Opinion ID: 1110457
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of the Lineup Identification.

Text: Before trial, the defendant filed a motion to suppress the lineup identification, on the ground the lineup was held without legal representation for the defendant. Upon the overruling of the motion, defendant reserved Bill of Exceptions No. 1. Bills of Exceptions Nos. 2 and 11 were reserved to the overruling of defense objections to the admission at the trial of the lineup identification and to the in-court identification of the defendant by the drugstore manager. The record reflects that Pierre signed a waiver of counsel at the lineup. Before the lineup was held, however, the defendant engaged an attorney to represent him. Both the defendant and his attorney then advised the police that the attorney intended to be present at any lineup. About noon on the date of the lineup, Officer Krinke called defendant's attorney and requested him to be present for a lineup at one o'clock. The attorney advised the police he would be unable to come, but would attempt to send an associate. The police also attempted to contact the associate, but were unable to do so. After waiting until after 3:00 p. m., they proceeded with the lineup, where Pierre was identified as the robber by Urban Martinez, the drugstore manager. The lineup was conducted in accordance with standard procedures in the New Orleans Police Department. Edward Pierre was allowed to pick his own number and place and stand in a line with five other black men of similar age and physical characteristics. All were dressed in blue coveralls. The lighting was standard for each person in the lineup. No one spoke to or aided Martinez as he identified Pierre. The State offered a photograph of the lineup in evidence (Exhibit S-1). [2] Despite the absence of counsel, the trial judge declined to suppress the lineup identification, holding that the procedures for the lineup, as reconstructed, were fair and impartial and satisfied the constitutional requirements. We are likewise impressed with the fairness of the lineup procedures. The standard procedures under which the lineup was conducted eliminated all risk of abuse and obviated the need for defense counsel. [3] The lineup here fully satisfied the criteria announced by the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case of United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, 87 S.Ct. 1926, 18 L.Ed.2d 1149 (1967), when it stated: Legislative or other regulations, such as those of local police departments, which eliminate the risks of abuse and unintentional suggestion at lineup proceedings and the impediments to meaningful confrontation at trial may also remove the basis for regarding the stage as `critical.' 388 U.S. at 239, 87 S.Ct. at 1938. In the event, however, we are in error in holding that the abuse-free regulations here satisfied the constitutional requirements, it seems quite clear that the in-court identification by Urban Martinez had an independent basis. During the robbery, he observed the culprit for three or four minutes in the well-lighted store and later gave the investigating officers a description. Based on his observation during the robbery, he was able to identify the defendant in the courtroom without regard to the lineup. This identification was corroborated by the testimony of John Lee James, the automobile driver, who confirmed that Pierre entered the drugstore about the time of the crime. Thus, the admission of the lineup identification does not vitiate the conviction. See State v. Smith, 260 La. 185, 255 So.2d 734 (1971); State v. Mixon, 258 La. 835, 248 So.2d 307 (1971); State v. Pratt, 255 La. 919, 233 So.2d 883 (1970); State v. Singleton, 253 La. 18, 215 So.2d 838 (1968); State v. Allen, 251 La. 237, 203 So.2d 705 (1967). For the reasons assigned, these bills of exceptions lack merit.