STATE of Louisiana
v.
Roy HARRIS.
Supreme Court of Louisiana.
PER CURIAM.[*]
On application for post-conviction relief, the court of appeal reversed petitioner's adjudication and sentence as a multiple offender on the grounds that the trial court failed to advise him of his rights at the habitual offender hearing pursuant to La.R.S. 15:529.1(D) before defense counsel stipulated to petitioner's identity. The State of Louisiana seeks review of that ruling.
Admissions of identity at a multiple offender hearing implicate the defendant's Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. State v. Johnson,
In this case, the prosecution introduced and filed into evidence a sworn affidavit from the Department of Corrections to prove that petitioner, Roy Harris, was the same person who was previously convicted of the predicate felonies which led to the multiple bill. Defense counsel made his stipulation in open court and in the presence of the petitioner. A complete review of the transcript reveals that the petitioner was given a fundamentally fair hearing wherein the state proved the prior felony convictions.
Accordingly, the ruling of the court of appeal is reversed and petitioner's adjudication and sentence as an habitual offender are reinstated.
NOTES
Notes
[*] Johnson, J., not on panel. Rule IV, Part 2, § 3.
