion to suppress in the rape case was presented in two parts. He sought to suppress a statement following an alleged illegal entry of his residence by his brother, who was also the victim's father and a sheriff's deputy; and, second, to suppress statements given while in custody at the sheriff's office. After the motion was denied, defendant entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of molestation of a juvenile, reserving his right to appeal the trial court's adverse ruling on his motion to suppress. See State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (La.1976). The pornography charge was dismissed. Defendant was sentenced to ten years imprisonment *784 at hard labor. The trial court's decision is affirmed; however, the case is remanded solely for notification of the sex offender registration requirements.

Discussion

Events Leading to Defendant's Arrest

The incident leading to the rape charge occurred on January 13, 2005, in Red River Parish. Defendant, who was nineteen years old, was the younger brother of Tracy Scott, who was the chief deputy for the Red River Parish Sheriff's Office. Deputy Scott arrived home from work shortly after 4:30 p.m. on January 13, 2005. His 9-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter were at home with defendant, who had been babysitting. Defendant left shortly thereafter and went to his mother's house, where he lived, which was approximately 150 to 200 yards from Deputy Scott's mobile home. Both homes were on a ten-acre tract bought by Deputy Scott's parents.[1]

Deputy Scott noticed that his 4-year-old daughter was upset and crying. After his wife, Stacie Scott, came home from work they both talked to the child, who stated that defendant had been messing with her. Apparently, the child provided no further details about what had happened.

Deputy Scott changed into his civilian clothes (although he kept on his work pants, which had a pair of handcuffs in them) and got into his wife's car and drove the short distance to his mother's house. Upon arriving at his mother's house, Deputy Scott knocked, opened the unlocked door, entered and called out for defendant. Deputy Scott testified that he frequently entered his mother's house in this manner. Deputy Scott testified that he wanted to find out why his daughter was upset.

Deputy Scott saw defendant near the kitchen. Defendant was wearing only gym shorts, no shirt or shoes. Deputy Scott asked defendant why his daughter was crying. At first, defendant denied that anything had taken place. Upon further questioning, defendant admitted that he had touched the child on her bare butt and ducked his head and said, "I'm sick." At that point, Deputy Scott handcuffed defendant, then used the house phone to call the sheriff's office to send a deputy. When he learned that there were no officers in the vicinity, Deputy Scott took defendant back to his mobile home to make a switch to his patrol car. Deputy Scott testified that he read defendant his Miranda rights on the way to the sheriff's office. When he arrived at the sheriff's office parking lot, Deputy Scott gave custody of defendant to Deputy Emmett Moore.

Defendant's Confession while in Custody

Shortly after arriving at the sheriff's office, defendant was interviewed by Detective Johnny Taylor and Deputy Michael Antilley. After determining defendant's ability to read and write and his educational level, Detective Taylor gave defendant a written copy of the Miranda rights card and read the rights form to him. Detective Taylor testified that as he read the rights to defendant, he occasionally made eye contact with defendant to see whether he looked confused. Detective Taylor read the first paragraph to defendant (which advised defendant of his Miranda rights), and at the conclusion, asked defendant if he understood those rights. Defendant responded that he did. Detective Taylor proceeded to read the second paragraph of the card concerning whether defendant *785 wished to waive those rights. After reading the paragraph, Det. Taylor asked defendant if he wanted to waive the rights and make a statement. Defendant said yes and signed the form.

Defendant made statements that were transcribed by Deputy Antilley as they were talking. Defendant admitted that he touched the child on her bare butt and genital areas on several occasions with both his finger and tongue.[2]

Officer Antilley testified that he placed defendant back in the holding cell after their first interview so that he could retrieve a computer disk on which to save the statement (rather than doing so on the computer's hard drive). Deputy Antilley brought defendant back out into the booking room shortly thereafter, at which time defendant gave an additional statement admitting that the child had touched his penis. During the second interview, only Det. Antilley and defendant were present.

The Alleged Illegal Entry

Defendant argues that the warrantless entry and arrest by Deputy Scott were illegal. The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that "[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause . . ." The Fourth Amendment's purpose is to protect citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.[3]See, Camara v. Municipal Court of City & County of San Francisco, 387 U.S. 523, 87 S.Ct. 1727, 18 L.Ed.2d 930 (1967).

For Fourth Amendment purposes, a search or seizure requires a governmental intrusion into an area where an individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy. The Fourth Amendment protects people, not places, but place has an important role in determining whether the individual's Fourth Amendment rights are implicated. See Minnesota v. Carter, 525 U.S. 83, 119 S.Ct. 469, 142 L.Ed.2d 373 (1998). It does not apply, however, to searches or seizures performed by individuals acting in their capacity as private parties. United States v. Jacobsen, 466 U.S. 109, 104 S.Ct. 1652, 80 L.Ed.2d 85 (1984). See, U.S. v. Ginglen, 467 F.3d 1071 (7th Cir.2006), holding that a warrantless entry of defendant's home by defendant's son, an off-duty police officer from another city who suspected that his father was wanted in connection with a bank robbery, was lawful because he did not act in an official capacity but rather as private citizen out of concern for his father.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
975 So. 2d 782, 2008 WL 373606, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-scott-lactapp-2008.