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359 So. 2d 126

State v. Hammett

Supreme Court of Louisiana

Decided May 22, 1978

Supreme Court of Louisiana · decided 1978-05-22

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently February 1985

3 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“A peace officer may, without a warrant, arrest a person when: (1) The person to be arrested has committed an offense in his presence; and if the arrest is for a misdemeanor, it must be made immediately or on close pursuit; (2) The person to be arrested has committed a felony, although not in the presence of the officer: (3) The peace officer has reasonable cause to believe that the person to be arrested has committed an offense, although not in the presence of the officer; or”

quoted by 1 later decision, including State v. Brown

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1978-05-22

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

TATE, Justice

¶1(concurring).

¶2In my opinion, the trial judge correctly construed La.C.Cr.P. art. 213 as not allowing the warrantless arrest of a defendant for a misdemeanor not committed in the officer’s presence. La.C.Cr.P. art. 213(1) is a specific provision permitting warrantless arrests by an officer when “The person to be arrested has committed an offense in his presence, and if the arrest is for a misdemeanor it must be made immediately or on close pursuit.” La.C.Cr.P. art. 213(3) (permitting warrantless arrest for any offense when there are reasonable grounds therefor) is a general provision which, if inconsistent, must yield to the specific circumstances set forth in art. 213(1).

¶3However, under the circumstances as herein presented, the defendant’s arrest was apparently proper. The briefed facts reveal that on July 13, 1977 the defendant ran a stop sign in Lafayette Parish and was involved in a serious automobile accident in which six people were injured.

¶4A Louisiana state trooper called to the scene smelled alcohol on the defendant’s breath and, within 40 minutes of his arrival, arrested defendant for DWI and advised him of his constitutional rights. The defendant was then transported to the state police troop headquarters, where he was again advised of his rights, given a PEI test and thereafter booked at the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Department.

¶5Accordingly, the arrest for the misdemeanor was made by the police officer in whose presence the offender was found under evidentiary circumstances showing he had just committed the misdemeanor,

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