Court Opinion

ID: 9890695
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-13 23:06:54.766819+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:50:02.574805
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA

STATE         OF    LOUISIANA                                                                     NO.        2023    KW    0949

VERSUS

JAMES        A.     BLAKE                                                               OCTOBER                 13,       2023

In     Re:           State           of     Louisiana,              applying           for        supervisory              writs,

                     20th             Judicial              District            Court,             Parish            of      West

                     Feliciana,              No.        23- WFLN- 41.

BEFORE:              WELCH,           HOLDRIDGE,,           AND     WOLFE,       JJ.

            WRIT     DENIED.

                                                                  JEW

                                                                  GH

            Wolfe,           J.,     dissents            and     would         grant    the        writ        application.

The         defendant              bears    the      burden         of  persuasion by a                       preponderance
of      the        evidence            in    non - homicide              cases involving                      self- defense.
See         State       v.    Cheatham,            38,      413 (    La.  App.  2nd Cir.                     6/ 23/ 04),      877
So. 2d        164,           172- 73,        writ          denied,        2004- 2224 (            La.        6/ 24/ 05),      904
So. 2d        717.       in        non - homicide           cases      where      self- defense                is   raised,        a

1,
     ua.1    inquiry --,.
                       s             required; "            an   objective            inquiry into whether the
force             used         was          reasonable              under         the         circumstances;                  and

subjective               inquiry            into        wnether          the    force        used        was        apparently
necessary."                  See      State        v.       Freeman,           427     So. 2d       1161,           1163 ( La.

1983).             if    the        burden         of              on , was
                                                           persuasion                  placed           on    the     State       t.o

disprove             the           subjective
                                        Ct' Lve            influences,           the     State           would        bear        an

onerous            burden "           since `      Lt      would       only      be    the        defendant           who     has
these         facts           at      his        disposal
                                                   S.fDOsal         to    produce            to     the        court."        See

Cheatham,            877       So. 2d       at    17-3).