Opinion ID: 1887252
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Prior applications of Article 768

Text: The jurisprudence interpreting Article 768 recognizes its essential purpose as being to afford notice to the defendant of inculpatory statements or confessions sufficient to enable him to prepare his defense as to the issue. State v. Lacoste, 256 La. 697, 237 So.2d 871 (1970); State v. Rodgers, 251 La. 953, 207 So.2d 755 (1968). An example of the particularized notice contemplated is found in State v. Richey, 258 La. 1094, 249 So.2d 143, 160 (1971), which held notice must be given of the fact of the statement, but not of its content. Despite this recognition, the failure to give notice as to particular statements has been excused on occasions, usually under a notice or under circumstances (such as by a motion to suppress or bill of particulars) where the accused had actual (although not formal) notice of the state's intent to use the inculpatory statements introduced. Thus, in State v. Palmer, 251 La. 759, 206 So.2d 485 (1968), the notice described the statements as having been made by the accused to investigating officers, 206 So.2d 487, and no objection was made at the time the investigating officer testified to the statement. In State v. Anderson, 254 La. 1107, 229 So.2d 329, 338-39 (1969), the notice described in detail various oral and written statements but inadvertently omitted several closely connected oral statements made to the police officers during the same period. In both of these instances, this court felt that there had been substantial compliance with Article 768 and no actual surprise. The holding in these cases that no reversible error resulted from the failure of the notice to identify the statements more particularly is somewhat similar to our holdings which have excused the prosecution's inadvertent and good faith failure to give the notice before the opening statement, as required by the code article. When, in the absence of bad faith, the notice was given shortly after the trial had commenced, this court has excused the technical violation where the circumstances negated any actual prejudice. State v. Coates, 273 So.2d 282 (La. 1973); State v. Lacoste, 256 La. 697, 237 So.2d 871 (1970). Similarly, where the formal notice under Article 768 was technically insufficient, we have held that no reversible error resulted if the accused in fact had notice of the prosecution's intent to use the confession or inculpatory statement, such as by an answer to a bill of particulars which attached the entire confession or summarized the inculpatory statements intended to be used. State v. Normand, 298 So.2d 823 (La. 1974), State v. Coates, 273 So.2d 282 (La. 1973). Accordingly, for instance, we held that the purposes of the notice were served by a letter sent some time prior to trial by the district attorney to the defense counsel informing the latter of the state's intention to use various statements and a confession. State v. Brumfield, 263 La. 147, 267 So.2d 553 (1972). [2]