State of Louisiana v. Wilbert Touchet, Jr.

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

04-1027

STATE OF LOUISIANA

VERSUS

WILBERT TOUCHET, JR.

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APPEAL FROM THE
FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
PARISH OF VERMILION, NO. 39,800
HONORABLE JOHN DAMIAN TRAHAN, DISTRICT JUDGE

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OSWALD A. DECUIR
JUDGE

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Court composed of Oswald A. Decuir, Glenn B. Gremillion, and Elizabeth A. Pickett,
Judges.

Pickett, J., dissents in part and assigns written reasons.

REVERSE AND VACATE THE CONVICTION OF
AGGRAVATED RAPE, ENTER A JUDGMENT OF
GUILTY OF SEXUAL BATTERY AND REMAND
FOR SENTENCING; REVERSE AND VACATE THE
CONVICTION OF SECOND DEGREE BATTERY,
ENTER A JUDGMENT OF GUILTY OF SIMPLE
BATTERY AND REMAND FOR SENTENCING;
REVERSE AND VACATE THE CONVICTION OF
FALSE IMPRISONMENT.

Michael Harson
District Attorney
Fifteenth Judicial District Court
P.O. Box 3306
Lafayette, LA 70502-3306
(337) 232-5170
Counsel for Appellee:
State of Louisiana

Edward Kelly Bauman
Louisiana Appellate Projects
P. O. Box 1641
Lake Charles, LA 70602-1641
(337) 491-0570
Counsel for Defendant/Appellant:
Wilbert Touchet, Jr.

Richard Johnson Putnam, III
118 South State Street
Abbeville, LA 70510
(318) 893-0076
Counsel for Appellee:
State of Louisiana

Wilbert Touchet, Jr.
Elayn Hunt Correctional
P. O. Box 174
St. Gabriel, LA 704476

DECUIR, Judge.

FACTS

The State of Louisiana alleges that the Defendant struck the victim with his

fists, forced her to remove her clothing at knife point, and had sexual intercourse with

the victim against her will.

The Defendant, Wilbert Touchet, Jr., was charged with aggravated rape

committed in violation of La.R.S. 14:42, second degree battery committed in

violation of La.R.S. 14:34.1, and false imprisonment while armed with a dangerous

weapon in violation of La.R.S. 14:46.1. The Defendant was arraigned and entered

pleas of not guilty to all charges.

The Defendant waived his right to a trial by jury. Following a bench trial, the

trial judge found the Defendant guilty as charged on all three counts. The trial court

sentenced the Defendant to a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on the charge

of aggravated rape, five years imprisonment to run concurrently with the life sentence

on the charge of second degree battery, and five years imprisonment to run

concurrently to the other two on the charge of false imprisonment.

The Defendant appeals these convictions.

SUFFICIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE

The Defendant sets forth one assignment of error alleging the evidence

submitted by the State is insufficient to support conviction of the three offenses

charged. With regard to sufficiency of the evidence, this court set forth as follows in

State v. Lambert, 97-64, pp. 4-5 (La.App. 3 Cir. 9/30/98), 720 So.2d 724, 726-27:

When the issue of sufficiency of evidence is raised on appeal, the
critical inquiry of the reviewing court is 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 proven
beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct.
2781, 61 L.Ed. 2d 560 (1979); State ex rel. Graffagnino v. King, 436
So.2d 559 (La.1983); State v. Duncan, 420 So.2d 1105 (La.1982); State
v. Moody, 393 So.2d 1212 (La.1981). It is the role of the fact finder to

weigh the respective credibility of the witness. Therefore, the appellate
court should not second-guess the credibility determination of the trier
of fact beyond the sufficiency evaluations under the Jackson standard
of review. See King, 436 So.2d 559, citing State v. Richardson, 425
So.2d 1228 (La.1983).

In order for the State to obtain a conviction, it must prove the elements of the

crime beyond a reasonable doubt. In order for this court to affirm a conviction, the

record must reflect that the State has satisfied this burden of proving the elements of

the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Kennerson, 96-1518 (La.App. 3 Cir.

5/7/97), 695 So.2d 1367.

Aggravated Rape

The trial court found the Defendant guilty of aggravated rape in violation of

La.R.S. 14:42(A)(3), which states, in pertinent part:

A. Aggravated rape is a rape committed upon a person sixty-five
years of age or older or where the anal, oral, or vaginal sexual
intercourse is deemed to be without lawful consent of the victim because
it is committed under any one or more of the following circumstances:

....

(3) When the victim is prevented from resisting the act because
the offender is armed with a dangerous weapon.

The victim testified that she met the Defendant around Mardi Gras 2002. The

two subsequently spent several nights together. At some point, the Defendant left to

go to work offshore. While he was offshore, the victim rented a house for the two to

live in together when he returned. All of this happened between Mardi Gras and the

first week of March 2002. When the Defendant returned from working offshore, he

moved in with the victim. The two slept together in a small bedroom in the rented

house.

The victim stated that about two weeks after they had moved in together, she

and the Defendant had gone on an outing and when they returned, the Defendant told

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the victim that she had been acting like a whore. Upon arriving at their home, they

entered the home, and the Defendant locked the front door. The victim proceeded to

go to the bathroom, which was through the bedroom. The Defendant met the victim

and told her, “[i]f you want to act like a whore, I’m going to treat you like a whore,”

and told the victim to remove her clothing. The victim testified that she told the

Defendant no at first. At that point, the Defendant pulled out a pocket knife. Then

the victim testified that she did not remember the knife being very close to her, but

“he came to [her] with it.” The victim stated that she believed that he was capable of

using the knife and that she was scared that if she tried to get away, the Defendant

would catch up to her.

After refusing once or twice, the victim removed her own clothing at the

Defendant’s prompting. She stated she probably would have removed her clothing

even if he had not had the knife because she was the “underdog.” After she removed

her clothing, the Defendant “set the knife down” and “proceeded to come up on

[her].” At that point the two had sexual intercourse.

The victim testified that she did not want to have sex. The victim stated that

she resisted the Defendant verbally, but did not get up and leave the room because she

was scared. On cross-examination, the victim stated that other than saying no, she did

not resist the Defendant in any way.

The Defendant testified that he never held a knife to the victim’s throat and

raped her. The Defendant further testified that the victim never indicated to him that

she did not want to have sex with him.

In State v. Jackson, 03-1079 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2/4/04), 866 So.2d 358, writ

denied, 04-1126 (La. 10/8/04), 883 So.2d 1027, this court upheld the defendant’s

conviction of aggravated rape. In Jackson, the defendant forced two women upstairs

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at knife point, tied one of the women up with an electrical cord and put her in a hall

closet. The victim testified that while he was tying up the other woman, the

defendant told her to shut up “that he had killed a woman in Houston and he would

not hesitate killing two more.” Id. at 363. Then Jackson told the victim to go into a

room. He approached the victim, twisted her shirt around her neck, placed the knife

at her throat and said, “you do it or I do it.” Id. at 364. The victim then requested that

they go into another room, which she testified contained items that she could have

used as a weapon. During the rape, the victim testified that Jackson did not have the

knife, but still had a pair of scissors, which were either in his hand or on the floor

near the victim’s head during the rape. The victim stated that during the attack the

defendant had one hand on his penis and the other hand on her shoulder holding her

down; the scissors were on the floor next to her head. After raping the victim,

Jackson forced her into a bathroom, took her shoes, tied the door shut from the

outside and left in the victim’s vehicle. In affirming Jackson’s conviction, this court

stated:

In the present case, the occurrence of sexual intercourse is
undisputed; the contested issue is whether the sex was consensual.
R.M. testified the defendant had a knife to her throat when he ordered
her to undress. Although the defendant put the knife down prior to the
rape, R.M. testified the defendant had one hand on her shoulder and the
scissors were near her head. Although it is not clear whether the
scissors were actually in the defendant's hand during the perpetration of
the rape, the jury was reasonable in determining that they were easily
accessible to him.

Id. at 366.

In the case at bar, unlike Jackson, the victim testified that the Defendant did

not get near her with the knife. Also unlike Jackson, the victim did not testify that

the knife or any other weapon was accessible to the Defendant during the commission

of the sexual act. Accordingly, we find that the evidence viewed in the light most

4

favorable to the prosecution is not sufficient to uphold a conviction of aggravated

rape.

We will, therefore, examine whether any responsive verdict was proven.

Forcible rape is a proper responsive verdict for aggravated rape. La.Code Crim.P. art.

814(A)(8). We will review the evidence in order to determine if the evidence is

sufficient for a conviction of forcible rape.

The definition of forcible rape is set forth in La.R.S. 14:42.1 as follows:

A. Forcible rape is rape committed when the anal, oral, or vaginal sexual
intercourse is deemed to be without the lawful consent of the victim
because it is committed under any one or more of the following
circumstances:

(1) When the victim is prevented from resisting the act by force
or threats of physical violence under circumstances where the victim
reasonably believes that such resistance would not prevent the rape.

In State v. Parish, 405 So.2d 1080 (La.1981) (on rehearing) (footnote omitted),

the supreme court reversed the defendant’s conviction of attempted aggravated rape

and substituted the conviction of attempted forcible rape, stating:

This court has held that forcible rape is merely a lesser degree of the
crime of aggravated rape, permitting a responsive verdict, La.C.Cr.P. art.
814, subd. A(8) (as amended in 1975), to the charge of aggravated rape.
State v. Drew, 360 So.2d 500 (La.1978); State v. Fletcher, 341 So.2d
340 (La.1976). The only distinction between aggravated and forcible
rape is the degree of force employed and the extent to which the victim
resists. State v. Turnbull, 377 So.2d 72 (La. 1979). Nevertheless, the
jury is authorized to subject a guilty defendant to more severe
punishment by convicting him of aggravated rape rather than forcible
rape. The penalty for aggravated rape is life imprisonment with hard
labor without parole, probation or suspension, and the maximum
sentence which may be imposed for forcible rape is forty years at hard
labor.

We conclude, therefore, that it was the legislative aim to divide
the continuum of acts of coerced sexual intercourse into two categories,
aggravated rape and forcible rape, thereby assigning to the jury the
function of fixing the range of permissible punishment for convicted
offenders by returning a verdict which appropriately fits the crime and
the degree of force employed. Accordingly, the question we are called
upon to decide is whether any reasonable jury, viewing all of the

5

evidence, in the light most favorable to the prosecution, could find
beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant actively desired to cause
the specific results required by both the aggravated and forcible rape
statutes and that the degree of force employed warranted punishment in
the greater, rather than lesser, degree. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S.
307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979).

The evidence in this case is sufficient to warrant a jury's finding
that defendant actively desired to commit an act of sexual intercourse
without the victim's consent by preventing her resistance with a threat
of great harm under circumstances where the victim reasonably believed
resistance would have been futile. The victim testified that the
defendant obtained entry to her apartment under false pretenses, seized
her by the throat, clasped her mouth, said he wanted to make love,
warned that he would kill her if she screamed, and dragged her toward
a bedroom. She stated that he outweighed her about 130 pounds and
was almost a foot taller.

The evidence does not constitutionally justify, however, the jury's
election to return a verdict of aggravated rape rather than forcible rape.
Within the range of attempted coercive sexual acts, the offense in this
case clearly falls among those involving a minimal use of force.
Although the victim was frightened and perhaps disturbed
psychologically, she was released substantially unharmed. The
defendant abandoned his attempt for no reason other than a change of
mind. He did not fondle the victim or subject her to any sexual
indignity. The evidence viewed from the perspective most favorable to
the prosecution does not support a finding beyond a reasonable doubt
that the degree of force employed warrants punishment in the greater
degree as attempted aggravated rape, rather than in the lesser degree as
attempted forcible rape.

The Defendant in this case did not use as much force as the defendant in

Parish. In Parish, the victim and the defendant engaged in a struggle during which

the victim lost a contact lens, tore her blouse, and received a small cut near her eye.

The defendant also choked the victim and threatened to kill her. In this case, the

Defendant held a knife toward the victim and told her to remove her clothing. When

the victim complied, the Defendant put the knife down, came over to her, and the two

engaged in sexual intercourse. The victim testified that the only resistance she

offered was saying no when the Defendant told her to remove her clothing. The

victim did not testify that the Defendant verbally threatened her during this incident.

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In State v. Powell, 438 So.2d 1306 (La.App. 3 Cir.), writ denied, 443 So.2d 585

(La.1983), this court held that the evidence was insufficient to uphold the

Defendant’s conviction for forcible rape. In Powell, the defendant picked the victim

up on the street corner where she was waiting for her ride. The victim testified that

after getting into the defendant’s car, he brought her to a secluded area and threatened

to kill her when she refused to have sexual intercourse with him. The defendant

struck the victim several times in the face while threatening to kill her with a weapon

that he claimed was underneath the seat. The victim testified that she never saw a

weapon. After being struck and threatened, the victim removed her own pants and

engaged in sexual intercourse with the defendant. In reversing Powell’s conviction,

this court stated:

The only evidence concerning the act of sexual intercourse is the
testimony of the victim. There was no other factual evidence to
corroborate her testimony. Nevertheless, we find that any rational trier
of fact could have reasonably concluded that the evidence taken in the
light most favorable to the prosecution, showed beyond a reasonable
doubt sufficient proof of the element. Under the Jackson test we feel
that the jury (fact finder) could have reasonably accorded great weight
to the victim's testimony to the extent that this element of the crime was
proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

There was no showing, however, of resistance on the part of the
victim and very little evidence that she was prevented from resisting by
force or threats of physical violence under the circumstances.
Construing the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution, we
do not feel that any rational trier of fact could find beyond a reasonable
doubt that there was force or threats of physical violence where the
victim reasonably believed that resistance to the act would be to no
avail.
....

After a thorough review of the record we find that the evidence is
insufficient to convince a reasonable fact finder beyond a reasonable
doubt that the victim was prevented from resisting the act by threats of
force or physical violence under the circumstances. We recognize that
there are cases holding that the victim's testimony is sufficient to
establish an essential element of a crime. State v. Rives, 407 So.2d 1195
(La.1981). However, it is clear, that the victim's testimony in this case,
even when construed in a light most favorable to the prosecution, leaves

7

reasonable doubt in the minds of reasonable men as to the commission
of an essential element of the crime. Therefore, the State has failed to
carry it’s burden of proof under Jackson v. Virginia, supra., as to an
essential element of the crime.

Id. at 1308-09.

While the victim in this case actually saw the weapon the Defendant possessed,

the victim did not testify that the Defendant actually verbally threatened her with the

weapon. The victim in Powell was struck several times in the face; the victim in the

case at bar did not testify that she was struck the Defendant during this incident. Like

Powell there is little showing of resistance on the part of the victim and little evidence

that she was precluded from resisting by force or threats of force. The victim stated

that the Defendant pulled the knife out and opened it, but did not remember the knife

being very close to her; she stated that she removed her own clothing and that the

Defendant put the weapon down before approaching her. The victim also stated that

other than saying no to removing her clothing, she offered no other resistance to the

attack. In Powell, the defendant and the victim were at most acquaintances. In the

case at bar, the victim and the Defendant were involved in an intimate relationship

both before and after the incident.

The testimony of the victim, when viewed in the light most favorable to the

prosecution left reasonable doubt as to whether the victim was “prevented from

resisting the act by force or threats of physical violence.” Therefore, the evidence

does not meet the elements necessary for convicting the Defendant of forcible rape.

Because the evidence is insufficient to convict the Defendant of the responsive

verdict of forcible rape, we will review the evidence to determine whether or not the

next responsive verdict was proven. Sexual battery is listed by La.Code Crim.P. art.

814(A)(8) as the next proper responsive verdict for aggravated rape. Louisiana

Revised Statutes 14:43.1 provides, in pertinent part:

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A. Sexual battery is the intentional engaging in any of the following
acts with another person where the offender acts without the consent of
the victim, or where the act is consensual but the other person, who is
not the spouse of the offender, has not yet attained fifteen years of age
and is at least three years younger than the offender:

(1) The touching of the anus or genitals of the victim by the
offender using any instrumentality or any part of the body of the
offender.

The victim testified that she did not consent to having sex with the Defendant.

The victim also testified that the Defendant’s penis touched her vagina. We find that

because the victim testified that she did not consent and because the victim testified

that the Defendant touched her genitals, the elements for the offense of sexual battery

have been met.

Accordingly, we reverse the Defendant’s conviction of aggravated rape and

substitute a conviction for sexual battery, a statutory responsive verdict pursuant to

La.Code Crim.P. art. 814(A)(8), and remand this case for re-sentencing in conformity

with the conviction of sexual battery.

Second Degree Battery

Louisiana Revised Statute 14:34.1, which sets forth the elements for the

offense of second degree battery provides, in pertinent part:

Second degree battery is a battery committed without the consent
of the victim when the offender intentionally inflicts serious bodily
injury.

For purposes of this article, serious bodily injury means bodily
injury which involves unconsciousness, extreme physical pain or
protracted and obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment
of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty, or a
substantial risk of death.

In order to prove second degree battery, therefore, the State must establish

beyond a reasonable doubt that the Defendant (1) committed a battery upon the

victim, (2) without her consent, and (3) intentionally inflicted serious bodily injury.

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When viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, we find the State

presented sufficient evidence to establish that the Defendant committed a battery

upon the victim and that it was without her consent. We find the State presented

insufficient evidence, however, that the Defendant inflicted “serious bodily injury”

as defined in the statute.

The victim testified that certain of the bruises depicted in the photographs

submitted into evidence were inflicted by the Defendant at their home in Vermilion

Parish prior to another incident in Cameron Parish. The evidence is sufficient to

establish, therefore, that a battery occurred in Vermilion Parish and these bruises

resulted from that battery. The battery established by the evidence, however, does not

rise to the level of a second degree battery because the evidence is insufficient to

prove “serious bodily injury” within the meaning of the statute. There was no

evidence presented that the victim lost consciousness, suffered a “protracted and

obvious disfigurement,” suffered a “protracted loss or impairment of the function of

a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty,” or was put at “substantial risk of death.”

The question becomes, therefore, whether the injuries inflicted caused “extreme

physical pain.”

While we do not doubt, viewing the evidence presented, that the Defendant’s

actions caused pain to the victim, we find no testimony that supports a finding of

“extreme physical pain” as contemplated by the statute. In State v. Helou, 02-2302

(La. 10/23/03), 857 So.2d 1024, 1029, the court stated the presence of blood alone

does not constitute serious bodily injury and noted that it “cannot infer that the loss

of blood is tantamount to ‘extreme physical pain.’” The court further noted that it

“cannot infer that a punch in the nose, without more evidence, is sufficient to support

a conviction of second degree battery.” Id. Likewise, in the case before us, we find

10

the Defendant hit the victim in Vermilion Parish, but there is no evidence that the

victim experienced “extreme physical pain.”

We do find sufficient evidence was presented to uphold a conviction of simple

battery. Under La.Code Crim.P. art. 814(A)(15) simple battery is an authorized

responsive verdict to a charge of second degree battery. Accordingly, we reverse the

Defendant’s conviction of second degree battery and hereby enter a conviction of

simple battery against the Defendant, and remand to the trial court for the purpose of

sentencing the Defendant for simple battery.

False Imprisonment

In order for this court to uphold a conviction of false imprisonment while

armed with a dangerous weapon, La.R.S. 14:46.1 requires the State prove that the

Defendant unlawfully and intentionally confined or detained the victim while armed

with a dangerous weapon.

Although the record established that the victim was intimidated by the

Defendant, and that he insisted on accompanying her when they left the house, the

record reflects no evidence whatsoever that the victim attempted to leave the home

and was prevented from doing so by the Defendant.

Accordingly, we vacate the Defendant’s conviction for false Imprisonment

while armed with a dangerous weapon.

CONCLUSION

The Defendant’s conviction for the offense of aggravated rape is vacated and

this court enters a conviction for the responsive offense of sexual battery and remands

for sentencing. The Defendant’s conviction for second degree battery is vacated and

this court enters a conviction for the responsive offense of simple battery and

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remands for sentencing. The Defendant’s conviction for false imprisonment is

reversed.

REVERSE AND VACATE THE CONVICTION OF AGGRAVATED
RAPE, ENTER A JUDGMENT OF GUILTY OF SEXUAL BATTERY
AND REMAND FOR SENTENCING; REVERSE AND VACATE THE
CONVICTION OF SECOND DEGREE BATTERY, ENTER A
JUDGMENT OF GUILTY OF SIMPLE BATTERY AND REMAND FOR
SENTENCING; REVERSE AND VACATE THE CONVICTION OF
FALSE IMPRISONMENT.

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NUMBER 04-1027

COURT OF APPEAL, THIRD CIRCUIT

STATE OF LOUISIANA

STATE OF LOUISIANA

VERSUS

WILBERT TOUCHET, JR.

Pickett, Judge, dissenting in part.

I join the opinion of the court with respect to the defendant’s convictions for

second degree battery and false imprisonment. I respectfully dissent from the finding

that the conviction for aggravated rape must be vacated. I would find that the

evidence, when viewed in a light most favorable to the prosecution, is sufficient to

uphold the trial court’s finding that the defendant was guilty of aggravated rape as

defined at La.R.S. 14:42(A)(3).