Bailey v. State of Maine

CourtSuperior Court of Maine
DecidedJuly 28, 2003
DocketKENcr-01-036
StatusUnpublished

This text of Bailey v. State of Maine (Bailey v. State of Maine) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bailey v. State of Maine, (Me. Super. Ct. 2003).

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE SUPERIOR COURT

CRIMINAL ACTION KENNEBEC, ss. DOCKET NO. CR-01-036 . fin Ko ape ve ne EDWIN S. BAILEY, Petitioner 0 L GARBRECHT vy. ~ LAW LIBRARY ORDER ON POST CONVICTION REVIEW STATE OF MAINE, AUG 11 2005 Respondent

This matter is before the court upon petitioner’s Petition for Post-Conviction Review and respondent's motion to dismiss Grounds Two and Three of the Petition for Post-Conviction Review. .On-January 11,2900,.a cziminal ecomplaint-was issued by the Clerk of the District Court charging Edwin P. Bailey in count I with assault, class D, 17-A M.RS.A. § 207, and in count IL, threatening display of or carrying a concealed weapon, class D, 25 M.R.S.A. § 2001. Both counts relate to an incident on or about November 6, 1999, involving Beth Bailey, then wife of the petitioner.’ On January 12, 2000, the petitioner was found guilty on count I of the complaint upon his plea. The sentence imposed was imprisonment in the Kennebec County Jail for a term of 364 days with all of the sentence suspended and the defendant placed on a probation for a term of one year and count II of the complaint was disposed of. The petitioner’s conditions of probation, in addition to the mandatory requirements, required the petitioner to undergo anger management counseling / treatment, have no contact of any kind with Beth Bailey, obey all protective orders in effect and not to go to the residence of Beth

Bailey, Lakeview Drive, China. The conditions of probation form, executed by the

, Nothing in the complaint identifies Beth Bailey as being the wife of the petitioner or any other indication of a domestic relationship between the victim and the petitioner. petitioner on January 12, 2000, also contains item no. 14, “You are prohibited from owning, possessing or using firearms or dangerous weapons if this section is checked or if you have been convicted of a murder, or a class A, B or C crime, or any other matter involving the use of a firearm.”

On January 10, 2001, the petitioner filed a signed Petition for Post-Conviction Review seeking to set aside his plea of guilty to the assault and returning the matter to the trial list. The first ground for relief is entitled, “Denial of Due Process of Law — Misleading Advice Given by State.” He specifically charges the Assistant District Attorney (ADA) with advising him that conviction of the offense would not prohibit

him from possessing firearms. His second ground is entitled, “Improper Arraignment —

‘Failure to Gomply-with Ma Crim. P-5.”On this ground, -he charges that the-eourt did -.-..--

not inform him of the substance of the charge against him in that the court did not inform him that the case was considered a domestic assault nor did the court advise him that this conviction would prohibit him from possessing firearms. Finally, the petitioner alleges that his plea was not knowingly made, without knowing that the case was considered a domestic assault which would prohibit him from possessing firearms _ and his lack of knowledge was not the result of any failure, act or neglect on his part. The respondent has moved to dismiss Grounds Two and Three of the Petition for Post- Conviction Review for failure to state a claim for which post-conviction relief is warranted. The State alleges that, “Nothing in Maine law requires the court to tell a defendant that the case is a ‘domestic assault’. In fact, there is no element of assault, pursuant to 17-A M.R.S.A. § 207, which requires some proof that the victim was a domestic partner.” In addition, the State argues that the court is under no requirement to advise a defendant of the collateral consequences of his plea particularly when that

collateral consequence involves federal law. As to Ground Three, the respondent

2 admits that unless the petitioner can prove he was misinformed by someone, the ground must fail and it further argues that the prosecutor is under no obligation to delve into the defendant’s personal history, act as the defendant's attorney and tell him of all consequences of the plea. Finally, the State argues that the petitioner must “show that the challenged criminal judgment of the sentence is unlawful or unlawfully imposed...” 15 M.R.S.A. § 2125. The State argues the petitioner is unable to establish that conclusion even if one assumes the allegations in Grounds Two and Three are to be

true. At his arraignment before the District Court on January 12, 2000, the petitioner

was advised that he had a right to have a lawyer, “including a free lawyer, if you want

one." Transcript (Ts:), p-2: When asked=if he understeed-that right, the transcript...:-----.

indicates, “(inaudible response).” The court went on to advise petitioner that he had a right to remain silent, a right not to testify at trial and that any volunteered information could be used against him. Again, upon inquiry whether he understood, the transcript reveals, “(inaudible response).” Tr., p. 2. Further, the court advised the plaintiff that he was considered innocent until and unless the State proves each element beyond a reasonable doubt, he had a right to have a trial, at the trial he or his attorney could confront the State’s witnesses and ask them questions, he could present evidence, the trial could be held in District Court or a jury in Superior Court. To this, when inquired whether he understood the rights, the transcript reveals the petitioner said “yes.” Tr., p. 3. The court went on to explain that petitioner was charged with two counts of class D offenses with maximum penalties of 364 days imprisonment and a maximum fine of $2,000. The ADA then advised the court that her office would be dismissing count II at which time the court advised the petitioner he was facing 364 days, $2,000 fine, and the

charge indicates that on November 6, 1999, in China, “You intentionally, knowingly, or

3 recklessly caused bodily injury or offensive physical contact to Beth Bailey, and they charged you with assault. Do you understand this charge?” To which the petitioner, “yes.” Tr., p. 3. The court then asked the petitioner how he wished to plead and his Tesponse was “guilty.” The court then inquired of the plea agreement which was presented by the ADA.

The court then asked petitioner whether he had anything to say and the transcript reveals, “(inaudible response).” Tr., p. 4. The court then asked the ADA whether the case involved bodily injury and was advised it was offensive contact. The

ADA further advised the court that the petitioner did not have a criminal record or a

prior assault charge. The court then imposed a sentence of 364 days in the Kennebec

~ County jail, al-suspended; with ure-year probation, and-recited the. special conditions.

that he undergo anger management counseling, have no contact with Beth Bailey or be in the vicinity of her residence and to obey all protective orders that are in effect. The possession of firearms condition was not mentioned during the court proceeding nor was item no. 14 of the conditions of probation “checked.”

Ground Two of the Petition complains that the court conducted an improper arraignment by failing to comply with the Maine Rules of Criminal Procedure. Most specifically, petitioner complains that the court did not advise him that he was being charged with a “domestic” assault or that his conviction would prohibit him from possessing firearms. In accordance with the provisions of M.R. Crim. P. 5C(b), when the petitioner was brought before the District Court, it was the requirement of the

District Court Judge to:

(1) inform the person of the substance of the charges against the person;

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