Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Rickey JAMES
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1995-05-30
Citations: 656 So. 2d 746
Docket Number: No. 94-KA-720
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Rickey JAMES.
Judges: Before KLIEBERT, GRISBAUM and GAUDIN, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 656
Pages: 746–747

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Rickey JAMES.
No. 94-KA-720.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.
May 30, 1995.
John M. Mamoulides, Dist. Atty., Terry M. Boudreaux, Asst. Dist. Atty., 24th Judicial Dist., Parish of Jefferson, Gretna, for plaintiff-appellee.
Bruce G. Whittaker, Staff Appellate Counsel, 24th Judicial Dist., Indigent Defender Bd., Gretna, for defendant-appellant.
Before KLIEBERT, GRISBAUM and GAUDIN, JJ.

Opinion:
JiGAUDIN, Judge.
Appellant Rickey James was convicted of three counts of first degree robbery. James was tried by a judge, not a jury, and he now contends that the trial judge erred in neither placing in nor having included in the record proof that he (James) waived a trial by jury.
The record, as it now stands, does not show that James executed a jury waiver; however, James was represented by able counsel at trial and the record does not contain any defense objection because the charges were being tried by a judge not a jury. These were serious felony charges.
Nonetheless, if a defendant is tried and convicted by a judge when clearly entitled to a jury, the record must show that a jury was knowingly and intelligently waived. A legal waiver cannot be presumed, no matter how strong presumption evidence may be. Here, the state argues that James effectively waived a jury at a pretrial proceeding.
This Court has authority under State v. Williams, 404 So.2d 954 (La.1981), |2and other cases to reverse the convictions and remand for a new trial. This Court also has authority, under State v. Cappel, 525 So.2d 335 (La.App. 1 Cir.1988), writ denied at 531 So.2d 468 (La.1988), and other cases to remand for an evidentiary hearing regarding the jury waiver. Under the present circumstances, wherein James had competent counsel and was tried without objection by a judge, we believe that the interests of justice are better served by a remand instead of reversals.
Accordingly, we remand for an evidentiary hearing to determine whether James knowingly and intelligently waived his right to a jury trial. If the evidence shows that James did not execute such a waiver, the district judge is instructed to set aside the convic tions and grant a new trial. If the waiver was properly made, the appeal should be transferred back to this Court for review of this determination and for review of several errors patent concerning the sentences. Also, we note that James was not advised of prescription period for applying for post-conviction relief as mandated by LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 930.8.
REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.
. There is no contention that trial counsel was meffective.