State v. Williams

815 So. 2d 908, 2002 WL 181754
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 6, 2002
Docket2001-0998
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 815 So. 2d 908 (State v. Williams) 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. Williams, 815 So. 2d 908, 2002 WL 181754 (La. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

815 So.2d 908 (2002)

STATE of Louisiana
v.
Patrick W. WILLIAMS.

No. 2001-0998.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

February 6, 2002.

*909 Honorable J. Phillip Haney, District Attorney, New Iberia, LA, Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellee, State of Louisiana.

Edward Kelly Bauman, Louisiana Appellate Project, Lake Charles, LA, Counsel for Defendant/Appellant, Patrick W. Williams.

Patrick W. Williams, Louisiana State Prison, Angola, LA, pro se.

Court composed of ULYSSES GENE THIBODEAUX, MARC T. AMY and ELIZABETH A. PICKETT, Judges.

AMY, Judge.

The defendant was found guilty, by a jury, of aggravated burglary, a violation of La.R.S. 14:60, and second degree kidnapping, *910 a violation of La.R.S. 14:44.1. The trial judge sentenced the defendant to thirty years at hard labor for the aggravated burglary conviction to run concurrent with the second degree kidnapping sentence of forty-five years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. The second degree kidnapping sentence was imposed as a habitual offender. For the following reasons, we affirm the convictions and sentences of Mr. Williams.

Factual and Procedural Background

The State alleged that on December 27, 1997, at about 9:30 p.m., the defendant entered the home of the approximately eighty-year-old victim, Mrs. Evelyn Patout, through a window. According to Mrs. Patout's testimony, she was in bed reading when someone entered her bedroom and covered her with a blanket. Mrs. Patout testified that she ceased any struggling because the assailant threatened to kill her unless she cooperated. The assailant demanded money and car keys and Mrs. Patout told him where he could find them. Still covered by the blanket, Mrs. Patout was led outside and forced into the trunk of her car. After forcing Mrs. Patout into the trunk of the car, the assailant took the blanket from her. The State contends that, with Mrs. Patout in the trunk, the defendant began driving the vehicle. Mrs. Patout stated that after riding in the car, she began to hear other voices and decided to keep quiet because she was fearful for her safety.

The State contends that while driving Mrs. Patout's vehicle, the defendant picked up Wilton "Bank" Vital. Mr. Vital testified that he had never met the defendant before and that the defendant introduced himself as "Kenny." Mr. Vital also stated that "Kenny" was looking for drugs and wanted to rent the car out as an exchange or payment. Mr. Vital brought the defendant to meet Paul Collins and his brother. According to the State's version of events, after some negotiating, the defendant and Paul Collins agreed that Collins would give the defendant thirty dollars worth of crack cocaine in exchange for use of the car for five hours. After the exchange took place, the defendant told Collins where to leave the car and the defendant left. Mr. Vital testified that Collins took him back to the club where the defendant originally picked him up.

According to Collins' testimony, early on the morning of December 28, 1997, he brought the car back to the home identified by the defendant. However, no one at that home had ever heard of "Kenny." Collins testified that after trying a few homes and not finding "Kenny," he went to his girlfriend's house.

Later that morning, Mrs. Patout was discovered by Perry Comeaux. Mr. Comeaux was picking up some people to go to church when he heard noise coming from the trunk of the car. Mr. Comeaux knocked on doors until he found Collins who said that he had the keys to the car. The record reflects that both men were surprised to open the trunk and find Mrs. Patout. Consequently, the defendant was arrested later that day at a store in Lydia, while trying to cash one of Mrs. Patout's checks.

By bill of information, the defendant was charged with one count of aggravated burglary in violation of La.R.S. 14:60, and one count of second degree kidnapping, in violation of La.R.S. 14:44.1. Mr. Williams' jury trial commenced on January 10, 2001 and ended on January 12, 2001, with the jury's verdict of guilty of aggravated burglary and second degree kidnapping. Sentencing was scheduled for January 19, 2001 and the defendant filed a pro se motion to overturn the convictions. The trial court interpreted this as a motion for a new trial, which the court heard and *911 denied. On the same day, the defendant was sentenced to thirty years at hard labor for the aggravated burglary conviction. The sentence was ordered to run concurrent with a thirty-year sentence at hard labor for the second degree kidnapping charge. Both sentences were issued without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Following the sentencing, the defense orally moved for a reconsideration of the sentences, without reasons, which was denied. Subsequently, the State charged the defendant as a multiple offender pursuant to La.R.S. 15:529.1. The defendant pled not guilty and a hearing was set for January 31, 2001.

At the hearing on January 31, 2001, the defendant was adjudicated a second-felony offender, relying on a prior conviction for possession of cocaine. Thus, the trial court vacated its original sentence for the second degree kidnapping and sentenced the defendant to forty-five years at hard labor, without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. As previously, this sentence was ordered to be served concurrently with the thirty-year sentence for aggravated burglary.

The defendant now appeals, assigning three points of error. First, the defendant contends that the trial court erred in sentencing the defendant immediately after the denial of his Motion for New Trial, contrary to the provisions of La.Code Crim.P. art. 873. Next, the defendant argues that the evidence presented at trial, when viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, was insufficient to convict him. Last, the defendant argues that the sentences imposed by the trial court are excessive.

Discussion

Errors Patent

In accordance with La.Code Crim.P. art. 920, the scope of appellate review includes "an error that is discoverable by a mere inspection of the pleadings and proceedings and without inspection of the evidence." After a review of the record, this court finds that there are two errors patent.

First, the defendant was not informed of his right to a hearing and his right to remain silent at his habitual offender adjudication. According to this court, only harmless error results from the trial court's failure to advise of rights when the defendant remains silent throughout the proceeding and the state presents competent evidence to prove the existence of the defendant's prior conviction and his identity as the person previously convicted. State v. Washington, 96-656 (La.App. 3 Cir. 1/15/97); 687 So.2d 575, citing, State v. Hodges, 94-898 (La. App. 3 Cir. 3/1/95); 651 So.2d 487. As in the Washington case, the defendant did not acknowledge his prior offenses or admit the truth of the allegations contained in the habitual offender bill of information. Furthermore, in the present case, the State presented the testimony of the defendant's parole officer from the prior felony and presented the court with his criminal record. Thus, the trial court's failure to advise the defendant of his right to remain silent at the habitual offender adjudication constitutes harmless error.

The second error patent, which the defendant also assigns as error in his appeal, is the trial court's failure to delay sentencing for twenty-four hours after the denial of the defendant's motion for new trial.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
815 So. 2d 908, 2002 WL 181754, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-williams-lactapp-2002.