State v. Sims

529 So. 2d 454, 1988 WL 66205
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 21, 1988
DocketKA 87 1522
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 529 So. 2d 454 (State v. Sims) 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. Sims, 529 So. 2d 454, 1988 WL 66205 (La. Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

529 So.2d 454 (1988)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Roosevelt SIMS.

No. KA 87 1522.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

June 21, 1988.
Writ Denied November 11, 1988.

*455 Warren Daigle, Asst. Dist. Atty., Houma, for plaintiff and appellee—State.

Anthony Champagne, Indigent Defenders Office, Houma, for defendant and appellant—Roosevelt Sims.

Before SHORTESS, LANIER and CRAIN, JJ.

CRAIN, Judge.

Roosevelt Sims was charged by bill of information with attempted second degree murder. He was tried by a jury, which returned a verdict of guilty to the responsive offense of aggravated battery, a violation of La.R.S. 14:34. Defendant stipulated to the provisions of a bill of information filed by the state, charging that he was a habitual offender within the provisions of La.R.S. 15:529.1. The trial court imposed the maximum sentence of twenty years at hard labor. Defendant appealed, urging eight assignments of error and briefing seven.[1] Assignments of error not briefed on appeal are considered abandoned.

FACTS

Defendant was charged with the attempted murder of Benjamine Theriot. Defendant and the victim were acquaintances of long standing. Defendant testified that various sources told him the victim had publicly stated that defendant was a police informant and, as a result, defendant feared for his life. The incident from which these charges arose occurred in the *456 early evening of January 7, 1987. On that date, defendant was visiting friends who lived across the street from him. The victim accompanied a mutual acquaintance, Gerald Lyons, to the same house, where Lyons was to pick up his nephew. The victim remained seated in the car as Lyons stood outside, awaiting his nephew's arrival. Defendant and Lyons's nephew left the house together and walked to the street. Defendant noticed Lyons's car parked near the house and asked him who was seated in it. According to the victim, when defendant learned he was inside the car, defendant pulled a gun and stated, "Oh, I wants to kill that bitch. He's been talking about me." Lyons attempted to intercede, wrestling with defendant and causing him to fire a shot into the air. Defendant then fired several shots through the car door. Theriot was shot twice, once in each leg. He opened the door and attempted to step out of the car. Defendant returned and shot him once more, striking the victim in the torso. During emergency surgery, a bullet was removed from Theriot's stomach.

Defendant claimed that he walked over to the car to talk to Theriot and try to dissuade him from repeating the accusation that defendant was an informant. He testified the victim told him, "You're worse than it should be worse and he ought to be dead." Defendant further testified that he fired a warning shot into the air as he saw the victim slide across the front seat with a shiny object in his hand. He fired at the victim's legs when Theriot attempted to get out of the car. Defendant further testified that, as he was leaving, he saw the victim get out of the car. Defendant returned and shot Theriot again to prevent the victim from pursuing him. Defendant then walked across the street to his house.

During the altercation, Lyons left the scene to call the police. Defendant was apprehended minutes later as he returned. He had gone back to his house to reload the gun.

After his arrest, defendant gave a statement to the police in which he admitted that he shot Theriot but stated that he believed the victim had a weapon and was about to pursue him. A pair of scissors, which belonged to Theriot, was found on the passenger seat of Lyons's car. The victim testified that he used the scissors to cut and clean his fingernails and that he carried them with him at all times.

DENIAL OF CHALLENGE FOR CAUSE

[Assignments of error one and two]

By these assignments of error, defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying his challenges of two prospective jurors. In assignment of error number one, defendant contends that the court erred by denying his challenge of Raoul Soignet, who stated during the voir dire that he felt it would be difficult to give defendant a fair and impartial trial if defendant did not testify. In assignment of error number two, defendant submits the trial court erred by denying his challenge of Katie Parfait, who testified that she believed defendant must be guilty because he had been charged with a crime. Both of the jurors were excluded by peremptory challenges. Defendant exercised all of his peremptory challenges.

An accused in a criminal case is constitutionally entitled to a full and complete voir dire examination and to the exercise of peremptory challenges. La.Const. art. I, section 17. The purpose of the voir dire examination is to determine the qualifications of prospective jurors "by testing their competency and impartiality and discovering bases for [the] intelligent exercise of cause and peremptory challenges." State v. Burton, 464 So.2d 421, 425 (La.App. 1st Cir.), writ denied, 468 So.2d 570 (La.1985). The trial court is vested with broad discretion in ruling on a challenge for cause, which ruling will not be disturbed absent a showing of abuse of that discretion. State v. Comeaux, 514 So.2d 84 (La.1987).

During questioning by the court, Mr. Soignet testified that he would be affected by defendant's failure to take the stand. He indicated that his feelings were based in part upon his opinion that, if accused of a crime, he would want to explain his side. Upon further questioning, Mr. Soignet related *457 that he could put that opinion out of his mind and give the state and defendant a fair trial. The trial court specifically inquired whether or not he was so set in his opinion that he could not give an accused a fair trial. Mr. Soignet testified that he was sure that he could. The court later asked Mr. Soignet whether or not he could follow the law instructed by the court and if he would want a juror with the same opinion to sit in judgment if he were on trial. Mr. Soignet again testified that he could follow the directions of the court.

Defense counsel also questioned Mr. Soignet, asking him whether or not he would presume defendant was guilty if he failed to take the stand. Mr. Soignet responded that he understood the court's explanation and that he would not find defendant guilty because he did not want to testify.

Defendant challenged Mr. Soignet on the grounds that he would be unable to recognize the presumption of innocence. The court denied the challenge, stating it was satisfied that Mr. Soignet's responses indicated that he could be a fair and impartial juror.

The second challenged juror, Mrs. Parfait, initially indicated that she believed defendant must be guilty simply because he was on trial for the offense. However, when defense counsel asked her if she actually felt defendant must be guilty, she responded, "Well, I feel like we don't know the whole story of what he did wrong or why he's actually here." Mrs. Parfait then advised the court that she could put her opinion out of her mind and require the state to prove defendant guilty.

A juror who is incapable of recognizing the defendant's presumption of innocence is not competent to serve. State v. Davenport, 445 So.2d 1190 (La.1984). However, these cases are more analagous to those in which a juror has voiced an opinion seemingly prejudicial to the defense but subsequently, upon further inquiry or instruction by the court, has demonstrated willingness and ability to decide the case impartially, according to the law and evidence.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
529 So. 2d 454, 1988 WL 66205, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-sims-lactapp-1988.