State v. Shumaker

914 So. 2d 1156, 2005 WL 2810753
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 28, 2005
Docket40,275-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 914 So. 2d 1156 (State v. Shumaker) 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. Shumaker, 914 So. 2d 1156, 2005 WL 2810753 (La. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

914 So.2d 1156 (2005)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee
v.
William Wayne SHUMAKER, Appellant.

No. 40,275-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

October 28, 2005.

*1159 John Cucci, Jr., Shreveport, for Appellant.

Paul J. Carmouche, District Attorney, Catherine M. Estopinal, Donna Frasier, Assistant District Attorneys, for Appellee.

Before STEWART, CARAWAY and MOORE, JJ.

CARAWAY, J.

William Wayne Shumaker ("Shumaker") was originally charged with conspiracy to manufacture a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance ("CDS") and with the crime of creation or operation of a clandestine laboratory for the unlawful manufacture of a CDS under La. R.S. 40:983. A jury convicted him of an attempt of the manufacturing charge. He was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years at hard labor and fined $10,000. He appeals his conviction. We affirm.

Facts

On April 21, 2004, Caddo Parish Sheriff's officers responded to a complaint about the smell of ammonia coming from a trailer on Meriwether Road in Shreveport, Louisiana. Upon their arrival to conduct a "knock and talk," the officers noticed a strong chemical odor like sour or rotten eggs which indicated the manufacture of methamphetamine.

Penny Langley ("Langley"), who was babysitting a child of the owner of the trailer, responded and eventually consented to a search of the premises. Syringes, gas masks, used coffee filters with a chemical odor, plastic containers, rubber gloves, a facial air respirator, a glue gun, the grille of a portable light, and two digital scales were found in the kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom of the residence. A 50-gallon tank of suspected anhydrous ammonia, *1160 plastic containers, gas masks, and hoses were also found in an unlocked abandoned trailer located behind the actual residence. Approximately 17 empty cans of starter fluid were discovered in the yard along with a buried black box that contained starter fluid, Morton salt, a gas mask and other plastic containers. No pseudoephedrine was found although blister packs similar to those in which pseudoephedrine is packaged were found in a burn pile in the back yard.

The defendant and Theresa Waddell arrived home while the search was in progress. Deputy James McLamb, II, conducted a pat down search of Shumaker and inquired if the defendant had anything on his person that might hurt the officer. Shumaker told the deputy he had a syringe in his pocket which the officer retrieved. After gaining consent to search Waddell's purse, Corporal Michelle Sanderlin seized a bag with one ounce of methamphetamine and an Excedrin bottle that also contained methamphetamine.

Shumaker was read his Miranda rights at the time of his arrest. He thereafter confessed to Agent Gary Bailey that he had helped a man from Arkansas, named "Tap," cook methamphetamine and that his fingerprints would be found on some of the evidence recovered. A hazardous waste removal company was dispatched to the location for cleanup.

The defense filed a pre-trial motion to suppress arguing that the babysitter did not have authority to consent to the warrantless search of the premises. Shumaker also sought to suppress his arrest statements to the officer. After a hearing on the motion to suppress, the trial court denied the motion and found that the babysitter had authority to consent to the search. Regarding Shumaker's arrest statement, the trial court conducted a free and voluntary hearing on the day of trial after jury selection and ruled that Shumaker's statements were freely and voluntarily given.

At trial, Shumaker argued that the chemical smell was from repairs he made to the sewer system and explained that the materials found on his property were necessary to maintain equipment he owned. He also testified that the syringes belonged to Waddell, his girlfriend.

A jury acquitted Shumaker of the conspiracy charge but convicted him of attempted creation and operation of a clandestine laboratory. Shumaker filed post-trial motions for new trial, post-verdict judgment of acquittal and arrest of judgment and argued that the statute of conviction was unconstitutional. The trial court denied the motions and sentenced Shumaker to seven-and-a-half years at hard labor and a $10,000 fine. This appeal ensued.

Discussion

Right to Counsel

On the day of trial, Shumaker raised concerns about proceeding with his counsel. These concerns were addressed in the court, but his counsel ultimately was retained and conducted the trial. In his first assignment of error, Shumaker argues that he was deprived of "the protections afforded by" the Sixth Amendment as the trial was conducted after he "fired" his lawyer in open court. He contends that "there had been no prior request . . . to upset the jury trial date" and that his attempt to "fire" counsel was not merely dilatory. He cites Fuller v. Diesslin, 868 F.2d 604 (3d Cir.1989), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 873, 110 S.Ct. 203, 107 L.Ed.2d 156 (1989), and Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S.Ct. 2525, 45 L.Ed.2d 562 (1975), to support his claim that he is entitled to a new trial without the necessity of showing prejudice because no hearing was held *1161 regarding his alleged waiver of representation. Shumaker contends that while the trial court stated during the hearing on his motion for a new trial that "the defendant had spoken to the court and had indicated that he was satisfied" with counsel, there is no showing of that statement in the record. He further argues that he had legitimate cause to "fire" his counsel.

U.S. Constitutional Amendment VI, as well as Louisiana Constitution article I, § 13, guarantee the accused in a criminal proceeding the right to assistance of counsel for his defense. Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 83 S.Ct. 792, 9 L.Ed.2d 799 (1963); State v. Carpenter, 390 So.2d 1296 (La.1980); State v. White, 325 So.2d 584 (La.1976); State v. Flanagan, 32,535 (La.App. 2d Cir.10/29/99), 744 So.2d 718. The right to counsel may be waived, but the accused must know of the right and intentionally relinquish the right. Faretta v. California, supra. In order to be valid, a waiver of the right to counsel by a defendant must be made knowingly, understandingly and intelligently. Id.

The right to counsel of choice must be exercised at a reasonable time, in a reasonable manner, and at an appropriate stage within the procedural framework of the criminal justice system of which it is a part. State v. Seiss, 428 So.2d 444 (La.1983). Absent a justifiable basis, "[t]here is no constitutional right to make a new choice of counsel on the very date the trial is to begin, with the attendant necessity of a continuance and its disrupting implications." State v. Leggett, 363 So.2d 434 (La.1978). Once the trial day has arrived, the question of withdrawal of counsel rests largely within the discretion of the trial judge. State v. Seiss, supra; State v. Leggett, supra.

Prior to the free and voluntary hearing on the morning of trial, Shumaker announced to the trial court that he was "firing" his attorney. The trial court instructed defense counsel to talk to the defendant. After the off-record discussion when court resumed, defense counsel requested to declare on the record the defendant's concerns regarding representation.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State of Louisiana v. Tyrone D. Johnson
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2019
State v. Roth
260 So. 3d 1230 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018)
State v. Saulsberry
247 So. 3d 1137 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2018)
State v. Thomas
223 So. 3d 759 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2017)
State v. Johnson
182 So. 3d 1039 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2015)
State v. Howard
169 So. 3d 777 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2015)
State v. Conner
152 So. 3d 209 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2014)
State v. Clayton
155 So. 3d 290 (Supreme Court of Alabama, 2014)
State v. Reyes
114 So. 3d 547 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2013)
State v. Fogleman
98 So. 3d 964 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2012)
State of Louisiana v. Byran Louis Fogleman
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2012
State v. Cortez
98 So. 3d 382 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2012)
State v. Lara
78 So. 3d 159 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011)
State v. Nickles
60 So. 3d 728 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011)
State v. White
58 So. 3d 493 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011)
State v. Harris
20 So. 3d 1121 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009)
State v. Banks
999 So. 2d 808 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State v. Sera
997 So. 2d 707 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State v. Pride
Court of Appeals of South Carolina, 2007
State v. Shumaker
945 So. 2d 277 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2006)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
914 So. 2d 1156, 2005 WL 2810753, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-shumaker-lactapp-2005.