Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Ronald Ray WEATHERS
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1974-12-02
Citations: 304 So. 2d 662
Docket Number: No. 55158
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Ronald Ray WEATHERS.
Judges: DIXON, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 304
Pages: 662–665

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Ronald Ray WEATHERS.
No. 55158.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Dec. 2, 1974.
Harris D. Copenhaver, Jr., Airhart & Copenhaver, Baton Rouge, for defendant-appellant.
William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Ossie Brown, Dist. Atty., Ralph L. Roy, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

Opinion:
SUMMERS, Justice.
Ronald Ray Weathers appeals from his conviction on a charge that he committed second degree murder. La.R.S. 14:30.1. He was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to the custody of the Department of Corrections for the rest of his natural life without benefit of parole until the expiration of twenty years.
Three bills of exceptions are relied upon for reversal of the conviction and sentence.
Bill 1
Defense council was retained to defend the accused sometime prior to January 14, 1974. He proceeded with the necessary research and investigation in preparation for the trial. On March 13, 1974 counsel filed a motion to withdraw from the cause, alleging that the accused no longer desired his services. Reference was made in the motion to a letter dated March 10, 1974 from the accused supporting these allegations. The letter, however, is not in the record, and the order granting the motion was never signed by the judge. A minute entry of March 14, 1974, does disclose, however, that "The Court appointed the Office of the Public Defender as co-counsel in this matter. The Public Defender to be sent notice of appointment and notice of trial date."
When the case was called for trial, defense counsel asserted that he was not prepared for trial, since he believed that his motion to withdraw as counsel had been approved. When the trial judge refused to recognize that he had been granted permission to withdraw as counsel, he moved orally for a continuance to have time to prepare for trial. The motion was denied and this bill was reserved.
Statements of counsel which are opposed to the record cannot be accepted as a basis for setting aside a conviction and sentence. The judge did not sign or otherwise approve the motion to withdraw. To the contrary, the minute entry at the time indicated that co-counsel from the Office of the Public Defender was appointed, presumably to assist and because at that time defendant was known to be indigent.
To permit counsel to withdraw his representation just four days prior to trial, as in this case, in the absence of compelling reasons to support that action, would seriously encumber and disrupt the administration of justice.
Moreover, an application for a continuance is required to be by written motion alleging specifically the grounds upon which it is based, and when made by a defendant, must be verified by his, or his counsel's, affidavit. La.Code Crim.Proc. art 707. Granting a motion for a continuance, except in certain cases not pertinent here, is a matter addressed to the discretion of the court if there is good ground therefor. La.Code Crim.Proc. art. 712.
This bill is resolved by the fact that no written motion for the continuance appears of record. State v. Hubbard, 279 So.2d 177 (La.1973); State v. Tennant, 262 La. 941, 265 So.2d 230 (1972).
Bill 2
Objection was made to the testimony of two state witnesses in which they identified certain images on a photograph in the possession of the prosecuting attorney. In argument the prosecutor asserted that he sought by their testimony to establish a foundation for introduction of the photograph. When the objection was overruled, this bill was reserved. When the proper predicate was laid, the photograph was introduced into evidence without objection by the defense. This bill has no merit.
Bill 4
This bill was reserved when the court ruled that the defense could not elicit testimony tending to establish prior threats or difficulties between the victim and the accused in the absence of a showing of a hostile demonstration or overt act shown on the part of the victim. The ruling is supported by Section 482 of Title 15 of the Revised Statutes providing that "In the absence of evidence of hostile demonstrations or [an] overt act on the part of the person slain or injured, evidence of his dangerous character or of his threats against the accused is not admissible."
Such a ruling is, quite correctly, based upon the facts and circumstances of each case. Often the credibility of the witness determines whether a hostile demonstration or overt act has been shown. Credibility on the question of admissibility of evidence is for the judge to decide. On the question of guilt or innocence credibility of the witness is judged by the jury. State v. Foreman, 256 La. 999, 240 So.2d 763 (1970). Only the self-serving declaration of the defendant in the instant case tends to support the claim that a hostile demonstration or overt act occurred. It was therefore largely within the discretion of the trial judge to determine whether the evidence of hostile demonstration had been shown by credible evidence, for such a showing was a predicate to a showing of dangerous character. The ruling should not be disturbed. This bill is without merit.
For the reasons assigned, the conviction and sentence are affirmed.
DIXON, J., concurs.
BARHAM, J., concurs in decree only. I particularly do not subscribe to the legal basis for treatment of Bill No. 4.
TATE, J., dissents and assigns written reasons.