December 1, 2004 - Opinions - Louisiana Supreme Court

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December 1, 2004 
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<table cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="90%"><tbody><tr valign="top"><td valign="top" width="63%">FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE</td><td valign="top" width="37%"><div align="right">NEWS RELEASE #089</div></td></tr><tr valign="top"><td valign="top">FROM: CLERK OF SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA</td><td valign="top">&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;<div style="text-align:justify;">The Opinions handed down on the&nbsp;1st day of December, 2004&nbsp;, are as follows:&nbsp;BY CALOGERO, C.J.&nbsp;:<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04c0451.opn.pdf">2004-C -0451 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; VAYNEARY WILLIAMSON v. HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT </a><a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04c0451.opn.pdf">NO. 1 OF JEFFERSON&nbsp;</a>D/B/A WEST JEFFERSON MEDICAL CENTER (Parish of Jefferson) Therefore, the rulings of the lower courts are reversed and this matter is remanded to the district court for further proceedings. REVERSED AND REMANDED.Judge Phillip C. Ciaccio, retired, sitting ad hoc for Associate Justice Chet D. Traylor, recused.&nbsp;&nbsp;BY KIMBALL, J.&nbsp;:<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/03k3522.opn.pdf">2003-K -3522 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; STATE OF LOUISIANA v. ARTHUR MAJOR, III&nbsp;</a>(Parish of St. Martin) (Possession of Cocaine in Excess of 400 Grams) For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the court of appeal is reversed, defendant's conviction and sentence are reinstated, and this case is remanded to the court of appeal for consideration of the remaining assignments of error pretermitted on original appeal. REVERSED; CONVICTION AND SENTENCE REINSTATED; CASE REMANDED.&nbsp;&nbsp;BY VICTORY, J.&nbsp;:&nbsp;<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04ka0846.opn.pdf">2004-KA-0846 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; STATE OF LOUISIANA v. SHANTELL DENSON&nbsp;</a>(Parish of Orleans) (One Count of Armed Robbery and One Count of Attempted Armed Robbery) For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the trial court, declaring article 648(B)(2) of the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure unconstitutional, is affirmed. AFFIRMED.JOHNSON, J., concurs. TRAYLOR, J., concurs.&nbsp;<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04c1058.opn.pdf">2004-C -1058 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; TAMEKO BENJAMIN, ON BEHALF OF HER MINOR CHILD,</a><a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04c1058.opn.pdf">DARIONE BENJAMIN v. HOUSING AUTHORITY OF NEW ORLEANS&nbsp;</a>(Parish of Orleans) For the foregoing reasons, the judgments of the lower courts are reversed and plaintiff's petition is dismissed with prejudice. REVERSED.KIMBALL, J., dissents and assigns reasons.&nbsp; JOHNSON, J., dissents. &nbsp;&nbsp;BY TRAYLOR, J.&nbsp;:&nbsp;<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04cd0857.opn.pdf">2004-CD-0857 WARREN W. HOAG, JR., ET AL v. STATE OF LOUISIANA</a> (Parish of E. Baton Rouge) Thus, the issuance of a writ of mandamus is inappropriate under the facts of this case. REVERSED. WRIT OF MANDAMUS RECALLED. &nbsp;&nbsp;BY WEIMER, J.&nbsp;:<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04c0794.opn.pdf">2004-C -0794 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; STEVE PRATOR, SHERIFF OF CADDO PARISH, LOUISIANA</a> <a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04c0794.opn.pdf">v. CADDO PARISH&nbsp;</a>&nbsp; (Parish of Caddo) For the above reasons, we vacate the court of appeal's decision that there was no justiciable controversy regarding the credit issue. We remand this matter to the court of appeal for an opinion on the merits of the credit issue. We find no error in the court of appeal's disposition of all other issues in this case and affirm. VACATED IN PART AND REMANDED TO THE COURT OF APPEAL FOR OPINION; AFFIRMED IN PART.&nbsp;&nbsp;PER CURIAM&nbsp;:<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04b0170.pc.pdf">2004-B -0170 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; IN RE: JOHN CHRISTOPHER MARTIN </a>(Disciplinary Proceedings) Upon review of the findings and recommendations of the hearing committee and disciplinary board, and considering the record, briefs, and oral argument, it is ordered that John Christopher Martin, Louisiana Bar Roll number 22502, be suspended from the practice of law in Louisiana for a period of three years. This suspension shall be retroactive to October 24, 2001, the date of respondent's interim suspension. All costs and expenses in the matter are assessed against respondent in accordance with Supreme Court Rule XIX, &sect;10.1, with legal interest to commence thirty days from the date of finality of this court's judgment until paid.Retired Judge Fred C. Sexton, Jr., assigned as Justice ad hoc, sitting for Associate Justice Catherine D. Kimball, recused.JOHNSON, J., concurs.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04kp0575.pc.pdf">2004-KP-0575 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; STATE EX REL JIMMY RAY WILLIAMS v. STATE OF </a><a href="/news_releases/2004/documents/04kp0575.pc.pdf">LOUISIANA&nbsp;</a>(Parish of E. Baton Rouge) (First Degree Murder) Accordingly, we remand this matter to the district court for evidentiary hearing on the funding question and specific ruling on the statutory issue. The district court should then consider the constitutional issue presented, in light of its ruling on the statutory funding issue. This hearing should be held with preference and priority. REMANDED FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div>
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