Case Name: STATE of Louisiana v. Leroy GROSS
Court: Louisiana Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Louisiana
Decision Date: 2000-06-23
Citations: 768 So. 2d 592
Docket Number: No. 99-K-3534
Parties: STATE of Louisiana v. Leroy GROSS.
Judges: 
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 768
Pages: 592–593

Head Matter:
STATE of Louisiana v. Leroy GROSS.
No. 99-K-3534.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
June 23, 2000.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Writ granted. The judgment of the court of appeal vacating defendant's guilty plea is reversed, defendant's conviction and sentence are reinstated. The defen dant made the critical decision not to risk the self-defense scenario outlined in his confession in the context of a capital murder trial at which he could receive the death penalty, and to accept a life sentence running concurrently with an other life sentence imposed in Arkansas for an unrelated murder. Given that choice, the trial court's failure to advise the defendant, as part of the plea colloquy required by La. Code Crim. Proc. art. 556.1, that a charge of first degree felony murder under La. Rev.Stat. 14:30A(1) requires the state to prove specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm, as opposed to second degree felony murder, another life offense, which does not have a specific intent component, La.Rev.Stat. 14:30.1A(2)(a), cannot " 'reasonably be viewed as having a material factor affecting the [defendant's] decision to plead guilty." ' State v. Guzman, 99-1528, p. 11 (La.5/16/00), 769 So.2d 1158, 1165 (quoting United States v. Johnson, 1 F.3d 296, 301-02 (5th Cir.1993)).
Marcus, J., not on panel. Rule IV, Part 2, § 3.