State v. Wallace

321 So. 2d 349
CourtSupreme Court of Louisiana
DecidedNovember 4, 1975
Docket55661 and 55662
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 321 So. 2d 349 (State v. Wallace) 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. Wallace, 321 So. 2d 349 (La. 1975).

Opinion

321 So.2d 349 (1975)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Eugene L. WALLACE, Jr., et al.
STATE of Louisiana
v.
Eugene L. WALLACE, Jr.

Nos. 55661 and 55662.

Supreme Court of Louisiana.

March 31, 1975.
On Rehearing November 4, 1975.

*350 William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Julian R. Murray, Jr., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Attys. Gen., George T. Mustakas, II, Staff Atty., Melvin Barre, Dist. Atty., New Orleans, for plaintiff-appellant.

Edward M. Baldwin, New Orleans, for Willis J. Poirrier, Jr.

Robert I. Broussard, Gretna, for Henry Hymel and Raymond LeBouef.

John P. Nelson, Jr., New Orleans, for Stuart E. Creel and Gerard Alexander.

Robert S. Mellon, Mellon & Cavanaugh, Denham Springs, for Eugene L. Wallace, Jr.

DIXON, Justice.

The State appeals these two cases, after the trial judge sustained motions to quash the indictments.

All six defendants, Eugene L. Wallace, Jr., Stuart Creel, Henry Hymel, Willis Poirrier, Raymond LeBouef and Gerard Alexander, were indicted in case No. 55661 for the violation of R.S. 14:26, conspiring to commit public bribery. In No. 55662 Wallace alone was charged with the violation of R.S. 14:67, for theft by fraud of $68,500 from the South Louisiana Port Commission.

*351 The two cases have a common issue: are the defendants immune from prosecution under Article 19, § 13, Louisiana Constitution of 1921 [1] and R.S. 15:468[2] because they appeared and testified before a grand jury investigating public bribery? As for the defendant Eugene L. Wallace, Jr., there is the additional question of whether his testimony before a federal grand jury, when used by the State grand jury, resulted in his immunity from State prosecution.

On March 15, 1974 the prosecutor sent letters to the defendants inviting their appearance before the grand jury on March 26. All defendants appeared, except Wallace.

The trial judge interpreted the letters of "invitation" as containing a degree of compulsion equal to a subpoena, and held that, having allowed the defendants to testify before the grand jury, they were automatically cloaked with immunity from prosecution under the Constitution and statute.

We find that the self incriminating testimony of the defendants was not "compelled" under Article 1, § 11 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1921, nor under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution; the record demonstrates that the defendants (with the exception of Wallace) voluntarily appeared before the grand jury and testified, after having been fully warned by the prosecutor of their rights not to appear and not to testify; and that the defendants knowingly waived their constitutional protection against self incrimination.

The motions to quash were tried on the basis of stipulations among the parties, and the introduction of grand jury testimony of each defendant before the State grand jury, except Wallace, whose federal grand jury testimony, used by the State grand jury, was introduced.

Creel was advised that he need not give any testimony before the grand jury that would tend to incriminate him; that he could terminate the examination at any time; that he had a right to consult with an attorney, and that the examination would be recessed at any time for such consultation; that the prosecutor possessed information, if true, "would affect" the defendant; that the defendant need not testify; that if more time were desired by the defendant to consider whether he would testify, he would be excused until the following day in order to consult a lawyer. This explanation was made to Creel by the prosecutor both out of the presence of the grand jury, in the prosecutor's office, and at the beginning of his testimony before the grand jury. Creel stated that "it is rather short notice but I made my decision to testify and I am going to stay with it— stand by that."

Hymel was informed that he had a right not to appear before the grand jury; that if he wished he could return on the following day and inform the prosecutor if he wished "any additional time" (to which Hymel replied, "No, this is fine. I'm ready."); Hymel was warned specifically that he need not answer any questions which tended to incriminate him; that his testimony could be used against him; that *352 the examination would be recessed if he wished to consult his attorney at any point.

Poirrier was informed of his right to seek legal advice to determine whether he would appear; that he could postpone until the following day a decision; that he need not appear before the grand jury; that he need not answer any questions which might tend to incriminate him; that the testimony could be used against him; that the examination could be recessed for the defendant to consult with his lawyer; that the prosecutor had information which might "implicate you in a violation."

LeBouef was informed by the prosecutor that he had received allegations of possible criminal violations by the defendant; that he could postpone a decision about the appearance until the following day; that he need not answer any questions which might tend to incriminate him; that the examination would be recessed at any time for the defendant to consult his attorney. LeBouef affirmed that he understood his rights and was willing to answer questions before the grand jury.

Alexander was likewise advised that the prosecutor possessed allegations of his possible criminal violations; that he could have until the following day to consult an attorney and make a decision about his testimony; that he need not answer questions which might tend to incriminate him; that his testimony could be used against him; that the hearing would be recessed if the defendant wished to consult his attorney during the examination.

The defendants do not complain before us that they were inadequately informed of their rights (although this is not conceded). At one point in brief it is noted that Hymel "was not told in the Grand Jury" that he did not have to testify.

The evidence before us shows that the defendants were adequately informed of their rights against self incrimination, of the fact that the grand jury was concerned about allegations of criminal activity of each of the defendants, that they would not be required to answer questions which tended to incriminate them, and need not testify unless they wished, and could postpone a decision about whether to testify until the following day. The record is clear that these defendants made an informed decision to waive their rights against self incrimination and to testify before the grand jury. The decision to testify was theirs. They were not compelled.

Defendants argue that, in order to reverse the district court's ruling on the motion to quash, we must overrule State v. Smalling, 240 La. 887, 125 So.2d 399 (1960), on rehearing, 240 La. 915, 125 So.2d 409 (1960) and State v. Callahan, 247 La. 525, 172 So.2d 668 (1965). Although the defendants can find confort from dicta in the Smalling case, both the trial court and this court specifically found that the defendant was compelled to testify before the grand jury, and that his testimony formed the basis of the indictments which were correctly quashed by the trial court.

The issue in the Callahan case was whether the indictments, quashed by the district court, were based on the defendant's testimony before a grand jury.[3] In that case, the State conceded "that the defendant could not refuse to testify before the Grand Jury."

*353

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