State of Louisiana v. Damion Cain

── State of Louisiana v. Damion Cain ── Court: Louisiana Court of Appeal Date: May 20, 2026 Author: Shonda STONE Category: General Judgment rendered May 20, 2026. Application for rehearing may be filed within the delay allowed by Art. 922, La. C. Cr. P. No. 56,870-KA COURT OF APPEAL SECOND CIRCUIT STATE OF LOUISIANA ***** STATE OF LOUISIANA Appellee versus DAMION CAIN Appellant ***** Appealed from the Fifth Judicial District Court for the Parish of Richland, Louisiana Trial Court No. F-2022-123 Honorable Will R. Barham, Judge ***** LOUISIANA APPEALS AND Counsel for Appellant WRIT SERVICE By: Remy V. Starns Mitchael A. Mitchell Douglas D. Brown PENNY WISE DOUCIERE Counsel for Appellee District Attorney K. DOUGLAS WHEELER AMANDA M. WILKINS Assistant District Attorneys ***** Before STONE, COX, and THOMPSON, JJ. THOMPSON, J. Damion Cain was convicted by a jury of home invasion, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and simple assault, after slashing his ex-girlfriend’s tires on her car, entering her home without her permission, threatening her with a knife, placing his hands around her neck, and forcefully removing some of her clothing. After the home invasion, he fled in his ex-girlfriend’s deceased stepfather’s vehicle without permission. Cain now argues the State improperly withheld evidence of the victim’s criminal history until the trial commenced, that as a result he was prevented from properly confronting his accuser, and that he received ineffective assistance of counsel. For the reasons that follow, we affirm his convictions. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY On April 25, 2022, deputies of Richland Parish responded to a domestic complaint lodged by Nikedra Straughter. Upon their arrival, Straughter reported that Damion Cain had forcibly entered her home, grabbed her by the neck, assaulted her, and attempted to compel sexual intercourse against her will. Cain had also slashed the tires of her vehicle, and later absconded with her deceased stepfather’s truck without permission, and then refused to return to her. The State charged Cain with home invasion, attempted second degree rape, battery of a dating partner with strangulation, and unauthorized use of a movable exceeding $1,000 in value. Trial commenced on August 31, 2023. At trial, the jury was presented with testimony from Straughter, who described in detail Cain’s forced entry, his possession of knives, his physical aggression, kicking open the door and forcing his way in the home, and his stated intent to “take” what was not offered as he pushed her against the wall by the neck, shoved her onto the couch, and stripped off her shirt and bra. The State supplemented this account with testimony from the responding law enforcement officers, physical evidence, photographs, the recorded 911 call by Straughter, and Cain’s own recorded admissions that he had, in fact, been present, destroyed property, and kicked in the door. Deputy Joel Weatherly and Deputy Trey Spenser were the deputies dispatched to the scene to investigate. Deputy Weatherly testified at trial that he observed the damaged door during his investigation and confirmed that the tires on Straughter’s vehicle were damaged and flat. Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office Investigator Kerri Moroni interviewed Cain about the incident. The