State v. Hopper

This case was originally assigned to me but failing to receive the approval of the majority of the court to the opinion I had prepared, the case was then assigned to the author of the majority opinion. Inasmuch as that opinion fully presents my views I submit the same as a dissenting opinion in this case followed by my criticism of the majority opinion.

FOURNET, Chief Justice.

This is a sequel to the case of State of Louisiana v. John Hopper and Joe Woodard, 251 La. 77, 203 So.2d 222, wherein we affirmed defendants’ conviction of manslaughter and sentence to serve 50 months at hard labor in…