Court Opinion

ID: 9375442
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-02-27 19:04:41.975363+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:58.910499
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

         COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

STATE     OF LOUISIANA                                                                      NO.    2023 KW       0006

VERSUS

ANDRE     THOMAS                                                                           FEBRUARY       27,   2023

In Re:            State         of     Louisiana,             applying           for       supervisory          writs,
                  19th      Judicial              District           Court,          Parish       of    East         Baton
                  Rouge,        No.    04-18-0599.

BEFORE:           McCLENDON,           HOLDRIDGE,            AND     GREENE,          JJ.

        WRIT        GRANTED            IN       PART      AND        DENIED          IN      PART.           The
defendant            pled       guilty            to     committing              a        simple       battery
against        the        victim           in     docket           number           10-14-0850.           Prior
incidents           of    abusive           behavior         against           dating       partners          are
admissible           without           the      necessity            of    a     hearing          under      La.
Code     Evict.      art.       412.4.       See       State v.       Mayeux,             2019-00369 ( La.
1/29/20),           347    So.3d       623,       judgment         vacated on other grounds,
Mayeux      v.       Louisiana,                        U.S. ,                  141    S.Ct.        225,       208
L.Ed.2d        1(    2020).          See     also       State      v.     Piper,          2018-1796 (         La.
App.     1st      Cir.      9/27/19),             287       So.3d       13.          The    prior       simple
battery        committed          by    the       defendant           against         the     victim         fits
squarely          within         the        confines            of      Article            412.4       and      is
independently              relevant          to    establish          the       defendant's            violent
proclivities              and    the        volatile          nature           of    his     relationship
with      the         victim.               Further,            this           prior        incident            is
independently               relevant,              not        to      prove           defendant's            bad
character;           but    rather to             show,      among        other purposes               intent,
opportunity,              and    pattern.          See       La.     Code       Evid.       art.       404 ( B);
State     v.      Taylor,         2016-1124,             2016-1183, (               La.    12/1/16),          217
So. 3d    283,       288-91.          See    also       State        v.    Hicks,         2022-0350 (         La.
App.     1st      Cir.      11/4/22),                     So.3d ,                   2022    WL     16706949.
Thus,     the        probative          value          of     the       evidence           outweighs         the
danger         of     unfair           prejudice.             Accordingly,                  the     district
court's        decision           to       exclude           evidence          of     the     defendant's
conviction           for    simple           battery          of     the       victim       is     reversed,
and     this        matter        is       remanded          for      further             proceedings           in
accordance          with     this       court's          ruling.          In    all       other respects,
the writ application is denied.

                                                       PMc
                                                        GH
                                                        HG

COURT     OF APPEAL,            FIRST CIRCUIT

         DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
                  FOR THE        COURT