Cates v. State

516 S.W.2d 792, 1974 Mo. App. LEXIS 1780
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 2, 1974
DocketNo. 9651
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 516 S.W.2d 792 (Cates v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cates v. State, 516 S.W.2d 792, 1974 Mo. App. LEXIS 1780 (Mo. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

In this postconviction proceeding under Rule 27.261 Floyd Cates (appellant) sought to vacate a sentence of eight years imprisonment imposed upon his plea of guilty to a charge of stealing, in violation of § 560.-156. After examining the records and files in the cause the trial court denied Cates’ motion to vacate without conducting an evidentiary hearing, explicitly finding that every allegation of the motion was shown by the record to be without a basis in fact. Cates appeals. The sole point briefed and argued is that the trial court erred in denying the motion without an ev-identiary hearing.

As grounds for postconviction relief, Cates alleged: a) that he had been “deprived of due process . . . for the reason that his plea . . . was not intelligently and understandingly made because said plea was induced upon a promise that [appellant] would only receive a four (4) year term”; b) that he had been “deprived of due process . . . [and] his plea of guilty . . . was not intelligently and understandingly made because . the [trial] Court failed to advise him as to the range of punishment that could be imposed thereunder”; and c) that [793]*793he was deprived of due process and his plea of guilty was involuntary because he was without counsel and was not advised of his right to counsel at his preliminary hearing. In “factual” support of his first ground, Cates alleged that immediately prior to the entry of his plea, he was told by his counsel and believed he would receive a four-year sentence.

The files and records considered by the trial court are before us as exhibits. They consist of 1) the examining magistrate’s transcript, certified to the trial court as required by Rule 23.11, and 2) a verbatim transcript of the proceedings had in connection with the plea of guilty, as required by our Supreme Court’s order of February 22, 1972, supplementing Rule 25.04. The examining magistrate’s transcript recites and shows on its face that on April 12, 1973, appellant was charged with feloniously stealing an automobile in Butler County. On April 13, appellant was taken before the magistrate and the written complaint was read to him. His preliminary examination was set for April 19, 1973, at which time he appeared before the examining magistrate and announced that he was indigent, “whereupon it [was] ordered by the Court that William C. Batson, Jr., be appointed as counselor.” The preliminary examination was then adjourned to April 25. On April 25, the appellant appeared in person and by attorney and waived preliminary examination.

The verbatim transcript of the proceedings had in connection with the plea of guilty recites and shows on its face that on May 8, 1973, Cates appeared in person and by attorney in the Circuit Court of Butler County. The information filed was read to him. The trial judge then requested that appellant defer response to the charge and advised him: 1) that he was entitled to a jury trial if he wished to have one; 2) that he had a right to waive a trial by jury and elect to try his case to the court; 3) that he had a right to confront witnesses appearing against him and to have those witnesses cross-examined under oath by his attorney; 4) that he had a right to remain silent in order to avoid self-incrimination, and if he chose to exercise that right the court would enter a plea of not guilty and afford him a jury trial; 5) that upon trial to a jury the burden of proof would be upon the State and the State would be required to prove appellant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt because appellant was presumed to be innocent; 6) that a jury might find appellant not guilty, in which case no punishment would be fixed; 7) that upon trial or plea of guilty appellant might be punished by: a) imprisonment for a term of not less than two nor more than ten years; b) imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year; c) a fine not exceeding $1,000, or d) both such fine and imprisonment. Appellant was then asked if he understood the charge against him. His answer was, “Yes, sir.”

The court then asked if the appellant understood the various rights outlined to him. He answered affirmatively. The trial court asked the appellant, “Do you have any questions at all concerning any of these three matters we have discussed?” Appellant answered, “No, sir.” The trial court then addressed the prosecuting attorney, who stated he was ready to prove the State’s case and would recommend a sentence of four years.

The trial court then inquired into the appellant’s education, health and background. Cates was 28 years of age, had had a grammar school education and had finished high school “in the penitentiary”. Appellant had been married but was divorced, and stated that he didn’t “guess” he had any mental or physical problems. Cates said he was “now serving time already in another State”, and being asked where, responded, “Tennessee ten years.” The court asked if appellant understood that any Missouri sentence would be served after the Tennessee sentence was finished, and further if he understood a conviction might be a basis for revocation of parole or probation on some other sentence. Appellant answered, “Yes, sir.”

[794]*794Three particular inquiries made by the trial court are of particular relevance here, and we quote them verbatim:

“Q. Have you been satisfied with [your attorney’s] representation of you?
A. Yes, sir, I am.
⅜ ⅜ ⅜ ⅜ ⅜ ⅜
Q. Has anybody promised you anything or threatened you in any way to get you to plead guilty ?
A. No, sir. I am guilty of the charge so I am pleading guilty and that is it.
⅜ 5ft ⅜ ⅝ ⅜ ⅝
Q. Did you understand when you entered your plea of guilty that the matter of fixing your punishment was entirely up to this Court and nobody else had anything to say about that?
A. Yes, sir, I did.
Q. Did you understand that the Prosecutor’s recommendation was a recommendation and that the Court is not bound by it ?
A. Yes, sir.”

The trial court also inquired into the factual basis for appellant’s plea of guilty. It was developed that Cates had been sentenced in Tennessee to a term of nine to 35 years, for, in his words, “[fjelonious [ajssault upon a police officer and grand larceny, and escape and so forth and a few other things.” Cates had “got [his time] down to ten years now in the State of Tennessee.” The sheriff gave as his understanding that Cates had been given leave from the Tennessee State Penitentiary, and had failed to return. Instead, he had come to Butler County, had stolen a truck and had fled to Osceola, Arkansas. Cates was asked: “Is that true, sir?” He answered, “Yes, sir.” Such, substantially, is the record which the trial court had before it.

As indicated, appellant’s sole point here is that the trial court should have granted him an evidentiary hearing upon his motion. In support of this contention, he has cited us to paragraph (e) of Rule 27.26, which in material part reads:

“Unless the motion and the files and records of the case conclusively show that the prisoner is entitled to no relief, a prompt hearing thereon shall be held.

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

Related

Brown v. State
526 S.W.2d 55 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1975)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
516 S.W.2d 792, 1974 Mo. App. LEXIS 1780, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cates-v-state-moctapp-1974.