Louisiana v. Guidry

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Defendant Corei Guidry was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute Tramadol, and one count of conspiracy to commit simple escape. The charge of possession with intent to distribute heroin carried the highest sentence: ten to fifty years at hard labor. The issue this case presented for the Supreme Court's review was whether the trial court could allow a criminal jury to be informed of the possible mandatory minimum sentence faced by the defendant if, after a conviction on the offense being tried, he were to be sentenced under the Habitual Offender Law. After review, the Court found the district court erred in denying the State’s motion in limine, which sought to disallow the defendant from mentioning in argument the mandatory minimum sentence the defendant could be subject to under the Habitual Offender Law should the State seek to enhance his sentence under that law and should the court find the State has proved all of the elements to warrant enhancement of the sentence. "We find the issue of the possible mandatory minimum sentences that may be imposed if the defendant is convicted and the State successfully pursues enhancement of the sentence under the Habitual Offender law is too attenuated from the guilt phase of trial to be discussed before a jury, because it shifts the focus of the jury from its duty to determine guilt or innocence to issues regarding sentencing, possibly causing confusion of the issues and inviting the jury to speculate as to why a defendant may be facing such a term of imprisonment." View "Louisiana v. Guidry" on Justia Law