Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Willie A. THOMAS
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1982-09-07
Citations: 427 So. 2d 428
Docket Number: No. 81-KA-1268
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Willie A. THOMAS.
Judges: LEMMON, J., concurs and assigns reasons.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 427
Pages: 428–437

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Willie A. THOMAS.
No. 81-KA-1268.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Sept. 7, 1982.
On Rehearing Feb. 23, 1983.
William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., James L. Davis, Dist. Atty., Abbott J. Reeves, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.
Helen G. Roberts, Gravel, Robertson & Brady, Alexandria, for defendant-appellant.

Opinion:
MARCUS, Justice.
Willie A. Thomas was indicted by the grand jury for the first degree murder of Elijah Dickson on July 11, 1979, in violation of La.R.S. 14:30. After trial by jury, defendant was found guilty as- charged. A sentencing hearing was conducted before the same jury that determined the issue of guilt. The jury unanimously recommended that defendant be sentenced to life imprisonment without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. The court sentenced defendant in accordance with the recommendation of the jury. On appeal, defendant relies on one assignment of error for reversal of his conviction and sentence.
Defendant contends the state failed to prove an essential element of the crime of first degree murder.
La.R.S. 14:30 provides in pertinent part:
First degree murder is the killing of a human being:
(1) When the offender has specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily hajrni and is engaged in the perpetration dr attempted perpetration of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated escape, aggravated arson, aggravated rape, aggravated burglary, armed robbery, or simple robbery;
(2) When the offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm upon a fireman or peace officer engaged in the performance of his lawful duties;
(3) When the offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm upon more than one person; or
(4) When the offender has specific intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm and has offered, has been offered, has given, or has received anything of value for the killing.
The record reflects that on the afternoon of July 11,1979, Deputy Kenneth Bogle was patrolling in his car when he received a call that there had been a disturbance at defendant's house. While en route to investigate, he received another call that there had been a shooting at the same location. As the officer pulled into defendant's driveway, he saw Elijah Dickson's body lying in the door of Dickson's house which was located about 65 to 75 yards behind defendant's house. Deputy Bogle then observed defendant emerge from a little patch of woods behind Dickson's house carrying a rifle. The officer got out of his car and ordered defendant to drop the rifle. Defendant ignored him and continued walking with the rifle in his hand. Deputy Bogle followed him to the door of Dickson's house where defendant looked at Dickson's body and stated, "You son of a bitch I told you I would get you." At that time, Deputy Bo-gle took the rifle away from-defendant and told him to go back to his house while he investigated. Defendant returned about five minutes later and kept trying to tell Deputy Bogle about what had happened. At this time, Deputy Bogle placed defendant under arrest and advised him of his rights. Defendant told the officer that Dickson had fired at him and that he had returned his fire. He also showed Deputy Bogle an area in front of his house between his truck and his boat from which he had fired the shot. The physical evidence revealed that one shot had been fired from the rifle taken from defendant but no physical evidence was found indicating that Dickson had fired any shots.
Charles Barnes and Mashack Horton were driving by Dickson's house shortly before the shooting when Dickson stopped them. Barnes got out of Horton's truck to see what Dickson wanted. Dickson told Barnes that he wanted Barnes to get something for him in Keatchie. Barnes was standing on the ground and Dickson was standing "up in the door." As Dickson reached into his pocket to get some money, both Barnes and Horton heard a gunshot. Dickson stated, "I'm shot," and fell to the floor. Barnes and Horton "took off" to call the police. As they were driving away, they saw defendant with a rifle in his hand, squatting between his boat and his truck. Barnes and Horton had been at Dickson's house for about four minutes before the shooting occurred and never saw a gun in Dickson's hand during this time.
An autopsy later revealed that Dickson died as a result of a single bullet wound to the chest. The cause of death was loss of blood in the right side of the chest.
While conceding that the state proved that defendant had the specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm, defendant argues that there was no evidence of the additional element required for a conviction of first degree murder. We agree. La.R.S. 14:30 defines first degree murder as the killing of a human being when the offender has specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm under certain circumstances enumerated in the statute. Hence, in order to convict an offender under this statute, the state must prove one of the enumerated circumstances in addition to specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm. This statute, as presently written, became effective on June 29, 1979, twelve days before the instant crime was committed (July 11| 1979). Prior to June 29, 1979, the first degree murder statute provided: "First degree murder is the killing of a human being when the offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm." Defendant in the instant case was mistakenly prosecuted under the first degree murder statute existing prior to June 29, 1979. Therefore, in the absence of proof of one of the circumstances enumerated in the applicable version of La.R.S. 14:30, we would be required to reverse his conviction for first degree murder. Our review of the record reveals no evidence of any of the enumerated circumstances.
Nonetheless, when the evidence supports a conviction on a lesser and included offense which is a legislatively authorized responsive verdict, ordering entry of a judgment of guilty of the lesser and included offense is appropriate. State v. Byrd, 385 So.2d 248 (La.1980). Second degree murder is the killing of a human being "[w]hen the offender has a specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm." La. R.S. 14:30.1. Moreover, second degree murder is a legislatively authorized responsive verdict to first degree murder. La.Code Crim.P. art. 814(A)(1). We consider that in the instant case all the elements of the lesser and included offense of second degree murder have been proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Accordingly, the conviction of first degree murder will be set aside and the case remanded to the trial court with instructions to enter a judgment of guilty of second degree murder.
Since second degree murder requires a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, which is the same sentence as previously imposed in this case, we do not consider it necessary that defendant be resentenced. Hence, defendant's sentence will be affirmed. State v. Tuckson, 414 So.2d 360 (La.1982).
DECREE
For the reasons assigned, defendant's conviction of first degree murder is set aside and the case is remanded for entry of judgment of guilty of second degree murder. Defendant's sentence is affirmed.
Judges Charles R. Ward, David R.M. Williams and William H. Byrnes of the Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, participated in this opinion as associate justices, ad hoc, joined by Chief Jus tice Dixon and Associate Justices Marcus, Blanche and Lemmon.
. Defendant designated three errors to be urged on appeal. However, he neither briefed nor argued two of these assigned errors; therefore, we consider them to have been abandoned. State v. Blanton, 325 So.2d 586 (La. 1976); State v. Carlisle, 315 So.2d 675 (La. 1975).
. La. Acts 1979, No. 74, § 1, eff. June 29, 1979.