Case Name: STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Claude SHELBY, Jr., Defendant-Appellant
Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1983-10-12
Citations: 438 So. 2d 1166
Docket Number: No. CR83-63
Parties: STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Claude SHELBY, Jr., Defendant-Appellant.
Judges: Before DOMENGEAUX, FORET and YELYERTON, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 438
Pages: 1166–1171

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Claude SHELBY, Jr., Defendant-Appellant.
No. CR83-63.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.
Oct. 12, 1983.
Don Burkett and Edward Chevallier, Self & Burkett, Many, for defendant-appellant.
James L. Davis, Dist. Atty., Many, Abbott J. Reeves, Asst. Dist. Atty., Gretna, for plaintiff-appellee.
Before DOMENGEAUX, FORET and YELYERTON, JJ.

Opinion:
DOMENGEAUX, Judge.
Defendant Claude Shelby, Jr. was indicted by the Sabine Parish Grand Jury on one count of cruelty to juveniles, a violation of La.R.S. 14:93. The defendant initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, but later appeared before the district judge in order to withdraw such plea and enter a plea of guilty. After carefully determining that the latter plea was made freely and voluntarily on the defendant's part, the court accepted his plea of guilty. Thereafter, pursuant to a pre-sentence investigation, the defendant was given a three year suspended sentence at hard labor with the Department of Corrections, and was placed on supervised probation for a period of four years. A special condition of that probation was that the defendant serve six months in the parish jail. The defendant thereafter appealed the sentence imposed by the district court.
On appeal, the defendant perfected two assignments of error, to-wit: that the trial court erred in improperly considering the factors set forth as sentence guidelines in La.C.Cr.P. Art. 894.1; and, that the trial court erred in imposing a six months jail sentence, which sentence is excessive and violates the provisions of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974. In support of these assignments, the defendant relies specifically on the decision of our Supreme Court in State v. Sepulvado, 367 So.2d 762 (La.1979), which chose to interpret Article 1, Section 20 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974 in such a manner that a sentence imposed within the statutory guidelines is, nevertheless, deemed to be reviewable on appeal for excessiveness.
Our jurisprudence has held that a sentence is constitutionally excessive when the penalty is so disproportionate to the crime as to shock the senses of justice or if it is nothing more than the purposeless and needless imposition of pain and suffering. State v. Goodman, 427 So.2d 529 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1983); State v. Reed, 409 So.2d 266 (La.1982). However, due to the trial judge's unique position of reviewing subjective factors not available on appeal, he is given a wide discretion in the imposition of sentences within the statutory limits, and a sentence imposed by him should not be set aside as excessive in the absence of a manifest abuse of his discretion. Sepulvado and Goodman, supra; State v. Howard, 414 So.2d 1210 (La.1982); State v. Bradley, 414 So.2d 724 (La.1982).
The facts involved in this case are dis-cernable only from the transcript of the proceedings surrounding the defendant's guilty plea, as well as from the sentencing proceedings. Apparently, the defendant had been living with one Belinda Maxey and was with her at her house at the time of the alleged incident, with his vehicle parked in her driveway. Several children were playing in the driveway at that time, and at some point during their play, a fog light was either broken or knocked off of the defendant's car. According to statements made by the defendant, Ms. Maxey then instructed him to "go on and whip" the child who had broken the light, and the defendant admittedly proceeded to do such. The child was taken thereafter to a hospital emergency room, but was not hospitalized.
The trial judge, during sentencing proceedings, analyzed the pre-sentence investigation report on the defendant in light of those factors and considerations set forth in La.C.Cr.P. Art. 894.1, and concluded that the portions of that Article setting forth the different types of mitigating factors to be taken into account in imposing a sentence were controlling. Particularly, he noted that the defendant had no previous criminal convictions of any significance, the only one being a citation for an expired inspection sticker. However, in light of the fact that the actions taken by the defendant were deemed to be in excess of the bounds of reasonable discipline of the child, the judge chose to impose the six months terms of incarceration appealed by the defendant herein.
In State v. Lanclos, 419 So.2d 475 (La.1982), the Supreme Court made the following comments concerning the necessity of rigid compliance with the provisions of La. C.Cr.P. Article 894.1:
"However, the trial judge's failure to comply with Article 894.1 does not automatically render a sentence invalid. This court has held that although Article 894.1 provides useful guidelines for the determination of the nature and length of a sentence, compliance with its provisions is not an end in itself. . Article 894.1 is intended to provide an impartial set of guidelines within which the trial judge's sentencing discretion may be exercised . Compliance with Article 894.1 further provides a record which is detailed enough to allow for a reasoned review of allegedly excessive sentences. The articulation of the factual basis for a sentence is the goal of Article 894.1, not rigid or mechanical compliance with its provisions. Where the record clearly shows an adequate factual basis for the sentence imposed this court has held that remand is unnecessary, even where there has not been full compliance with Article 894.1.... " (Citations omitted)
The defendant maintains on appeal that in imposing sentence, the trial judge did not carefully consider a number of the mitigating factors delineated in La.C.Cr.P. Art. 894.1 in light of the set of uncontradicted facts which were presented in court. Additionally, he argues that since he has virtually no criminal record, and that because forcing him to serve a six months jail term will cause him to lose his job, the income from which is vitally needed in order for him to help support his sister and her children, the six month term of incarceration imposed by the trial judge should be set aside and vacated.
We find no merit in the defendant's contentions. It is quite evident from the transcript of the sentencing proceedings that the district judge carefully and fairly considered the provisions of La.C.Cr.P. 894.1 in reaching his decision concerning the sentence to be imposed upon the defendant. Considering the fact that the defendant could conceivably have been sentenced to a term of ten years imprisonment under La. R.S. 14:93, we can hardly view a six month jail term excessive under the facts of this case.
From a legal standpoint we are also unpersuaded by the defendant's assertion that members of his family will suffer financial hardship if he is forced to go to jail. Unfortunately, the possibility of job loss and financial difficulties is confronted by virtually any individual who may be facing a jail sentence. We have discovered no unusual or extenuating circumstances in this situation which warrant mitigation of the defendant's sentence on this account.
Finally, under the standard enunciated in Sepulvado, supra, we are unable to find any manifest abuse of discretion in the decision of the district judge to impose a six month jail term upon the defendant. Thus, we will not disturb the sentence on appeal.
For the above reasons, the defendant's conviction and sentence are affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
For the reasons stated therein, the author of this opinion has also filed a concurring opinion.
. La.R.S. 14:93 provides:
"Cruelty to juveniles is the intentional or criminally negligent mistreatment or neglect, by anyone over the age of seventeen, of any child under the age of seventeen whereby unjustifiable pain or suffering is caused to said child. Lack of knowledge of the child's age shall not be a defense.
Whoever commits the crime of cruelty to juveniles shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, or imprisoned for not more than ten years, with or without hard labor, or both."
. La. Const. Art. 1, Section 20 provides:
"No law shall subject any person to euthanasia, to torture, or to cruel, excessive, or unusual punishment. Full rights of citizenship shall be restored upon termination of state and federal supervision following conviction for any offense."
.Not all are in agreement with this authority of appellate courts to review such excessive sentences. In particular, see this writer's concurring opinions in State v. Goodman, 427 So.2d 529 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1983), and State v. Vallare, 430 So.2d 1336 (La.App. 3rd Cir.1983), writ denied, as well as the concurring opinion filed herein. Also, see Sepulvado, supra, at page 773 (Marcus, J., dissenting); State v. Tilley, 400 So.2d 1363, 1368 (La.1981) (Marvin, Justice Ad Hoc, dissenting); State v. Touchet, 372 So.2d 1184, 1185 (La.1979) (Summers, J., dissenting); and State v. Lewis, 430 So.2d 1286 (La.App. 1st Cir.1983) (Lottinger, Cole and Carter, JJ., Specially Concurring). Notwithstanding these views, however, the Sepulvado opinion remains the position taken by our Supreme Court.