Bates v. State

436 P.2d 27, 84 Nev. 43, 1968 Nev. LEXIS 305
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 10, 1968
Docket5337
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 436 P.2d 27 (Bates v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nevada Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bates v. State, 436 P.2d 27, 84 Nev. 43, 1968 Nev. LEXIS 305 (Neb. 1968).

Opinion

*44 OPINION

By the Court,

Batjer, J.:

The appellant, David Arndt Bates, was arrested on February 26, 1964, in a building in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, and several charges of burglary in the first degree were lodged *45 against him. The appellant immediately posted bail and was released from custody.

After numerous delays and continuances a preliminary hearing was concluded on November 18, 1965, at which time the appellant and his co-defendant, Richard Jerald Clark were bound over to answer in the district court on four charges of first degree burglary.

On November 19, 1965, an information was filed in the district court charging the appellant and Richard Jerald Clark with four counts of first degree burglary.

On December 8, 1965, the appellant’s counsel, in open court, waived the presence of the appellant and also waived his right to be tried within 60 days after the filing of the information as provided in NRS 178.495. 1

Continuances were again granted at the request of and for the benefit of the appellant, and on February 14, 1966, the appellant was taken into custody by the federal authorities. On July 27, 1966, a writ af habeas corpus ad prosequendam was issued and pursuant thereto the appellant was brought before the district court on August 30, 1966. At that time the appellant moved for a continuance which was granted.

On September 2, 1966, a writ of habeas corpus was filed by the appellant.

On September 15, 1966, the appellant was arraigned in the district court on an amended information filed in case No. 4777, charging the appellant with the crime of second degree burglary, to which amended information the appellant then plead guilty. The State dismissed the remaining charges against the appellant and the appellant abandoned his petition for a writ of habeas corpus.

The sentencing of the appellant was continued until December 6, 1966, and was again continued until December 20, 1966.

On December 14, 1966, the appellant filed a motion to have the question of probation heard in another department of the district court, or in the alternate to allow him to withdraw his plea of guilty. The motion was denied.

On December 16, 1966, the appellant filed an objection to Judge Sundean’s qualifications, which motion was heard on December 19, 1966 by Judge William P. Compton, and was denied.

*46 On December 27, 1966, Judge Compton denied the appellant’s motion to disqualify Judge Sundean.

On January 31, 1967, the hearing on the question of probation was continued until February 2, 1967, at which time the trial court denied probation and sentenced the appellant to confinement in the Nevada State Prison for a period of not less than one and not more than five years.

The appellant assigns as error his claim that he was (1) denied his right to a speedy trial; (2) subjected to cruel and unusual punishment because he was treated differently than his co-defendant, Clark, who was granted probation; (3) denied due process of law because the trial court refused to allow him to withdraw his plea of guilty and, (4) that the lower court erred in its failure to grant the alleged negotiated punishment bargained for by the State and appellant.

1. Every defendant charged with a crime has the fundamental right to a speedy trial. 2 Whether or not it has been denied depends upon the circumstances of the particular case. See Klopfer v. North Carolina, 386 U.S. 213 (1967); Stabile v. Justice’s Court, 83 Nev. 393, 432 P.2d 670 (1967).

Here the appellant was not denied this fundamental right.

All the procedural delays complained of were either ordered for good cause or were directly or indirectly occasioned by the motions, stipulations, waivers, tactics, acquiescence and conduct of the appellant, as well as his incarceration on a federal charge. He cannot now complain that his right to a speedy trial has been violated. Stabile v. Justice’s Court, supra; Oberle v. Fogliani, 82 Nev. 428, 420 P.2d 251 (1966); People v. Hocking, 296 P.2d 59 (Cal.App. 1956); State v. Hedrick, 377 P. 2d 325 (Ore. 1962).

The right to a speedy trial, whether within the statutory 60 days or within a reasonable time, may be waived and is not jurisdictional. People v. Workman, 263 P.2d 458 (Cal.App. 1953); People v. Hocking, supra; State v. Hedrick, supra.

The appellant’s incarceration in a federal penitentiary constituted good cause for the delay in bringing him to trial. See Ex parte Schechtel, 82 P.2d 762 (Colo. 1938). In Ex parte *47 Trammer, 35 Nev. 56, 126 P. 337 (1912), this court went a step further when it held that the provisions of RL 7396 (cf. NRS 178.495), did riot apply even when the defendant was serving a sentence on another charge in the Nevada state prison.

Furthermore, when the appellant entered his plea of guilty to the charge of second degree burglary, he waived whatever right he had to a speedy trial. Cooper v. State, 411 P.2d 652 (Kan. 1966), People v. Hocking, supra.

2. The fact that the co-defendant, Clark, was allowed probation while the application of the appellant was denied, does not constitute a cruel and unusual punishment in violation of Article 1, section 6, of the Nevada Constitution. Co-defendants may be punished differently for the commission of the same crime. See Ex parte Knapp, 254 P.2d 411 (Idaho 1953); State v. Gonski, 159 A.2d 182 (Conn. 1958); People v. Stevens, 215 N.E.2d 147 (Ill.App. 1966).

3. There was no abuse of discretion or denial of due process by the district court when it refused to allow the defendant to withdraw his plea of guilty to second degree burglary, reinstate all previous charges and proceed to trial.

While there is authority for the position that a guilty plea may be withdrawn where such a plea was induced by promises of the court or prosecution in respect to the punishment to be imposed, Weatherford v. State, 277 P.2d 690 (Okla. 1954); Smith v. United States, 321 F.2d 954 (9 Cir.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Williams (Michael) Vs. State
Nevada Supreme Court, 2020
Schultz v. State
535 P.2d 166 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1975)
Giese v. Chief of Police
489 P.2d 1163 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1971)
Broadhead v. Sheriff, Clark County
484 P.2d 1092 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1971)
Mathis v. Warden
471 P.2d 233 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1970)
Hampton v. Sheriff
465 P.2d 615 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1970)
Scott v. State
444 P.2d 902 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1968)
State v. McCroskey
445 P.2d 105 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1968)
State v. Harrison
160 N.W.2d 415 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1968)
Barker v. State
438 P.2d 798 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
436 P.2d 27, 84 Nev. 43, 1968 Nev. LEXIS 305, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bates-v-state-nev-1968.