State v. Waymire

504 So. 2d 953
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 4, 1987
DocketKA 86 0864
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 504 So. 2d 953 (State v. Waymire) 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. Waymire, 504 So. 2d 953 (La. Ct. App. 1987).

Opinion

504 So.2d 953 (1987)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Ronnie WAYMIRE.

No. KA 86 0864.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, First Circuit.

March 4, 1987.

*954 William R. Campbell, Jr., New Orleans, for State.

Anthony R. Crouse, Office of Indigent Defender, Covington, for appellant.

*955 Before GROVER L. COVINGTON, C.J., and LANIER and ALFORD, JJ.

LANIER, Judge.

Ronnie Waymire was charged by bill of information with attempted aggravated rape, in violation of La.R.S. 14:27 and 14:42. He was tried by a jury, which convicted him as charged, and was subsequently sentenced to serve thirty-five years at hard labor. He appealed, setting forth fifteen assignments of error and briefing eight.[1] Assignments of error not briefed are considered abandoned. Uniform Rules—Courts of Appeal, Rule 2-12.4.

FACTS

Defendant was charged with the attempted aggravated rape of a video rental store clerk in Slidell, Louisiana. The incident occurred on Saturday, September 12, 1985, at approximately 12:30 p.m., when the store was open for business. The victim testified she first noticed defendant staring at her through the plate glass windows of the storefront. As he passed by several times, she particularly noticed he was wearing a light colored T-shirt with dark sleeves and a dark neck. She was not able to see his other clothing.

A few minutes later, she heard the front door open while she was in the back of the store. Thinking it was her coworker, she did not immediately return to the display area. Shortly thereafter, she walked out to see a man wearing a hood-type mask running down the aisle towards her. The masked man was carrying a long gold knife with the blade open. He was wearing a light T-shirt with dark sleeves and neck and old blue jeans. He did not wear shoes, and his feet were very dirty.

Although she offered him the store's receipts, defendant responded that he did not want the money and forced her to loosen and pull down her pants. He then ordered her to bend over a desk and unsuccessfully attempted to penetrate her. Defendant then told her to lie down on the floor; when she did not respond quickly, he shoved her to the floor and climbed on top of her. She then persuaded him that she would comply if he would help her remove her pants. When he put the knife down to assist her in removing her shoes, she ran screaming from the store. She fled to a greeting card shop next door, and the police were called. Questioning revealed that defendant had also browsed in that store, frightening the female clerk because of his appearance and because he kept staring at her. She testified that, approximately twenty minutes after he left, the victim came into her store screaming hysterically.

Defendant was apprehended the day after the incident as police officers returned to the card shop with a photographic array for the attendants to view. The officers noticed he fit the physical description of the suspect and was wearing clothing similar to that described by the victim. He voluntarily accompanied the officers to the Slidell police station where he gave a statement, admitting he had attempted intercourse with the victim but claiming she voluntarily acquiesced.

DENIAL OF MISTRIAL

(Assignment of Error No. 3)

Defendant submits the trial court erred in failing to grant his motion for a mistrial after Detective Earl Price testified on cross-examination that, "[defendant] was advised of his Miranda Rights at the time I completed the NCIC check. And it was found that he was wanted in St. Charles Parish." Defendant submits this statement indirectly refers to another crime committed or alleged to have been committed by the defendant. This would be other crimes evidence, which is not admissible; therefore, this testimony constituted prejudicial conduct before the jury for which defendant is entitled to a mistrial. La.C. Cr.P. art. 775.

*956 La.C.Cr.P. art. 775 provides that, upon motion of a defendant, a mistrial shall be ordered; and in a jury case, the jury dismissed, when prejudicial conduct in or outside the courtroom makes it impossible for the defendant to obtain a fair trial, or when authorized by Article 770 or 771. La.C. Cr.P. art. 770 provides mandatory grounds for mistrial, including a reference by the judge, district attorney or a court official to another crime committed or alleged to have been committed by the defendant. La.C. Cr.P. art. 771 provides discretionary grounds for mistrial, which include a reference to another crime made by a person other than those listed in Article 770. Rather than arguing the court abused its discretion by denying his motion for a mistrial under Article 771, defendant attempts to establish this conduct mandated a mistrial as prejudicial conduct under Article 775.

Mistrial is a drastic remedy and, except in instances in which it is mandatory, a mistrial is warranted only when a trial error results in substantial prejudice to defendant, depriving him of a reasonable expectation of a fair trial. Although a potentially prejudicial remark by an experienced officer should be viewed with concern as to the fairness of the trial, the decision as to the necessity of granting a mistrial is within the wide discretion of the trial court. State v. Collins, 470 So.2d 553 (La.App. 1st Cir.1985); State v. Gibson, 459 So.2d 1294 (La.App. 1st Cir.1984).

On direct examination, Detective Earl Price made a reference to the fact that the Slidell Police Department had made a routine NCIC check upon defendant. Defense counsel immediately objected, and the court sustained the objection. The jury was not informed of the results of the check. After the second unsolicited reference by Detective Price, defense counsel again objected to the remark; the court sustained the objection and ordered the jury be removed from the courtroom. The court reprimanded Detective Price, warning him that he would be held in contempt of court if he referred again to the NCIC check. During the course of this reprimand, defendant moved for a mistrial. The court denied the motion, finding that Price had been stopped before his references mandated a mistrial.

Upon review of the record as a whole, we are not convinced that the remarks of Detective Price deprived defendant of a fair trial. Although his testimony was inadvisable, we agree with the trial court that the testimony was stopped before defendant could be prejudiced thereby. Price's remarks did not unambiguously refer to another crime committed by the defendant. State v. Hayes, 414 So.2d 717 (La.1982).

This assignment of error is without merit.

REFUSAL TO COMPEL PRESENCE OF WITNESS

(Assignment of Error No. 4)

Defendant argues the trial court erred in refusing to require the presence of Dr. Albert DeVillier, a psychiatrist appointed to examine defendant to ascertain whether or not he was competent to stand trial. Defendant subpoenaed Dr. DeVillier for the trial, but he did not appear. Initially, we note that the record does not reflect what motion, if any, defendant made to secure the testimony of Dr. DeVillier; nor do we know if Dr. DeVillier was present or absent; if absent, whether his absence was deliberate or inadvertent; or possibly, if he was merely delayed and defendant sought to recess the trial until he could appear. In brief, defendant argues the court deprived him of his right to compulsory process. We presume, therefore, that defendant moved for an instanter subpoena for Dr. DeVillier, which the court denied.

In argument before the court, defense counsel argued he intended to present Dr.

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

Related

State v. Hollier
37 So. 3d 466 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010)
State of Louisiana v. Marcus Gene Hollier
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010
State v. Fortenberry
24 So. 3d 1033 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009)
State v. Spencer
683 So. 2d 1326 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1996)
State v. Bailey
664 So. 2d 665 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1995)
State v. Guidry
635 So. 2d 731 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1994)
State v. Stewart
633 So. 2d 925 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1994)
State v. White
621 So. 2d 884 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1993)
State v. Martin
607 So. 2d 775 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1992)
State v. Ondek
584 So. 2d 282 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1991)
State v. Widenhouse
582 So. 2d 1374 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1991)
State v. Young
576 So. 2d 1048 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1991)
State v. Collins
546 So. 2d 1246 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1989)
State v. Golmon
536 So. 2d 481 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1988)
State v. Owens
521 So. 2d 704 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
504 So. 2d 953, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-waymire-lactapp-1987.