Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Gregory STEPHENS
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 1983-09-02
Citations: 438 So. 2d 203
Docket Number: No. 82-KA-1491
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Gregory STEPHENS.
Judges: LEMMON, J., dissents and will assign reasons.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 438
Pages: 203–205

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Gregory STEPHENS.
No. 82-KA-1491.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
Sept. 2, 1983.
Dissenting Opinion Oct. 17, 1983.
See also, 412 So.2d 1057.
William J. Guste, Jr., Atty. Gen., Barbara Rutledge, Asst. Atty. Gen., Ronald C. Martin, Dist. Atty., Eric Harrington, Asst. Dist. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.
James Beal, Jonesboro, for defendant-appellant.

Opinion:
WATSON, Justice.
Defendant, Gregory Stephens, was convicted by a jury of armed robbery in violation of LSA-R.S. 14:64. The trial court agreed to impose a ten rather than thirty year sentence if defendant revealed the name of his accomplice. After complying with the condition, Stephens was sentenced to ten years at hard labor, without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence. An order of appeal was signed on July 22, 1981.
On March 30, 1982, the trial court conducted a re-sentencing hearing. Finding that Stephens had lied when he named one Calvin Easley as his accomplice, the court vacated the ten year sentence and re-sentenced defendant to thirty years. On April 5, 1982, defendant's conviction and original ten year sentence were affirmed. State v. Stephens, 412 So.2d 1057 (La., 1982). Defendant now appeals the re-sentencing.
Defendant contends the trial court was without jurisdiction to increase the sentence while his appeal was pending.
The trial court relied on LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 881, which provides:
"Although the sentence imposed is legal in every respect, the court may amend or change the sentence, within the legal limits of its discretion, prior to the beginning of execution of the sentence."
The discretion conferred by LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 881 is limited by LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 916(3):
"The jurisdiction of the trial court is divested and that of the appellate court attaches, upon the entering of the order of appeal. Thereafter, the trial court has no jurisdiction over the matter except to:
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"(3) Correct an illegal sentence, or reduce a legal sentence in accordance with Article 913(B); ."
The trial court is divested of jurisdiction to amend a sentence once the order of appeal is signed, except to correct an illegal sentence or to reduce a legal sentence under certain circumstances. State v. Battaglia, 377 So.2d 264 (La., 1979); State v. Alexander, 376 So.2d 146 (La., 1979). Defendant's ten year sentence was legal. State v. Stephens, supra. After the order of appeal was signed on July 22, 1981, the trial court lacked jurisdiction to set aside or increase the sentence. The order vacating the original sentence and re-sentencing defendant is without effect.
DECREE
For the foregoing reasons, the order setting aside the original sentence and re-sentencing defendant is reversed and vacated.
REVERSED.
LEMMON, J., dissents and will assign reasons.
. LSA-R.S. 14:64 provides:
"A. Armed robbery is the theft of anything of value from the person of another or which is in the immediate control of another, by use of force or intimidation, while armed with a dangerous weapon.
"B. Whoever commits the crime of armed robbery shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less less than five years and for not more than ninety-nine years, without benefit of parole, probation or suspension of sentence."
. A trial court must be careful not to abandon its judicial function by assuming the investigative duties of the prosecutor and law enforcement personnel. See State v. Bing, 410 So.2d 227 (La., 1982).
. Defendant has assigned twelve errors in the trial court. As this assignment merits reversal, the remaining assignments of error need not be addressed. State v. Ricks, 428 So.2d 794 (La., 1983).
. The sentence affirmed in State v. Stephens, 412 So.2d 1057 (La., 1982) remains valid.