State v. White

674 So. 2d 1018, 1996 WL 229423
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 8, 1996
Docket28095-KA
StatusPublished
Cited by163 cases

This text of 674 So. 2d 1018 (State v. White) 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. White, 674 So. 2d 1018, 1996 WL 229423 (La. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinion

674 So.2d 1018 (1996)

STATE of Louisiana, Appellee,
v.
Garland Wayne WHITE, Appellant.

No. 28095-KA.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Second Circuit.

May 8, 1996.

*1021 Geary S. Aycock, West Monroe, for Appellant.

Richard Ieyoub, Attorney General, Jerry L. Jones, District Attorney, J. Michael Ruddick, Asst. District Attorney, for Appellee.

Before MARVIN, GASKINS and CARAWAY, JJ.

GASKINS, Judge.

The defendant, Garland Wayne White, appeals from his conviction for the offense of aggravated burglary, his adjudication as a habitual offender, and his sentence of 30 years at hard labor. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm.

FACTS

During the early morning hours of May 16, 1993, Johnna Caskey left John Croft's apartment with the intention of driving home. Because it was late and because she lived a considerable distance from Mr. Croft's apartment, Ms. Caskey stopped to call a friend to ask if she could spend the night at her home. Ms. Caskey called her friend from the pay phone located outside the Budget Saver in West Monroe, Louisiana but was unable to contact her.

After Ms. Caskey hung up the telephone, a white car drove into the parking lot. A man, wearing blue jeans, grey t-shirt, and sunglasses, got out and approached her. Without speaking, the man hit Ms. Caskey in the face and tried to drag her to his vehicle. Ms. Caskey screamed, struggled with her assailant, and urinated on herself. During the struggle, Ms. Caskey and the attacker fell to the ground. When Ms. Caskey begged the attacker to let her go, he placed his hand over her mouth and told her she would not be hurt if she quit screaming.

When Ms. Caskey continued to struggle, the attacker momentarily released her. Ms. *1022 Caskey immediately fled to her car; however, the attacker came after her again before she could close and lock the door. The assailant then punched Ms. Caskey in the stomach, pushed her down across the front seats, and tried to get on top of her. While leaning against her, the attacker placed his hand inside her shirt and touched her breast. During the attack, Ms. Caskey continued to scream and begged her attacker to let her go. The assailant responded that he would not hurt her if she stopped screaming and that he wanted to touch her. When the attacker stood up, Ms. Caskey closed and locked her door. As she drove from the parking lot, she memorized the license plate number on the white Buick Regal that the assailant was driving.

Ms. Caskey returned to Mr. Croft's apartment. Mr. Croft described Ms. Caskey as hysterical. He testified she was crying, her face was bleeding, her hair was messed up, and she had urinated on herself. Mr. Croft also stated Ms. Caskey was repeating a number and begging him to write it down. Patricia Simmons, who was present at Mr. Croft's apartment when Ms. Caskey returned, also testified Ms. Caskey had blood on her face and had urinated on herself. Ms. Simmons stated Ms. Caskey was panicked and kept repeating a number and asking them to write it down. Ms. Simmons wrote down the number as requested.

Harold Freeman, a patrolman for the West Monroe Police Department, was dispatched to the Croft apartment to investigate a reported attack. Officer Freeman testified Ms. Caskey had blood around her nose and mouth and was crying and upset. Ms. Caskey described her attacker as a 30 to 40 year old white male, 5'6" to 5'8", and 140 to 160 pounds with dark sandy hair, wearing dark sunglasses and a grey muscle shirt. Ms. Caskey also told police her attacker was driving a white Buick Regal with license plate number ADX 886.

After police determined the white Buick Regal was registered to the defendant, Detective Brent Chappel drove to his residence and asked the defendant's mother and stepfather to have the defendant call him. Later that day, the defendant called Detective Chappel and agreed to come to the police station after running several errands.

Shortly thereafter, Captain Jerry Hayden of the West Monroe Police Department stopped a red Ford truck for failing to yield at an intersection. When the driver of the truck produced a driver's license bearing the name Garland White, Captain Hayden informed the man he was wanted for questioning. The defendant stated he had talked to Detective Chappel and was going to come to the station later that day. Captain Hayden confirmed this information with Detective Chappel and requested the defendant come to the station immediately. According to Captain Hayden, the defendant voluntarily agreed to follow him to the police station. Captain Hayden did not ticket the defendant for failing to yield and did not remember if he returned the defendant's driver's license to him.

At the police station, the defendant denied any involvement in the attack and provided Detective Chappel with the first names of three people who could provide an alibi. The defendant refused to participate in a lineup. Although Detective Chappel informed the defendant he was not under arrest, Detective Chappel testified he would not have been allowed to leave the police station. After taking a short statement from the defendant, and then consulting with his chief and an assistant district attorney, Detective Chappel arrested the defendant on a charge of simple battery. The defendant's picture was taken during the booking process and placed in a photographic lineup from which Ms. Caskey identified the defendant as her attacker.

Subsequently, the defendant was charged in one bill of information with aggravated burglary, in violation of La.R.S. 14:60, and attempted forcible rape, in violation of La. R.S. 14:27 and 14:42.1.[1]

The defendant file motions to suppress the victim's identification of him, as well as his *1023 statements to the police. During the hearing on these motions, the defendant denied that he failed to yield to an oncoming car and stated Captain Hayden did not return his driver's license. The defendant also asserted that the police took his picture and allowed the victim to view the photographic lineup before arresting him. The defendant's motions were denied.

The state severed the charges of aggravated burglary and attempted forcible rape, and then tried the defendant on the charge of attempted forcible rape. However, a mistrial was declared after the jury deadlocked. The state then filed an amended bill of information rejoining the charges and proceeded to trial on both charges.

At trial, Tanya Michelle Jones and Tessa Jackson testified they knew Ms. Caskey and knew her reputation in the community. The two women testified Ms. Caskey had a reputation for untruthfulness.[2] Jessie Chennault, the defendant's mother, testified she did the defendant's laundry and he did not own a grey muscle shirt. She and her husband also testified that when the defendant left their house several hours before the attack, he was wearing a western-style shirt without any undershirt. However, another defense witness, Charles Wesley Gray, testified that on the night in question the defendant was wearing a grey undershirt which was visible under his western-style shirt.

The defendant presented several alibi witnesses. Julie Russell testified she and the defendant were together from approximately 7:00 p.m. on May 15 until 3:30 a.m. on May 16. Ms. Russell testified she and the defendant were hanging out with friends at Cloyd's Corner and at her house. Mr. Gray testified he witnessed the defendant leave Ms. Russell's home at 3:30 a.m. Miranda Trainer testified she spoke with the defendant via citizen's band radio when he left Ms.

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

Related

State of Louisiana v. Kenneth Collins
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2025
State of Louisiana v. April Butler
Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2024
State v. Farry
206 So. 3d 1222 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2016)
State v. Ramirez
154 So. 3d 636 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2014)
State v. Quezada
141 So. 3d 906 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2014)
State v. Bobo
77 So. 3d 1 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011)
State v. Wells
64 So. 3d 303 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2011)
State v. Laster
33 So. 3d 259 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010)
State v. Johnson
28 So. 3d 1263 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2010)
State v. Garcia
26 So. 3d 159 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009)
State v. Vincent
7 So. 3d 1243 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2009)
State v. Ford
976 So. 2d 321 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State v. Gullette
975 So. 2d 753 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2008)
State v. Steward
969 So. 2d 804 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State v. Ellis
966 So. 2d 139 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State v. Mosby
956 So. 2d 843 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State v. Yossett
956 So. 2d 109 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State v. Tensley
955 So. 2d 227 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State v. Dowden
954 So. 2d 300 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)
State v. Gray
948 So. 2d 335 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 2007)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
674 So. 2d 1018, 1996 WL 229423, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-white-lactapp-1996.