State v. Turner

352 So. 2d 1007, 1977 La. LEXIS 6719
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedNovember 14, 1977
DocketNo. 59654
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 352 So. 2d 1007 (State v. Turner) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Turner, 352 So. 2d 1007, 1977 La. LEXIS 6719 (La. 1977).

Opinions

SANDERS, Chief Justice.

The District Attorney for Orleans Parish charged defendant, Leonard Turner, with possession of heroin, a violation of LSA-R.S. 40:966. After a mistrial, a new trial, and a series of continuances, the defendant was tried and found guilty. The court subsequently found him to be a multiple offender and sentenced him to ten-years’ imprisonment in the custody of the Louisiana Department of Corrections. On appeal to this Court, defendant relies upon three assignments of error for reversal of his conviction and sentence.

Defendant’s assignments of error are procedural in nature. Defendant was arrested by New Orleans police officer on November 14,1974, for possession of heroin and carrying a concealed weapon. The District Attorney’s Office filed separate bills of information against the defendant, to which defendant entered not guilty pleas. Defendant was subsequently found not guilty of the weapons charge.

Defendant went to trial on the possession of heroin charge on February 26, 1975, and the court declared a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Defendant alleges that the first trial resulted in a mistrial because a material defense witness, Dewey Scott, testified on behalf of the defendant and directly contradicted the State’s only witnesses to the alleged offense, Police Officers Bass and Marziale.

Defendant again went to trial in April of 1975 on the possession charge, and, at this second trial, was found guilty as charged. The trial court, however, granted defendant’s motion for a new trial because of the absence of defense witness, Scott, who though present in court at the time the witnesses were sequestered, disappeared before he testified.

A third trial was set for the first week in July, but, on the day set for trial, the State nolle prosequied the charge after its request for a continuance had been denied.

On July 17, 1975, the State filed a new bill of information, charging defendant with the same crime: possession of heroin. This case was allotted to another section of the court, and, on motion of the defense, arraignment on the second bill of information was continued on July 21 and July 28. On August 1, defendant pleaded not guilty, and the court granted him ten days in which to file special pleadings. On August 6, 1975, he filed a Motion to Suppress Evidence. On August 29, the hearing on the Motion to Suppress was continued on motion of the defense. On September 3, the hearing was continued on the State’s motion, and on September 11, another continuance was granted on joint motion of the State and defense. On September 24, on a defense motion, the case was transferred to the court section to which the first charge had been allotted.

On November 10, 1975, the trial was rescheduled on motion of the defense. On November 25, the State was granted a continuance. Finally, on January 12, 1976, the trial took place, resulting in the conviction of defendant.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 1

Here, defendant complains of the overruling of his motion to quash the second bill of information based upon the allegation that he had been denied a speedy trial.

We are in complete agreement with the defense statement of the constitutional principles:

“The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides in pertinent part, ‘In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial . . . ’ This right to a speedy trial has been declared to be a ‘fundamental’ constitutional right and [1009]*1009therefore it is applicable to the states via the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the federal constitution. Klopfer v. North Carolina, 356 [386] U.S. 213, 87 S.Ct. 988, 18 L.Ed.2d 1 (1967); Smith v. Hooey, 393 U.S. 374, 89 S.Ct. 575, 21 L.Ed.2d 607 (1969); Dickey v. Florida, 398 U.S. 30, 90 S.Ct. 1564, 36 L.Ed.2d 26 (1970); State v. Harris, 297 So.2d 431 (La.1974).”

After an examination of the record, however, we conclude that defendant was not denied a spefedy trial. In his Per Curiam, the trial judge correctly disposes of defendant’s contention:

“The asserted denial of the right to a speedy trial is an issue which is determined by a balancing test, in which the conduct of both the prosecution and the defense are weighed. In this test, four main factors are considered; the length of the delay; the reasons for the delay; the defendant’s assertion of his right to a speedy trial; the prejudice to the defendant by the delay. State v. Harris [La.], 297 So.2d 431 (74); State v. Jones [La.], 320 So.2d 182 (75).
“In this case, although the cumulative period of delay was fourteen months, the defendant was brought to trial within three months. When a mistrial was granted in that case, the defendant was brought to trial again within two months. When a new trial was granted, the defendant was to be tried again within three months, in July, 1975. On that scheduled date, the State nolle pressed the case. This action and the State’s subsequent refiling of a second Bill of Information reflect some procrastination on the part of the State, however much of the post-July delay including the time consumed by the reassignment of the case to this section and the continuance granted in November, 1975 were caused by defense counsel. In fact, when the continuance was granted in November, the State did not express any unwillingness to go to trial at that time.
“The defendant’s real complaint is that the prosecution overstepped its authority by nolle prossing the case in July, 1975, and then soon thereafter reinstating proceeding against the defendant on the same charge. Although a nolle prosse is a valid disposition of a case, it does not bar the right to a subsequent prosecution. State v. Franton [La.], 319 So.2d 405 (75). Thus it is permissible for the State to recharge and reinstate proceedings against the defendant. Further this course of action was initiated by the State within a short period of time.
“The defendant did not assert his right to a speedy trial until the day of trial in January, 1976. Additionally, he failed to show that this delay prejudiced his defense. In State v. Moore [La.], 300 So.2d 492 (74) and State v. Jones, Supra, the Court held that in the absence of such an assertion of ones right and a showing of prejudice, a defendant has not been denied his right to a speedy trial.
“In light of the reason for the delay, the failure of the defendant to properly assert his right to a speedy trial or to show any prejudice to his defense, I believe that this time period did not constitute an inordinate delay and consequently that the defendant was not denied a speedy trial.”

In an effort to show prejudice, counsel argues for the first time on appeal that the delay caused by the filing of the second bill of information resulted in the absence of a material defense witness, Scott, at the last trial. The argument is without merit, as there is no showing that the delay had anything to do with his non-appearance or that he was available at any time after the second trial.

Assignment of Error No. 1 is without a merit.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NO. 2

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Related

State v. Borne
691 So. 2d 1281 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1997)
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Mississippi Supreme Court, 1992

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
352 So. 2d 1007, 1977 La. LEXIS 6719, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-turner-la-1977.