Avance v. State

1972 OK CR 128, 497 P.2d 467
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedMay 3, 1972
DocketNo. A-16369
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 1972 OK CR 128 (Avance v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Avance v. State, 1972 OK CR 128, 497 P.2d 467 (Okla. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

OPINION

BRETT, Judge:

Appellant, Reginal B. Avance, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was convicted on a plea of guilty in the District Court of Tulsa County, Case Number CRF-70-472, of second degree burglary and sentenced to four (4) years imprisonment. Judgment and sentence was imposed on October 23, 1970 and this Court, through the granting of a writ of certiorari, has allowed this appeal.

Defendant was charged initially with second degree burglary, after former conviction of a felony, along with his code-fendants, George Mackey and James Martin Pack. On September 9, 1970, the three appeared in the District Court of Tulsa County with counsel and entered a plea of guilty. As to defendant Avance, the allegation of a former conviction was stricken. Defendant contends that the trial court erred in refusing to allow defendant to withdraw his plea of guilty on October 23, 1970, for the reason that it was an involuntary plea because the trial court failed to advise defendant of his right against self-incrimination, his right to a jury trial, and his right to confront his accuser.

As to the constitutionality of a guilty plea, the United States Supreme Court in McCarthy v. United States, 394 U.S. 459, 89 S.Ct 1166, 22 L.Ed.2d 418 (1969), stated that it is “not too much to require that, before sentencing defendants to years of imprisonment, district judges take a few minutes necessary to inform them of their rights and to determine whether they understand the action they are taking.”

In Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969), the United States Supreme Court reversed a conviction based on a guilty plea for the reason that the record did not disclose that the defendant voluntarily and understandingly entered such a plea. In Boykin the Supreme Court noted that a “plea of guilty [469]*469is more than a confession which admits that the accused did various acts; it is itself a conviction * * Thus, the constitutional “requirement that the prosecution spread on the record the prerequisites of a valid waiver.” 395 U.S. at 242, 89 S.Ct. at 1711. The Supreme Court held:

“Several federal constitutional rights are involved in a waiver that takes place when a plea of guilty is entered in a state criminal trial. First, is the privilege against compulsory self-incrimination guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment and applicable to the States by reason of the Fourteenth. Malloy v. Hogan, 378 U.S. 1, 84 S.Ct. 1489, 12 L.Ed.2d 653. Second, is the right to trial by jury. Duncan v. Louisiana, 391 U.S. 145, 88 S. Ct. 1444, 20 L.Ed.2d 491. Third, is the right to confront one’s accusers. Pointer v. Texas, 380 U.S. 400, 85 S.Ct. 1065, 13 L.Ed.2d 923. We cannot presume a waiver of these three important federal rights from a silent record.”

Thus, the record must positively show that the defendant waived the three federal rights before it can be said that a guilty plea was voluntarily and understandingly entered.

In North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S. 25, 91 S.Ct. 160, 27 L.Ed.2d 162 (1970), the Supreme Court observed that there was “no new test for determining the validity of guilty pleas. The standard was and remains whether the plea represents a voluntary and intelligent choice among the alternative courses of action open to the defendant. [Citations omitted] That he would not have pleaded except for the opportunity to limit the possible penalty does not necessarily demonstrate that the plea of guilty was not the product of a free and rational choice, especially where the defendant was represented by competent counsel whose advice was that the plea would be to the defendant’s advantage.” 400 U.S. at 31, 91 S.Ct. at 164.

Having thus stated the constitutional test for the validity of a plea of guilty, we now turn to the record to determine if that standard was met in the instant case. When he entered his plea of guilty, the defendant Avance and his co-defendant Mack-ey were represented by their attorney, Mr. Don E. Gasaway. Co-defendant Pack was represented by his attorney, Mr. Victor Law Ellis. The record reflects in relevant part as follows:

“MR. GASAWAY: Your Honor, at this time comes now the defendants, Reginal B. Avance and George Mackey and withdraws their previous plea of not guilty and enters their plea of guilty to the crimes charged in the Information and request that sentencing at the pleasure of the Court be set for September 25 at 1:00 p. m.
“THE COURT: Do you understand that, Mr. Mackey — you have talked to your attorney?
“MR. MACKEY: Yes, sir.
“THE COURT: And no threats or promises of any kind have been made to you?
“MR. MACKEY: No.
“MR. GASAWAY: He would also waive his right to a jury trial, but I don’t see the waiver forms here.
“THE COURT: Do you understand that clearly — are you satisfied with your attorney in this case ?
“MR. MACKEY: Yes, Your Honor. “THE COURT: You understand that you may get a sentence anywhere from two to seven years on this charge ?
“MR. MACKEY: Yes, sir.
“THE COURT: Do you understand that, too, Mr. Avance ?
“MR. AVANCE: Yes.
“THE COURT: You have heard the admonitions I have given Mr. Mackey— what I have told him ?
“MR. AVANCE: Yes.
“THE COURT: You are satisfied with your attorney?
“MR. AVANCE: Yes.
[470]*470“MR. THOMPSON: In Case No. CRF-70-472, with reference to the defendant, Reginal Brooks Avance, the State would request at this time that the second page of the Information alleging the After Former Conviction of a Felony as to Reginal Brooks Avance be stricken.
“THE COURT: And dismissed?
“MR. THOMPSON: Yes, Your Honor. “THE COURT: It will be so ordered that the After Former be stricken as to the defendant Avance.
“MR. GASAWAY: We would renew our plea of guilty to the Information as it now stands and would waive our right to a jury trial.
“MR. ELLIS: The defendant, James Martin Pack, wishes to withdraw his previous plea of not guilty and enter a plea of guilty to the Information.
“THE COURT: Let me say this for the record: Both of you attorneys have fully explained to each of these defendants the rights that they have that this trial might proceed and the time they might receive or that they might be acquitted and what their rights are. Do you understand that, Mr. Ellis ?
“MR. ELLIS : Yes, Your Honor.
“THE COURT: You all fully understand what might happen to you ?

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Related

Hopkins v. State
1988 OK CR 257 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1988)
Patterson v. State
1987 OK CR 59 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1987)
Jones v. State
1975 OK CR 189 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1975)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1972 OK CR 128, 497 P.2d 467, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/avance-v-state-oklacrimapp-1972.