State v. Walter

542 So. 2d 586, 1989 WL 35338
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 11, 1989
Docket88 KA 1033
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 542 So. 2d 586 (State v. Walter) 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. Walter, 542 So. 2d 586, 1989 WL 35338 (La. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

542 So.2d 586 (1989)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Jerome Dean WALTER.

No. 88 KA 1033.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

April 11, 1989.
Writ Denied June 30, 1989.

*587 Bryan Bush, Dist. Atty., Office of Dist. Atty., Baton Rouge by Robert Piedrahita, Don Wall, Asst. Dist. Attys., for plaintiff-appellee.

Jerome Walter, Scatlandville, in pro per.

Before WATKINS, CRAIN and ALFORD, JJ.

WATKINS, Judge.

The defendant, Jerome Dean Walter, was charged by indictment with manslaughter, in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:31. Initially, he pled not guilty. Before trial, however, the defendant entered into a plea bargain *588 agreement pursuant to which he pled guilty as charged. In exchange for the guilty plea, the trial court promised to sentence the defendant to no more than ten years at hard labor. Subsequently, the defendant received a sentence of ten years at hard labor. The defendant had appealed, alleging twelve assignments of error, as follows:

1. The trial court erred in failing to require the State to answer the defendant's motion for a bill of particulars.

2. The State failed to properly and timely institute prosecution.

3. The trial court erred in failing to consider the defendant's motion to quash.

4. The trial court erred in failing to consider the defendant's motion to suppress.

5. The trial court erred in failing to consider the defendant's motion for a speedy trial.

6. The trial court erred in failing to determine whether or not the defendant's guilty plea was entered voluntarily.

7. The trial court erred in failing to establish a factual basis for the offense before accepting the defendant's guilty plea.

8. The trial court erred in failing to consider the presentence investigation report in connection with the plea bargain agreement.

9. The trial court erred in sentencing the defendant on the basis that he had committed two prior felonies.

10. During the first sentencing hearing, the trial court erred in failing to consider the guidelines in LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 894.1.

11. During the second sentencing hearing, the trial court erred in failing to consider the guidelines in LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 894.1.

12. "The sentencing judge erred when he failed to recognize the apparent conflict between counsel and defendant, nor did he take into consideration any of the issues raised by the defendant in his own behalf."

Because the defendant entered a guilty plea, the facts surrounding the instant offense were not fully developed. During the Boykin colloquy, the trial court asked the defendant if he was pleading guilty to manslaughter because he had unlawfully killed the victim, Wilma H. McKelphin. The defendant replied in the affirmative. The trial court then noted that the defendant had been indicted by a grand jury and referred to the affidavit of probable cause. The affidavit of probable cause indicates that witnesses observed the victim, who was screaming for help, being chased from her apartment by the defendant. The victim died as a result of being stabbed in the chest with a butcher knife. The affidavit of probable cause also notes that the defendant had made an inculpatory statement to the police.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR NUMBERS ONE, FOUR, AND FIVE:

In these assignments of error, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in failing to consider several pretrial motions which he filed in proper person. Although represented by counsel, the defendant filed the following motions: a motion for a bill of particulars (assignment of error number one); a motion to suppress (assignment of error number four); and a motion for speedy trial (assignment of error number five). Initially, we note that the court minutes for September 15, 1986, indicate that the motion for speedy trial was withdrawn by defense counsel. Therefore, it is obvious that the trial court was not required to rule on this motion. Furthermore, we note that, because the defendant was represented by counsel, the trial court was not required to consider any of the motions filed by the defendant in proper person.[1] The defendant has no right to be both represented and representative. See State v. McCabe, 420 So.2d 955 (La. 1982); State v. Booker, 444 So.2d 238 (La. App. 1st Cir.1983), writ denied, 446 So.2d *589 1227 (La.1984). Moreover, by pleading guilty, the defendant waived his right to appellate review of such pre-plea non-jurisdictional matters. State v. Crosby, 338 So.2d 584 (La.1976); State v. Thornton, 521 So.2d 598 (La.App. 1st Cir.), writ denied, 530 So.2d 85 (La.1988).

These assignments of error are meritless.

ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR NUMBERS TWO AND THREE:

In assignment of error number two, the defendant contends that the State failed to properly and timely institute prosecution. In assignment of error number three, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in failing to consider his motion to quash. The defendant filed the motion to quash on the grounds that the time limitations for the institution of prosecution and the commencement of trial had expired. See LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 532(7). Initially, we note that the trial court did not err in failing to consider this pro se motion to quash because, as noted above, the defendant was represented by counsel. Moreover, the time limits for the institution of prosecution had not expired. The instant offense was committed on March 18, 1986. Prosecution was instituted by the filing of a grand jury indictment. See LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 381, et seq. Because the defendant was indicted for manslaughter, the State had six years within which to institute prosecution. See LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 572; LSA-R.S. 14:31. The instant indictment was filed on April 17, 1986, within one month after the commission of the offense.

The defendant's argument that the time limitation on the commencement of trial had expired is also meritless. As noted above, defense counsel withdrew the defendant's pro se motion for speedy trial; and the trial court was not required to rule on the defendant's pro se motion to quash. Moreover, the defendant waived his right to appellate review of this issue by pleading guilty. State v. Crosby, supra; State v. Thornton, supra.

Finally, the defendant argued that the State did not "properly" institute prosecution. By this argument, the defendant contends that he was entitled to challenge the grand jury venire, the selection of grand jurors, and the number of grand jurors concurring in the indictment. He also contends that he was entitled to a preliminary examination, a certificate of probable cause, and transcripts of "perpetuated testimony" of witnesses at the grand jury proceedings or at the preliminary examination. Again, we note that the defendant waived the right to appellate review of such pre-plea non-jurisdictional matters by entering the instant guilty plea. State v. Crosby, supra; State v. Thornton, supra.

For the above reasons, these assignments of error are meritless.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER SEVEN:

In this assignment of error, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in failing to establish a factual basis for the offense before accepting his guilty plea.

During the Boykin examination, the trial court asked the defendant if he was pleading guilty to manslaughter because he had unlawfully killed the victim. The defendant replied in the affirmative.

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Bluebook (online)
542 So. 2d 586, 1989 WL 35338, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-walter-lactapp-1989.