Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Alvin F. MALLERY, Jr.
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1978-11-13
Citations: 364 So. 2d 1283
Docket Number: No. 62542
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Alvin F. MALLERY, Jr.
Judges: DIXON, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 364
Pages: 1283–1290

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Alvin F. MALLERY, Jr.
No. 62542.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Nov. 13, 1978.
Rehearing Denied Dec. 14, 1978.
Calogero, J., concurred for reasons assigned in another case.
Paul A. Bonin, Garrity, Levenson & Bo-nin, New Orleans, for defendant-relator.
William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Harry F. Con-nick, Dist. Atty., William L. Brockman, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-respondent.

Opinion:
SUMMERS, Justice.
Alvin F. Mallery was indicted by the Orleans Parish Grand Jury for the April 28, 1976 distribution of heroin, a crime punishable at that time by a statute which mandated "life imprisonment at hard labor and, in addition, [the offender] may be required to pay a fine of not more than fifteen thousand dollars." La.Rev.Stat. 40:966. See Act 207 of 1973. The penalty provision was later amended by Act 631 of 1977 to add "without benefit of probation or suspension of sentence." Consideration of this case will therefore involve the statute as it existed at the time of the offense, prior to the 1977 amendment.
Mallery was represented by retained counsel. He was tried by a jury, found guilty as charged and sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor. On appeal the conviction was affirmed on July 1, 1977. State v. Mallery, 347 So.2d 847 (La.1977).
An application to the district court for a writ of habeas corpus was filed on May 11, 1978. After a hearing on the motion it was denied. Mallery's application to this Court for review of the trial 'court ruling was granted on July 3, 1978. Although the application for habeas corpus was based upon the contentions that Mallery had ineffective counsel at trial and that the mandatory penalty of life imprisonment was excessive, certiorari was granted principally to consider the claim that the sentence imposed was excessive.
The trial judge was without discretion in sentencing Mallery. The statute's mandate required the sentence imposed. However, it was not and is not mandated by Louisiana law in this case that Mallery serve a life sentence, he could have received probation and a suspended sentence. La.Rev. Stat. 40:966; La.Code Crim.Pro. art. 893. Moreover he continues to be eligible for commutation of sentence and parole. La. Rev.Stat. 15:574.4.
In order to grant Mallery the relief he seeks the mandatory life sentence provision of the statute must be declared repugnant to the requirement of Section 20 of Article I of the Louisiana Constitution which declares that "No law shall subject any person to euthanasia, to torture, or to cruel, excessive, or unusual punishment," or to the proscription against the infliction of "cruel and unusual punishments" embodied in the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Research fails to disclose that the United States Supreme Court has ever declared life imprisonment as such unconstitutional. Nor has this Court ever decided that life imprisonment was cruel and unusual punishment whenever imposed. To the contrary, on at least three occasions in written opinions in which the law and facts were adduced, the constitutionality of this penal clause has been upheld. State v. Hopkins, 351 So.2d 474 (La.1977); State v. Whitehurst, 319 So.2d 907 (La.1975) and State v. Stetson, 317 So.2d 172 (La.1975). Today, in State v. Terrebonne, 364 So.2d 1290, this Court again upholds the statute against an attack that it offends the Louisiana Constitution's prohibition against cruel, excessive, and unusual punishments. The law and reasons contained in that opinion are equally applicable to the case at bar. The federal courts have also upheld the constitutionality of the statute. See, e. g., La. Affiliate of NORML v. Guste, 380 F.Supp. 404 (E.D. La.1974); affirmed, 511 F.2d 1400 (5th Cir. 1975); cert. denied 423 U.S. 867, 96 S.Ct. 129, 46 L.Ed.2d 96 (1975).
As we understand Mallery's contention, he takes the position that the penalty provision of the statute is excessive as applied in this case because he had no previous convictions, he was not quite twenty-six years old and 'at the time of the offense he was a heroin addict being treated at a New Orleans Methadone Clinic. Even if these facts are accepted as established the contention is without merit.
A principal argument of the defense based on these facts is that the mandatory character of the sentence leaves no room to individualize the punishment. Justice, the defense argues, unless individualized is not justice at all. This argument overlooks the broad statutory standards in which probation, suspended sentences, commutation and parole are permissible in this case. All of these enactments are designed to "individualize" the punishment to the crime.
According to the defense a guarantee that the sentence be proportioned to the offense is to be found in Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153, 96 S.Ct. 2909, 49 L.Ed.2d 859 (1976). Such a proposition is in the first instance a matter which falls squarely within the constitutional prerogative of the Legislature. Except as limited by the constitution its authority is plenary. Its determination is clothed with a presumption of constitutionality which persists until a finding is made, supported by adequate evidence, that the enactment prescribing punishment has transcended the limitation on legislative power set forth in constitutional enactments of equal or superior dignity. La. Const, arts. I, II, III & V; La.Civil Code art. 1.
It is a matter of common knowledge, and it is a fact, that social conditions in this state are adversely affected by the pervading traffic in and use of drugs. This condition is a serious menace to good social order, which law seeks to protect and maintain. La.Rev.Stat. 15:422. In light of these conditions the facts relied upon by the defense do not demonstrate that the legislative wisdom expressed in the contested statute violates any constitutional limitation on its power, particularly that which proscribes cruel and unusual punishment.
It is no defense to this prosecution that distribution of drugs is not a violent crime and consequently punishment for this offense should not be on a par with second-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. Assuming the punishments are equal, traffic in narcotics is an insidious crime which, although not necessarily violent, is surely as grave. Indeed, the effect upon society of drug traffic is pernicious and far-reaching. For each transaction in drugs breeds another and in the case of heroin the degeneracy of the victim is virtually irreversible. Compared to the effect of drug traffic on society, isolated violent crimes may well be considered the lesser of the two evils.
And, as a reference to our decision today in State v. Terrebonne, will demonstrate, Louisiana is not unique in its determination to stem the tide of drug abuse to the extent which serious penalties may deter. Comparable legislation has been enacted in at least six other states.
For the reasons assigned, the ruling of the trial judge is affirmed.
DIXON, J., concurs.
CALOGERO, J., concurs for reasons assigned in State v. Terrebonne, La., 364 So.2d 1290, decided this date.
TATE, J., dissents and assigns reasons.
DENNIS, J., dissents for the reasons assigned by TATE, J.