Thomas E. Ladner v. J.B. Smith, Sheriff, Smith County, Texas, 1

941 F.2d 356
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedOctober 8, 1991
Docket90-4262
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 941 F.2d 356 (Thomas E. Ladner v. J.B. Smith, Sheriff, Smith County, Texas, 1) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas E. Ladner v. J.B. Smith, Sheriff, Smith County, Texas, 1, 941 F.2d 356 (5th Cir. 1991).

Opinions

WIENER, Circuit Judge:

The instant case presents this court its first opportunity to review a double jeopardy claim in the context of successive prosecutions since the United States Supreme Court handed down its new double jeopardy test in Grady v. Corbin, — U.S.-, 110 S.Ct. 2084, 109 L.Ed.2d 548 (1990). Here, Petitioner-Appellant Thomas E. Lad-ner, formerly Chief of Police of Hemphill, Texas, appeals the denial of his habeas corpus petition by the federal district court. Ladner contends that successive state prosecutions for the same conduct, when examined under Grady, placed him twice in jeopardy for the same offense. Finding that Ladner’s murder prosecution in Smith County (second prosecution) did not rise to the level of double jeopardy under Grady, we affirm the district court’s denial of Lad-ner’s petition.

[358]*358FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

In January of 1988, Ladner was indicted in Sabine County, Texas, under Texas Penal Code § 39.021(a)(1) & (2) — violating the civil rights of a prisoner — for intentionally subjecting Loyal Garner to bodily injury while in police custody in the Sabine County Jail, knowing that his (Ladner’s) conduct was unlawful.2 Specifically, Ladner was accused of (1) beating Garner about the head and body with a slapstick and with his fists, causing Garner to fall and hit his head against a wall or door or both; and (2) denying Garner medical attention. In March of 1988, Ladner was indicted in Smith County, Texas, for Garner’s murder.

In July of 1988, Ladner was tried in Sabine County (first prosecution) and was acquitted by a jury that rendered a general verdict of not guilty. In April of 1990, Ladner was tried in Smith County, and was convicted of murdering Garner. The murder charge and the civil rights charges arose from precisely the same incident.

Prior to the second prosecution, Ladner had filed a writ of habeas corpus with the Texas district court in Smith County, claiming that the second prosecution by the same sovereign3 would subject him to double jeopardy. He argued that the prosecution should be barred by the doctrine of collateral estoppel.4 The Smith County trial court denied habeas relief, but on appeal the Twelfth Court of Appeals of Texas reversed, holding that the second prosecution would subject Ladner to double jeopardy.5 The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted the state’s motion for discretionary review. That court, on review, reversed the decision of the Twelfth Court of Appeals and reinstated the state trial court’s denial of habeas relief. See Ladner v. State, 780 S.W.2d 247 (Tex.Crim.App.1989) (en banc).

After exhausting his state remedies, Lad-ner petitioned the federal district court for a writ of habeas corpus, reiterating his double jeopardy claim. The case was heard initially by the magistrate judge who recommended that all relief be denied. Lad-ner objected to that recommendation but, on subsequent de novo hearing, the district court overruled Ladner’s objections, accepted the magistrate judge’s recommendation, and denied the writ.6 Ladner immediately filed a notice of appeal to this court, and the district court granted a certificate of probable cause. Ladner also sought emergency relief from this court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2251, to stay the pending state court proceedings. We refused to grant the requested stay, and Ladner was tried for murder in Smith County. He was convicted by a jury and is now in the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

After Ladner’s habeas corpus petitions had been denied and after his second trial had ended in his murder conviction, the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Grady, announcing a new test for double jeopardy claims arising in the context of [359]*359successive prosecutions. The sole issue before this court is whether, under the new test enunciated in Grady, Ladner’s trial for murder in Smith County subjected him to double jeopardy.

DISCUSSION

A. Operable Facts and Holdings in Grady

In Grady the intoxicated defendant drove his car across the center line of the highway and collided with an oncoming car. The driver of that car subsequently died as a result of injuries received in the accident, and the passenger was seriously injured. The defendant was issued two misdemean- or traffic tickets, one for driving while intoxicated (DWI) and the other for failing to keep to the right of the median. The traffic court was not aware that a homicide investigation was pending or even that a death had occurred as a result of the accident. Consequently, the defendant was allowed to plead guilty in traffic court to the two misdemeanor tickets and received a minimal sentence.

Two months later, a grand jury indicted the defendant for reckless manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, third degree reckless assault, and DWI. In the bill of particulars the prosecution stated its intention to prove that the defendant had been driving while intoxicated, had crossed the center line, and had driven at a speed which was excessive under the circumstances. The Supreme Court held that the Double Jeopardy Clause barred the subsequent prosecution because the state, in its own pleadings, confirmed its intention to establish essential elements of the homicide and assault offenses by proving conduct that constituted offenses for which the defendant had already been convicted — DWI and failing to keep to the right of the center line. Grady, 110 S.Ct. at 2094.7

B. Applicability of Grady to this Case

Grady applies to cases in which a defendant is subjected to successive prosecutions for separate offenses arising out of the same occurrence, regardless of whether the defendant was acquitted or convicted in the first prosecution. See United States v. Calderone, 917 F.2d 717, 720 (2d Cir.1990). The prosecution argues that Grady is distinguishable and should not be applied to the facts in the instant case. We disagree. Ladner was prosecuted successively by the same sovereign under two different statutes for two significantly different offenses — civil rights violation and murder— both of which arose from the same occurrence: the beating of Garner at the jail. That the defendant in Grady was convicted in his first prosecution while Ladner was acquitted in his is irrelevant to whether Grady applies to Ladner. See Grady, 110 S.Ct. at 2091. Grady addresses all “successive prosecution” situations.

Finding that Grady is applicable, we must now determine how its teachings are to be applied.

The Two Phases of Grady

A. Phase I — the Blockburger Phase8

“Grady directs courts to follow a two-step analysis in resolving double jeopardy claims arising in the context of successive prosecutions. First, the court must apply the Blockburger

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941 F.2d 356, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-e-ladner-v-jb-smith-sheriff-smith-county-texas-1-ca5-1991.