State Of Louisiana v. Michael Halford

STATE OF LOUISIANA

COURT OF APPEAL

FIRST CIRCUIT
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2020 KA 0585

Jew STATE OF LOUISIANA

VERSUS

MICHAEL HALFORD

Judgment Rendered: JUN o 4 2021

Appealed from the 21st Judicial District Court
In and for the Parish of St. Helena
State of Louisiana
Case No. 20028

The Honorable Jeffrey Johnson, Judge Presiding

Cynthia K. Meyer Counsel for Plaintiff/Appellant
Louisiana Appellate Project Michael Halford
New Orleans, LA

Michael Halford In proper person
Angola, LA

Scott M. Perrilloux Counsel for Defendant/Appellee

District Attorney State of Louisiana
Richard McShan
Brett Sommer
Assistant District Attorneys

Greensburg, LA

BEFORE: McCLENDON, WELCH, AND LANIER, JJ.

LANIER, J.

The defendant, Michael Lynn Halford, was charged by grand jury

indictment with first degree murder, a violation of La. R.S. 14: 30. He pled not

guilty. The defendant filed a motion in limine to prohibit the use of a statement

and/ or testimony of Jessica Raymond based on spousal privilege. After a pretrial

hearing, the trial court found that no spousal privilege existed. The defendant did

not testify at trial. After a trial by jury, the defendant was found guilty as charged.

The trial court sentenced the defendant to life imprisonment at hard labor, to be

served without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. 1

The defendant now appeals, assigning as error in a counseled brief the trial

court' s denial of challenges for cause of several prospective jurors and the trial

court' s ruling on the motion in limine. The defendant filed a pro se brief raising

sufficiency of the evidence and supplementing the arguments raised in the

counseled brief. For the following reasons, we affirm the conviction and sentence.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

On August 7, 2012, Rhonda Morris, a postal worker in Greensburg,

Louisiana, approached the driveway of John Nelson Hornsby ( the victim) while on

her mail route, and observed that his house had completely burned down. She

further noticed that the driver' s door of the victim' s truck was ajar. She walked

around to the front of the truck and saw the victim' s body lying in the grass. Ms.

Morris called the St. Helena Parish Sheriff's Office ( SHPSO) and waited for an

ambulance and the police to arrive.

Officers responded to the scene, and when they arrived, Deputy Micah

Woodard spoke to Ms. Morris as the other officers began to check and secure the

1 The State did not seek the death penalty in this case.

2

scene. Patrick Lane of the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab ( crime lab) also

arrived at the scene, took video footage, and collected evidentiary items and

samples. SHPSO detectives Laurie Sibley and Gary Cannon arrived at the scene at

approximately 10: 00 a. m. Detective Cannon photographed the scene, including the

victim, a maul or sledgehammer located near the victim' s body, and the left front

tire of the victim' s truck, which had blood and gray hair on it matching the

victim' s hair color.

Detectives Sibley and Cannon questioned neighbors in the area and learned

that noises, including loud popping and dogs, were heard that morning from about

4: 00 a.m. to about 6: 00 or 6: 30 a.m. The detectives further attended the victim' s

autopsy, collected swabs and fingernail clippings taken from the victim, and sent

the items to the crime lab for testing. After the SHPSO received verbal

communication of the crime lab results showing the defendant' s DNA was located

under the victim' s fingernails, a warrant for the defendant' s arrest was obtained

and executed.

Jessica Raymond, the defendant' s wife at the time of the offense, visited the

defendant in jail after his arrest.' Ms. Raymond testified at trial that, prior to the

jail visit, she suspected that the defendant had committed the murder. She further

testified that she held a conversation with the defendant during the jail visit in an

attempt to elicit a confession and that the defendant, in response, confirmed that he

killed the victim. The defendant then instructed Ms. Raymond to hide evidence of

the crime for him.

SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE

In assignment of error number one of his pro se brief, the defendant argues

that the State failed to meet its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt of every

Ms. Raymond testified that she had recently married before the trial and that her last name at
the time was Nolley. Herein, we will use Raymond, the last name given during her testimony at
the pretrial hearing on the motion in limine.

3

essential element of the offense. Noting that the defendant had regularly been in

and around the victim' s residence prior to his death to do various errands for him,

the defendant argues that the State failed to prove the significance of DNA and

fingerprint evidence obtained. The defendant also contends that there was no

evidence to support the State' s theory that he was present when the victim was

murdered. He contends that the video footage shown at trial only proved that he

was at a convenience store at 3: 55 a. m., five minutes before the approximate time

of the victim' s murder. In that regard, he further contends that there was no actual

determination of the distance between the store and the victim' s residence and/ or

how long it would have taken him to drive from one location to the other.

The defendant further notes that no one witnessed him commit the murder.

He argues that " the mere presence of [his] DNA being under fingernails on the

victim' s left-hand ... in no way links him to the murder." He further argues that

the presence of his fingerprint on a revolver only shows that at some point in time,

he had touched the gun, possibly while in the presence of the victim. The

defendant contends that the State erroneously placed high reliability on Ms.

Raymond' s " questionable" allegation that he confessed to the murder. He

concludes that the State' s evidence at the most shows that he may have been

involved in a theft or burglary. Thus, he argues that the conviction should be

reversed.

A conviction based on insufficient evidence cannot stand, as it violates due

process. See U.S. Const. amend. XIV; La. Const. art. I, § 2. In reviewing claims

challenging the sufficiency of the evidence, this court must consider whether, after

viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational

trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a

reasonable doubt. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319, 99 S. Ct. 27811

2789, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 ( 1979). See also La. Code Crim. P. art. 821( B); State v.

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Ordodi, 2006- 0207 ( La. 11/ 29/ 06), 946 So. 2d 654, 660. The Jackson standard of

review, incorporated in Article 821( B), is an objective standard for testing the

overall evidence, both direct and circumstantial, for reasonable doubt. When

analyzing circumstantial evidence, La. R.S. 15: 438 provides that the fact finder

must be satisfied the overall evidence excludes every reasonable hypothesis of

innocence. State v. Patorno, 2001- 2585 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 6/ 21/ 02), 822 So. 2d

141, 144.

When the key issue is the defendant' s identity as the perpetrator, rather than

whether the crime was committed, the State is required to negate any reasonable

probability of misidentification. It is the fact finder who weighs the respective

credibility of each witness, and this court will generally not second- guess those

determinations. State v. Hughes, 2005- 0992 ( La. 11/ 29/ 06), 943 So. 2d 1047,

1051; State v. Davis, 2001- 3033 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 6/ 21/ 02), 822 So. 2d 161, 163-

Louisiana Revised Statutes 14: 30( A)(5), in pertinent part, provides that

f]irst degree murder is the killing of a human being ... [ w] hen the offender has

the specific intent to kill or to inflict great bodily harm upon a victim who is ...

sixty- five years of age or older." Specific criminal intent is that state of mind

which exists when the circumstances indicate that the offender actively desired the

prescribed criminal consequences to follow his act or failure to act. La. R.S.

14: 10( 1). Though intent is a question of fact, it need not be proven as a fact. It

may be inferred from the circumstances of the transaction. Specific intent may be

proven by direct evidence, such as statements by a defendant, or by inference from

circumstantial evidence, such as a defendant' s actions or facts depicting the

circumstances. Specific intent is an ultimate legal conclusion to be resolved by the

fact finder. State v. Coleman, 2017- 1045 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 4/ 13/ 18), 249 So. 3d

872, 877, writ denied, 2018- 0830 ( La. 2/ 18/ 19), 263 So. 3d 1155. Specific intent to

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kill or inflict great bodily harm may be inferred from the extent and severity of the

victim' s injuries. State v. Thomas, 2019- 0409 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 10/ 25/ 19), 289

So. 3d 1030, 1038, writ granted in part on otherrog_ unds, 2019- 01819 ( La. 6/ 22/ 20),

297 So. 3d 727. Conversely, a defendant' s confession is direct evidence, for it is an

acknowledgment of guilt for which no inference need be drawn. State v. Landry,

2019- 0486 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 2/ 21/ 20), 297 So. 3d 8, 15. See also La. R.S. 15: 449;

State v. Brown, 2013- 0560 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 4/ 30/ 14), 2014 WL 2711808, at * 4,

writ denied, 2014- 1418 ( La. 9/ 18/ 15), 177 So. 3d 1066.

The autopsy of the victim was performed by Dr. Dana Trosclair, who was

accepted as an expert in forensic pathology. Dr. Trosclair testified that the victim

suffered multiple blunt force injuries consisting of lacerations, abrasions, and

contusions on his face, head, and arms. She further confirmed that some of the

lacerations on the victim' s head were consistent with the use of a large hammer in

inflicting the injuries. She also testified that the victim suffered a contusion to the

left side of his face and skull, consistent with being rolled over by the tire of a

vehicle. The victim also had defensive wounds on his arms and fractured ribs on

his left side. The victim' s cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries to the

head and chest. Dr. Trosclair further testified that the victim had thermal injuries

to the left side of his body, particularly his legs, but those injuries were sustained

postmortem ( after death), revealing that he was already deceased at the time of the

fire.

After his arrest, the defendant was read his rights and did not admit to

committing the offense. However, the defendant informed the police that on the

day in question, he left home during the early morning hours to buy cigarettes from

a convenience store located across the street from the SHPSO and approximately

five to six minutes from the victim' s residence, the scene of the murder. Based on

the defendant' s statement, the detectives went to the convenience store and

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obtained surveillance footage showing the defendant at the store at 3: 55 a.m. Ms.

Raymond corroborated the identity of the person in the surveillance video as the

defendant.

Ms. Raymond testified that the victim, whom she knew as a neighbor and

friend of the defendant' s family, lived about a mile and a half away. She

confirmed that the victim often came to their residence, and the defendant

occasionally went to the victim' s residence to do work or odd jobs for him. Ms.

Raymond also testified that she confronted the defendant during a jail visit and told

him that she knew " what he did." According to Ms. Raymond, the defendant gave

her confirmation, telling her that he already knew that she knew what he had done,

and it was at this point that Ms. Raymond knew the defendant " had killed [ the

victim] ."

Ms. Raymond further testified that she believed certain items had been

stolen from the victim and that the defendant told her that the items were located in

his mother' s shed and in the woods behind his mother' s house. Ms. Raymond

subsequently relayed the information to her attorney and the defendant' s mother,

Natalie Ficklin.

Ms. Ficklin called the SHPSO and gave Detective Sibley consent to search

her property. The search of the wooded area behind Ms. Ficklin' s home and a

search of her shed resulted in the recovery of six long guns and a green duffle bag

containing a pill bottle with the victim' s name on it, bullets, coins, jewelry, and a

revolver. The tag attached to the duffle bag had the victim' s name on it. The

revolver was sent to the crime lab for testing. The victim' s death certificate

indicated his date of birth as December 25, 1936. The parties stipulated at trial that

if the victim' s daughter, Roxanne Hornsby, were called to the stand, she would

testify that the victim was seventy- five years old at the time of his death and that

the items discovered at Ms. Ficklin' s residence were the property of the victim.

7

Paul Berry, a crime lab forensic DNA analyst accepted as an expert in DNA

analysis, testified that the swab taken from the left-hand fingernail scrapings of the

victim were consistent with a mixture of DNA from two individuals and that the

defendant could not be excluded as the minor DNA contributor. A blood sample

was taken from the sledgehammer, and the sample tested positive for the victim' s

DNA. Crime lab latent print comparison analyst Melissa Goudeau, accepted as an

expert in latent print comparison and crime scene investigation, testified that a

fingerprint taken from the revolver was identified as the left thumb print of the

defendant.

The trier of fact is free to accept or reject, in whole or in part, the testimony

of any witness. An appellate court will not reweigh evidence to overturn a fact

finder' s determination of guilt. State v. Taylor, 97- 2261 ( La. App. 1st Cir.

9/ 25/ 98), 721 So. 2d 929, 932. We are constitutionally precluded from acting as a

thirteenth juror" in assessing what weight to give evidence in criminal cases. See

State v. Mitchell, 99- 3342 ( La. 10/ 17/ 00), 772 So. 2d 78, 83.

In this case, the jury heard testimony regarding the defendant' s own

statements to Ms. Raymond implicating himself in a crime and leading to the

recovery of the victim' s stolen items. See State v. Eason, 2019- 0614 ( La. App.

1st Cir. 12/ 27/ 19), 293 So. 3d 61, 68 and 70- 71 ( noting the jury must have accepted

the testimony of three witnesses who all stated that the defendant had confessed to

killing the victim, this court found the evidence sufficient to support the

defendant' s identity as the perpetrator of the second degree murder of the victim);

State v. Taylor, 2016- 1373 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 4/ 12/ 17), 2017 WL 1376520, at * 4

holding that it was the province of the jury to accept the testimony of a known

drug user, who stated that the defendant confessed to killing the victim); State v.

Chester, 2019- 363 ( La. App. 5th Cir. 2/ 3/ 21), So. 3d 2021 WL

369554, at * 15 ( wherein the court noted testimony by the defendant' s ex- girlfriend

E.3

that the defendant had confessed to her that he had killed the victim was sufficient

to establish the defendant as the victim' s killer). The jury also heard testimony

regarding the defendant' s statements to the police that led them to recovering the

surveillance footage. The footage placed him about five minutes away from the

scene, just prior to neighbors reportedly hearing noises. Further, the jury heard

testimony regarding the victim' s multiple injuries, the processing of the crime

scene, the evidence showing that the defendant' s DNA was located under the

victim' s fingernails, and the evidence showing that the defendant' s fingerprint was

found on one of the stolen items.

We find that based on the evidence presented, a trier of fact could have

reasonably concluded that the defendant inflicted the victim' s lethal blunt force

injuries, as the victim attempted to defend himself to no avail. We cannot say that

the jury' s unanimous determination was irrational under the facts and

circumstances presented to them. See Ordodi, 946 So. 2d at 662. Viewing the

evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, we are convinced that a

rational trier of fact could find that the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt,

and to the exclusion of every reasonable hypothesis of innocence, all of the

elements of first degree murder and the defendant' s identity as the perpetrator.

Thus, we find no merit in pro se assignment of error number one.

DEFENSE CHALLENGES FOR CAUSE DURING VOIR DIRE

In counseled assignment of error number one, the defendant contends that

his peremptory challenges were exhausted during voir dire due to the trial court' s

erroneous denial of challenges for cause regarding seven prospective jurors. He

argues that a review of the voir dire conducted in this case indicates that the trial

court routinely denied defense challenges for cause without expressing adequate

reasons. The defendant further contends that the reason for the trial court' s

continued erroneous denials of defense counsel' s challenges for cause became

apparent when alternate jurors were being selected.

The defendant notes that each side was granted one peremptory challenge

for selecting alternate jurors and that there were only two prospective jurors

remaining. He notes that at that time, the trial court stated, " but we' re not pulling

another panel. So if you exercise two we' re not having any alternates." Including

one of the potential alternate jurors, the defendant notes that he used peremptory

challenges to remove five of the seven challenged jurors at issue, that the other two

served on the jury, and that he exhausted all of his peremptory challenges. The

defendant argues that he was deprived of his statutory and constitutional due

process rights. In assignment of error number two of his pro se brief, the defendant

reiterates the arguments stated above, restates the applicable law, and contends that

he was denied his constitutional right to an impartial jury.

Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure article 797 provides, in pertinent part,

that the State or the defendant may challenge a juror for cause on the ground that

the juror is not impartial, whatever the cause of his partiality. La. Code Crim. P.

art. 797( 2). Further, a defendant may challenge a juror for cause on the grounds

that the relationship, whether by blood, marriage, employment, friendship, or

enmity between the juror and the defendant, the person injured by the offense, the

district attorney, or defense counsel, is such that it is reasonable to conclude that it

would influence the juror in arriving at a verdict. La. Code Crim. P. art. 797( 3).

However, the law does not require that a jury be composed of individuals who are

totally unacquainted with the defendant, the prosecuting witness, the prosecuting

attorney, and the witnesses who may testify at trial. Rather, the law requires that

jurors be fair and unbiased. State v. Morgan, 2017- 0932 ( La. App. 1st Cir.

2/ 20/ 18), 2018 WL 947011, at * 7, writ denied, 2018- 0465 ( La. 1/ 14/ 19), 260 So.3d

1215, cert. denied, U.S. , 139 S. Ct. 1568, 203 L.Ed. 2d 730 ( 2019); State v.

10

Stewart, 2008- 1265 ( La. App. 5th Cir. 5/ 26/ 09), 15 So. 3d 276, 288, writ denied,

2009- 1407 ( La. 3/ 5/ 10), 28 So. 3d 1003.

A challenge for cause should be granted, even when a prospective juror

declares his ability to remain impartial, if the juror' s responses as a whole reveal

facts from which bias, prejudice, or inability to render judgment according to law

may be reasonably implied. However, a trial court' s ruling on a motion to strike

jurors for cause is afforded broad discretion because of the court' s ability to get a

first -person impression of prospective jurors during voir dire. State v. Brown,

2005- 1676 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 5/ 5/ 06), 935 So. 2d 211, 214, writ denied, 2006- 1586

La. 1/ 8/ 07), 948 So. 2d 121. Moreover, a prospective juror' s seemingly prejudicial

response is not grounds for an automatic challenge for cause, and a trial judge' s

refusal to excuse him on the grounds of impartiality is not an abuse of discretion, if

after further questioning the potential juror demonstrates a willingness and ability

to decide the case impartially according to the law and evidence. State v. Kang,

2002- 2812 ( La. 10/ 21/ 03), 859 So. 2d 649, 653. Prejudice is presumed when a

challenge for cause is erroneously denied by a trial court and the defendant has
3
exhausted his peremptory challenges. This is because an erroneous ruling

depriving an accused of a peremptory challenge violates his substantial rights and

constitutes reversible error. Kang, 859 So.2d at 651- 52.

Prospective jurors Karl, Armstrong, Ratliff, and Herring

The first prospective juror at issue, Roddy Karl, informed the trial court that,

while he did not personally know the assistant district attorney assigned to this

case, he previously testified as a witness and victim of stalking in a grand jury

proceeding in another case to which the assistant district attorney was assigned.

He confirmed that it would not influence him in any way. Mr. Karl denied that his

3 In trials of offenses punishable by death or necessarily by imprisonment at hard labor, each
defendant shall have twelve peremptory challenges. La. Code Crim. P. art. 799. In this case, the
defendant exhausted all twelve peremptory challenges.

11

previous experience would affect his ability to make decisions based solely from

listening to the facts and circumstances of the instant case.

During follow-up questioning by the defense attorney, Mr. Karl stated that

the accused in the other case was not convicted, but that he had " no issues" with

the district attorney' s office. He responded positively when asked if he was happy

with the district attorney' s office after the case. He agreed that he could be fair if

the defendant in this case did not testify, stating, " I think it' s his choice," adding,

no person should be compelled to testify against himself." While challenging Mr.

Karl, the defense attorney stated, " He knew [ the prosecutor] and that he helped

sic] when he was a victim." The prosecutor stated that Mr. Karl twice said he

could be fair. The trial court denied the challenge for cause without objection.

The defendant exercised a peremptory challenge to excuse Mr. Karl.

Ms. Martha Armstrong stated that she knew the assistant district attorney

and his wife, stating, " I' ve just known him forever." She confirmed that it would

not influence her and agreed that she could vote not guilty if the assistant district

attorney failed to prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt without any

explanation being owed to the assistant district attorney. When the prospective

jurors were asked if they had heard about the case, Ms. Armstrong stated, " I' m

pretty sure everyone' s heard." She stated that she only " knew of the victim, but

actually knew his sister. She admitted she had heard that the victim died and that

she knew " basically 90 percent of the people listed as potential witnesses. She

also indicated that a " robbery" occurred at her home in the past but that she was

not there when it occurred. She indicated that she would not be affected and that

she would be able to listen to the case and form a decision based on what she heard

in the courtroom. She further stated that about seven years before the trial, she had

a confrontation with a game warden who brought her to jail for DWI, but the

12

charges were not pursued. She denied ever socializing with the assistant district

attorney or receiving any assistance from him regarding her DWI arrest.

However, when subsequently asked if knowing witnesses would affect her

ability to be impartial or make her want to believe them, she stated, " I' m thinking."

When later asked if she would hold it against the defendant if he did not testify, she

stated that she would like to hear him testify, but confirmed that she would not

hold it against him if he did not. The defense counsel challenged Ms. Armstrong

based on her knowing the assistant district attorney, many potential witnesses, and

the victim' s sister, her past DWI arrest, and the fact that she was a victim of a

crime. In denying the challenge, the trial court noted that as to each issue, Ms.

Armstrong indicated that she could be fair. The trial court noted that it would not

presume otherwise. The defendant objected to the trial court' s ruling and exercised

a peremptory challenge to remove Ms. Armstrong.

Prospective jurors Gordon Ratliff and Brenda Herring had histories in law

enforcement.
Specifically, Mr. Ratliff was a SHPSO reserve deputy " on and off'

for the three years before the trial, and Ms. Herring was a civil deputy at the

Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff' s Office. Mr. Ratliff stated that although he knew

everyone at the SHPSO, he could be fair and impartial and would determine the

facts based on what he heard in the courtroom. Mr. Ratliff denied having any

information regarding or knowledge of the instant case. Ms. Herring similarly

indicated that while she knew Deputy Woodard, she could be fair and would not

tend to believe the testimony of an officer simply because the witness was an

officer.

The defense counsel challenged Mr. Ratliff strictly on his status as a reserve

deputy and similarly challenged Ms. Herring based on her affiliation with law

enforcement and the fact that she knew Deputy Woodard. The trial court denied

the cause challenges as to Mr. Ratliff and Ms. Herring, noting that they made it

13

clear that they would not be influenced and that they could be impartial. The

defense attorney objected to each ruling and exercised peremptory challenges to

excuse both prospective jurors.

A juror' s association with law enforcement agencies or personnel will not

alone disqualify him from service. The fact that a prospective juror is " friends"

with, or related to, law enforcement officials or the district attorney is not grounds

for automatic exclusion for cause. State v. Manning, 2003- 1982 ( La. 10/ 19/ 04),

885 So. 2d 1044, 1078, cert. denied, 544 U.S. 967, 125 S. Ct. 1745, 161 L.Ed.2d

612 ( 2005); State v. Hudson, 2015- 0158 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 9/ 18/ 15), 2015 WL

5516100, at * 11. Even where a prospective juror' s affiliations raise an issue

regarding his ability to be impartial, if, after voir dire examination, the trial court is

satisfied the prospective juror can render an impartial verdict according to the law

and evidence, it is the trial court' s duty to deny the challenge for cause. Manning,

885 So. 2d at 1078.

In the instant case, each of the foregoing prospective jurors were all

challenged based on affiliations with law enforcement or the assistant district

attorney, and each affirmatively asserted that they could be fair and impartial upon

voir dire examination. As such, the trial court indicated that it was satisfied that

each of the jurors could render an impartial verdict in accordance with the law and

evidence. Accordingly, we cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in

denying the cause challenges as to Mr. Karl, Ms. Armstrong, Mr. Ratliff, and Ms.

Herring.

Prospective juror D' Quence Self

The defendant further challenges the trial court' s denial of his challenge for

cause of prospective juror D' Quence Self, whose father and grandfather had a

friendship with the victim. Ms. Selfs father, Mr. James Self, was also a

14

prospective juror. Ms. Self said the victim would call her grandfather every day.'

Ms. Self stated that she would occasionally speak to the victim on the phone, give

him the weather forecast, and occasionally bring him food. She stated that she did

not think knowing the victim would pose a problem and denied that she was there

to seek vengeance. She confirmed that she could listen to the facts and

circumstances of the case to make a decision as to whether she thought the

defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Mr. Self stated that he had known the victim for a long time, described him

as a good friend, and stated that he used to do work around the house for him. Mr.

Self confirmed that it would be " kind of hard" for him to give the defendant a fair

trial and confirmed that he did not think that he would want someone like himself

on the jury if it were him standing trial.

Ms. Self confirmed that she did not know the victim as well as her father did

and further stated that she only spoke to him on the phone, not in person, whenever

he would call her grandfather' s house. She initially acknowledged that her

association with the victim would cause her some concern like her father, but then

stated, " I' m not sure if [sic] would affect my fairness. Because, I mean, if there' s

evidence to prove that he did it, then I would go with the evidence." As she stated,

Well, if the evidence don' t prove that he didn' t do it, then—" the defense counsel

interjected and asked if she would have some concern about being selected and

would rather not be selected, to which she conceded.

In challenging Ms. Self, defense counsel argued, " She indicated that she

could not be fair based on the relationship with [ the victim]." In response, the trial

court stated, " I don' t think that' s what she indicated. ... I think that' s what her dad

indicated, but I don' t think that' s what she indicated." In so finding, the trial court

Ms. Self confirmed that her grandfather, Leon Self, was present in the courtroom that day and
that she believed he was there as a spectator.

15

denied the defendant' s challenge of Ms. Self, but granted the challenge as to Mr.

Self. The defense counsel objected, and Ms. Self was accepted as a juror, as the

defense had already exhausted its peremptory challenges.

As noted herein, a trial court' s ruling on whether to seat or reject a juror for

cause will not be disturbed unless a review of the voir dire as a whole indicates an

abuse of the great discretion accorded to the trial court. State v. Martin, 558

So. 2d 654, 658 ( La. App. 1st Cir.), writ denied, 564 So. 2d 318 ( La. 1990). Thus,

only where it appears upon review of the voir dire examination as a whole that the

trial court' s exercise of that discretion has been arbitrary or unreasonable, resulting

in prejudice to the accused, will the ruling of the trial court be reversed. See State

v. Lee, 93- 2810 ( La. 5/ 23/ 94), 637 So. 2d 102, 108. Having reviewed the voir dire

of Ms. Self, we cannot say the trial court abused its discretion in denying the cause

challenge. See State v. Allen, 95- 1754 ( La. 9/ 5/ 96), 682 So. 2d 713, 724 ( although

the juror admitted having known the victim for two years and drinking beer with

the victim at the club where the victim was murdered, the court held the juror did

not have an extensive personal relationship with the victim and the record failed to

show the juror' s relationship with the victim would influence his verdict); State v.

Hallal, 544 So. 2d 1222, 1230, ( La. App. 1st Cir. 1989), vacated on otherrog unds,

557 So. 2d 1388 ( La. 1990) ( finding the trial court did not abuse its discretion in

denying a cause challenge for a juror who admitted she knew the victim as well as

his family and that the relationship would make it difficult to serve on the jury).

Prospective juror McGee

Prospective juror Janice McGee informed the defense counsel that she was

not doing well the day of the trial, stating that she had back surgery, that she still

had problems with her neck and back, and that her right leg was weak, such that

she needed a walker, cane, or crutch. She noted that while she had a cane, she was

uncomfortable sitting. The defense counsel' s subsequent challenge of Ms. McGee

16

based on her back surgery was denied by the trial court. The defense counsel

initially objected, but then declined to excuse Ms. McGee peremptorily, stating,

Hold on a minute. I think I [ sic] fine with her." Ms. McGee served on the jury.

In State v. Magee, 2011- 0574 ( La. 9/ 28/ 12), 103 So. 3d 285, 307, cert.

denied, 571 U.S. 830, 134 S. Ct. 56, 187 L.Ed.2d 49 ( 2013), the Louisiana Supreme

Court recognized that even where a defendant ultimately exhausts his peremptory

challenges, he must use one of his remaining peremptory challenges curatively to

remove the objectionable juror or waive the complaint on appeal. This

requirement, through which the defendant is forced to use a remaining peremptory

challenge in order to preserve error in the denial of a challenge for cause, is

sometimes referred to as the " strike or waive" rules

In the instant case, while the defendant ultimately exhausted his peremptory

challenges, he declined to curatively use an available peremptory challenge against

Ms. McGee. Thus, applying the " strike or waive" rule, the defendant waived his

complaint with regard to the trial court' s ruling denying his cause challenge with

respect to Ms. McGee.

Prospective juror Wallace

The final challenge for cause ruling at issue on appeal came during the

selection of an alternate juror, at which point the State and the defendant were each

given an additional peremptory challenge to exercise. The defense counsel

challenged prospective alternate juror Chester Wallace for cause without providing

a basis for the challenge. During voir dire, Mr. Wallace stated that he knew a

physician who was one of the potential witnesses, that his uncle was a retired

police officer from New Orleans, and that his uncle' s son worked for the FBI.

5 In Magee, the court found no constitutional or statutory infirmity in the " strike or waive" rule
and thus applied the rule to hold that the defendant had waived his complaints regarding the
district court' s denial of his cause challenges for four of the five jurors so challenged. Magee,
103 So. 3d at 310.

17

When asked if these relationships would affect him, he stated, " Not at all." When

asked what he thought about the defendant possibly not testifying, he noted that he

would prefer to hear both sides of the story. However, he repeatedly confirmed

that he could be fair and that he would not hold it against the defendant if he

exercised his right to remain silent. The trial court denied the general challenge for

cause, noting " at the end of the day ... he said he could do it." Without objecting

to the trial court' s ruling, the defense counsel exercised a peremptory challenge to

excuse Mr. Wallace.

At the outset, we note that the defendant failed to lodge a contemporaneous

objection to the trial court' s ruling on his challenge for cause as to prospective

juror Mr. Wallace. See La. Code Crim. P. art. 800( A). The defendant, further, did

not articulate a basis for the challenge of Mr. Wallace.6 Thus, the defendant is

precluded on appeal from urging error as to the trial court' s denial of his challenge

for cause as to prospective juror Mr. Wallace.

Furthermore, as detailed above, we have thoroughly reviewed the

examination of each of the prospective jurors at issue. We find that as to each

potential juror, their responses as a whole indicated their willingness and ability to

be fair and unbiased and render an impartial verdict according to the law and

evidence. We find no abuse of discretion by the trial court in denying the

defendant' s challenges for cause at issue. Counseled assignment of error number

one and pro se assignment of error number two are without merit.

6 In State v. Pinion, 2006- 2346 ( La. 10/ 26/ 07), 968 So. 2d 131, 136, the Louisiana Supreme
court stated: " In jury selection, counsel satisfies the requirements of Louisiana' s

contemporaneous objection rule by stating his grounds for a cause challenge and then by
removing the juror with one of his remaining peremptory challenges when the court declines to
excuse the juror for cause. ( Emphasis added.)

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SPOUSAL PRIVILEGE

In counseled assignment of error number two, the defendant contends that

the trial court erred in denying his motion in limine to prohibit the testimony of

Ms. Raymond on the basis of spousal privilege, regarding the conversation with

the defendant in which he purportedly confirmed that he committed the offense.

The defendant notes that in denying the motion, the trial court stated that the

communication at issue was not intended to be confidential and commented that

children and other people were present at the time. The defendant claims that the

trial court ignored testimony indicating that the children had " ran off' before the

conversation took place and that others were not privy or within range of hearing

the conversation. The defendant notes that he did not waive his spousal privilege.

He contends that the trial court' s ruling allowing his former spouse to testify as to

the " alleged private conversation" between her and her then husband, the

defendant, violated his right to spousal privilege. He concludes that the unanimous

verdict in this case was attributed to the wrongful admission of this evidence and

that his conviction must be vacated. In assignment of error number three of his pro

se brief, the defendant reiterates the above, specifically contending that any

information he allegedly shared with Ms. Raymond in confidence is protected by

the spousal privilege.

Louisiana allows for two distinct spousal privileges—the spousal confidential

communications privilege and the spousal witness privilege. These spousal

privileges are created by statute and are not constitutional rights. In re Subpoena,

2019- 00962 ( La. 5/ 28/ 20), So. 3d , 2020 WL 3424310, at * 3.

Louisiana Code of Evidence article 504( B), establishing the spousal privilege to

confidential communications, provides as follows:

Each spouse has a privilege during and after the marriage to refuse to
disclose, and to prevent the other spouse from disclosing, confidential

communications with the other spouse while they were husband and
wife.

Under La. Code Evid. art. 504( A), a communication is defined as " confidential" if

it is made privately and is not intended for further disclosure unless such

disclosure is itself privileged." " Where there is a lack of evidence to the contrary,

communications between spouses are presumed to be confidential." State v.

Dupuy, 319 So. 2d 294, 298 ( La. 1975) ( citing State v. Pizzolotto, 209 La. 644,

651- 521 25 So.2d 292, 295 ( 1946)). Whether a particular communication is

protected as confidential is a question of fact to be determined by the trial court.

Accordingly, the trial court must assess the circumstances surrounding the alleged

confidential communication and the probable intent of the divulging spouse at the

time it was made. State v. Lilly, 2012- 0008 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 9/ 21/ 12), 111 So. 3d

45, 57, writ denied, 2012- 2277 ( La. 5/ 31/ 13), 118 So. 3d 386.

Louisiana Code of Evidence article 505, establishing the spousal witness

privilege, states:

In a criminal case or in commitment or interdiction proceedings, a

witness spouse has a privilege not to testify against the other spouse.
This privilege terminates upon the annulment of the marriage, legal
separation, or divorce of the spouses.

The spousal witness privilege set forth in La. Code Evid. art. 505 is held by the

witness spouse and can be waived. The statute provides that neither spouse may be

compelled to be a witness against the other in a criminal trial. However, the statute

does not prohibit a spouse from voluntarily taking the stand against the defendant

spouse. State v. Taylor, 94- 0696 ( La. 9/ 6/ 94), 642 So. 2d 160, 164; State v.

Nash, 36, 038 ( La. App. 2d Cir. 6/ 14/ 02), 821 So. 2d 678, 683- 84, writ denied,

2002- 2527 ( La. 6/ 27/ 03), 847 So. 2d 1254. If a spouse waives the right to

testimonial privilege, the waiver gives the spouse the right to testify against the

other spouse as to non -privileged evidence. See State v. Bennett, 357 So. 2d 1136,

20

1139- 40 ( La. 1978); State v. Sarrio, 2001- 543 ( La. App. 5th Cir. 11/ 27/ 01), 803

So. 2d 212, 222, writ denied, 2002- 0358 ( La. 2/ 7/ 03), 836 So. 2d 86.

In discussing the source article for La. Code Evid. arts. 504- 505, La. R.S.

15: 461 ( repealed by 1992 La. Acts, No. 376, § 6), the Louisiana Supreme Court

noted the distinction to be drawn between the evidentiary and testimonial privilege.

In Bennett, 357 So.2d at 1139- 40, the court stated the following:

This statute creates two distinct privileges. The first of these is the
privilege which attaches to private conversations between husband
and wife and which may be asserted by the defendant -spouse.
Secondly, the statute establishes a privilege in favor of a spouse called
to testify against the other spouse by providing that neither spouse
shall be compelled to be a witness against the other in a criminal
proceeding. The exercise of this privilege rests with the testifying
spouse alone and may not be invoked by the defendant -spouse.

A privilege may be waived if the person upon whom the privilege has been

conferred voluntarily discloses any significant part of the privileged matter. La.

Code Evid. art. 502( A).

At the hearing on the motion in limine, which took place two years before

the trial, Ms. Raymond testified that she was still married to the defendant but had

filed for divorce. She further stated that the defendant was currently incarcerated,

and that she had visited with him since his arrest. The trial court informed Ms.

Raymond of her right of spousal privilege, indicating that she was not required to

testify against the defendant and that statements made during the marriage were

privileged. She was told that she could choose to exercise it or not and was asked

if it was her desire to move forward with questioning or if she would rather take

advantage of the spousal privilege. Ms. Raymond stated that she wanted to move

forward. As Ms. Raymond was charged as an accessory after -the -fact to burglary

and principal to theft, she was also informed of her constitutional right against self-

incrimination and asked if she had an opportunity to discuss her rights with her

attorney, who was present and confirmed that he discussed the matter and her

Fa

rights with her. Ms. Raymond confirmed that she wanted to speak. Ms. Raymond

testified that the jail visit at issue took place on May 8, 2013, and that her two

children and mother- in- law' s husband, Michael Ficklin, were with her for the jail

visit. She stated that the defendant was brought out for the visit, and they sat at a

table in a room that she described as half the size of the courtroom. She stated that

the room may have had two tables, that the defendant was sitting right next to her,

and that the children were also in the room. Mr. Ficklin was about five to eight

feet away from her at the corner of the table, facing the defendant.

She stated the kids " ran off eventually," and, at that point, she confronted the

defendant about his involvement in the offense. She stated that the guard and

another family were in the room across the table by a wall at the time, about ten

feet away, and that she and the defendant spoke in a normal voice. She specifically

denied that they were whispering during the conversation. She also stated that

other guards were walking in and out of the room. The trial court ruled that the

communication was not intended to be private, noting that it was a public

visitation, that children were present, and that there was minimal to no expectation

of privacy at all.

In Dupuy, the supreme court found no error occurred where the trial court

allowed the defendant' s wife to testify about statements the defendant made to her.

The wife first testified, out of the jury' s presence, that there were third parties

present during the communications at issue. The defendant did not call the third

parties to the stand to refute these claims, despite the third parties being listed as

defense witnesses. Dupuy, 319 So. 2d at 298.

In Lilly, this court found spousal privilege did not apply to spousal

communications made during jailhouse calls because the couple was put on notice

that the phone calls were monitored and possibly recorded. The court stated, " Even

if the defendant and his wife never intended for the conversations to be disclosed,

22

the fact that they were aware that a third party could monitor or record their

conversation destroyed the confidential nature of the communication." Lilly, 111

So. 3d at 57.

Herein, we agree with the trial court' s assessment that the communication at

issue was not a " confidential communication" subject to the spousal evidentiary

privilege provided for in La. Code Evid. art. 504. The conversation took place in a

public area, the defendant and Ms. Raymond were not whispering, and Ms.

Raymond confirmed that other people were present in the room the entire time,

though some periodically walked in and out of the room. Although not actively

taking part in the conversation, Mr. Ficklin was just a few feet away at the same

table, facing the defendant and Ms. Raymond as they spoke. Even if the defendant

never intended for the conversation to be disclosed, the fact that both he and Ms.

Raymond were aware that other people could monitor or hear their conversation

destroyed the confidential nature of the communication.

Under the circumstances, the communication could not be excluded on the

basis that it was privileged. Thus, the trial court did not err in allowing Ms.

Raymond to testify about the conversation with the defendant during the jail visit

over the defendant' s objection based on privilege. Further, Ms. Raymond

unequivocally waived the right to testimonial privilege, which gave her the right to

testify against the defendant regarding the non -privileged communication at issue.

Hence, we find no error in the trial court' s denial of the motion in limine and

therefore no merit in counseled assignment of error number two and pro se

assignment of error number three.

CONVICTION AND SENTENCE AFFIRMED.

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