State v. Williamson

62 So. 3d 869, 2011 La. App. LEXIS 431, 2011 WL 1380051
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 13, 2011
Docket46,179-KA, 46,180-KA
StatusPublished

This text of 62 So. 3d 869 (State v. Williamson) 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. Williamson, 62 So. 3d 869, 2011 La. App. LEXIS 431, 2011 WL 1380051 (La. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

MOORE, J.

liThe defendant, Larry D. Williamson, Jr., pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault with a firearm in violation of La. R.S. 14:37.4, and to one count of second degree battery in violation of La. R.S. 34.1. Each offense is punishable by imprisonment, with or without hard labor, for up to five years. Defendant was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment at hard labor for the aggravated assault with a firearm conviction to run concurrently with a sentence of three years’ imprisonment at hard labor for the second degree battery conviction. The defendant now appeals. We affirm.

FACTS

On April 14, 2006, the defendant, Larry D. Williamson, Jr., repeatedly called the cell phone of his wife, Donna Hitt Williamson, but she did not answer. Fearing her husband’s reprisal, Mrs. Williamson did not go home that night. The next morning she went to her house, and seeing her husband’s truck was gone, she went into the house and put her one-year-old son, Mason, in his bed.

*871 According to Mrs. Williamson, the defendant came out of a closet, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the floor. He put her on the bed and pointed a .357 Magnum pistol at her head, clicking the hammer back and forth, while threatening to kill her and then himself. He also threatened to burn down the house.

Mrs. Williamson grabbed the baby and ran out of the house. The defendant ran behind her and fired the .357 Magnum pistol in Mrs. Williamson’s direction as she handed the baby to her sister, Darby Hitt, who, along with their mother, Donna Hitt, had just arrived at the residence. |2The Williamsons’ neighbor, Glenda Daniels, called 911. Shortly thereafter, Franklin Parish Sheriffs deputies arrived, and the defendant relinquished the .357 Magnum pistol, which contained five live rounds. Although the defendant’s shot did not hit Mrs. Williamson, she reported to the police that she was scared to death. The defendant was arrested.

On May 23, 2008, the defendant was charged with attempted second degree murder, aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery, and simple battery. On March 23, 2010, the bill of information for attempted second degree murder was amended to aggravated assault with a firearm, and the domestic abuse battery charge was amended to second degree battery. The defendant withdrew his former plea of not guilty and pled guilty to the amended charges. In exchange for this plea, the state dismissed the aggravated assault and simple battery charges. The defense and the state agreed to submit the Franklin Parish Sheriffs Office report as the factual basis for defendant’s plea. The court ordered a presentence investigation (“PSI”) and scheduled sentencing for June 15, 2010.

At the sentencing hearing, the trial court reviewed the PSI, letters submitted by the victim and her family, as well as letters submitted by and on behalf of the defendant. The court recognized that the defendant voluntarily completed an anger management course in August 2008. From the PSI report, and police reports, the court noted that when the sheriffs office initially arrived, the defendant did not state that the shooting was accidental. Rather, it was some time later that the defendant told the investigator that he did not shoot at his wife, but that “he was trying to let lathe hammer go forward on the pistol and it slipped out of his hand and went into the ground.” The court opined that the shooting was not accidental.

The court also reviewed the defendant’s criminal history, and noted he was a first-time felony offender. However, the court noted that this was not defendant’s first act of violence against the victim. Approximately two months prior to the instant offense, Mrs. Williamson sought a protective order against the defendant wherein she alleged that she was picked up by her hair, thrown to the floor, kicked in the ribs and dragged across the floor; however, the protective order was dismissed.

There were several mitigating and aggravating factors that the court considered prior to imposing defendant’s sentences. The court listed the following as mitigating factors: defendant is 29 years old and a first felony offender; he is a hard worker paying $1,100 per month in child support, and imprisonment would place a hardship upon the victim because she would not receive the child support; and the defendant voluntarily participated in an anger management program. Nevertheless, the court noted several aggravating factors. The most alarming factor was that the defendant shot a .357 Magnum pistol at or in the direction of the victim and his own child. Defendant used threats of violence *872 and actual violence in the commission of the offense. Also, this was not the defendant’s first act of violence against this same victim. Furthermore, the court found that this incident was planned because the defendant hid his truck. The court also noted that the defendant bene-fitted from the plea agreement because it greatly reduced his sentencing exposure. Lastly, the court considered the impact of this offense |4on the victim and her family.

The court sentenced the defendant to four years’ imprisonment at hard labor on the charge of aggravated assault with a firearm and three years’ imprisonment at hard labor for the second degree battery charge. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently with each other, and the defendant was to be given credit for time served.

The defendant filed a motion to reconsider sentence and asserted numerous factors in mitigation of the sentences imposed. Specifically, the defendant alleged the shooting was accidental, and several people could have testified to the facts which support his version of the incident. He also asserted that he suffers from a physical condition in his arms which caused the gun to slip and mistakenly fire. He alleged that he did not intend to shoot and/or harm anyone because he left five live rounds in the .357 Magnum pistol.

Defendant requested that the court consider the fact that Mrs. Williamson is no longer fearful of the defendant, and that the defendant is considered a churchgoing man, hard-working and a helpful citizen in the community, as noted in the witnesses’ letters. He also reiterated that he voluntarily completed an anger management course. Based upon these factors, the defendant requested that the court hold a hearing and reconsider the original sentences imposed. The trial court denied the motion, noting that the factual basis was based upon the police reports, to which the defense had earlier agreed. Further, the court noted that it had previously considered all of these factors prior to imposing the sentence. This | r,appeal followed.

DISCUSSION

By his first assignment of error, the defendant contends that the district court erred by imposing excessive sentences for the two offenses. He contends that a probated sentence is more appropriate under the circumstances.

The state argues that the defendant’s sentences are appropriate considering the nature of the offense committed and the benefit defendant received from the plea agreement.

An appellate court utilizes a two-pronged test in reviewing a sentence for excessiveness. First, the record must show that the trial court took cognizance of the criteria set forth in La. C. Cr. P. art. 894.1.

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Bluebook (online)
62 So. 3d 869, 2011 La. App. LEXIS 431, 2011 WL 1380051, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-williamson-lactapp-2011.