Davis v. State

446 N.E.2d 1317, 1983 Ind. LEXIS 800
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedApril 13, 1983
Docket581S145
StatusPublished
Cited by58 cases

This text of 446 N.E.2d 1317 (Davis v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Davis v. State, 446 N.E.2d 1317, 1983 Ind. LEXIS 800 (Ind. 1983).

Opinions

HUNTER, Justice.

The petitioner, Robert L. Davis, is before this Court appealing from the denial of his petition for Post-Conviction Relief, Rule 1. Therein, he sought relief from judgments entered on his plea of guilty to rape, Ind. Code § 85-18-4-8 (Burns 1975) and a jury's conviction of him for the crime of kidnapping, Ind.Code § 35-1-55-1 (Burns 1975). On his direct appeal, this Court affirmed the trial court's judgments. Davis v. State, (1976) 265 Ind. 476, 355 N.E.2d 836. We have previously remanded his appeal from the denial of his petition for post-conviction relief for the reason that the trial court had erroncously failed to grant a change of judge. Davis v. State, (1979) Ind., 396 N.E.2d 893. After a hearing before a new judge, the petition for post-conviction relief was again denied. Petitioner now presents the following issues for our review:

1. Whether the trial court erred in denying petitioner's motion that facts alleged in his petition for post-conviction relief be deemed admitted;

2. Whether petitioner's guilty plea to the offense of rape was voluntary and knowingly and intelligently made;

3. Whether the trial court erred in sentencing petitioner for both rape and kidnapping;

4. Whether petitioner received competent representation by counsel at his guilty plea hearing and at his trial on the kidnapping charges;

5. Whether evidence of the guilty plea was properly admitted at the trial on the kidnapping charge; and

6. Whether the court erred when it concluded that a sentence of life imprisonment for kidnapping did not constitute eruel and unusual punishment.

At the outset it is recognized that petitioner had the burden of proving his grounds for relief by a preponderance of the evidence at the post-conviction relief [1320]*1320proceeding. Ind.RP.C. 1, § 5; Turman v. State, (1979) Ind., 392 N.E.2d 483. In our review of the denial of a petition for post-conviction relief, this Court does not weigh the evidence or judge the credibility of witnesses. Only when the evidence is without conflict and leads to but one reasonable conclusion contrary to that reached by the trier of fact will the decision be reversed as contrary to law. Henson v. State, (1979) Ind., 392 N.E.2d 478; Hoskins v. State, (1973) 261 Ind. 291, 302 N.E.2d 499.

1.

Petitioner's post-conviction relief petition was filed on April 5, 1978. On April 10, 1978, petitioner filed a motion for change of venue from the judge, which was subsequently denied. On June 80, 1978, the state filed its response to the petition for post-conviction relief. At the outset of the hearing conducted on the petition on July 6, 1978, petitioner moved that the factual allegations contained in his petition be deemed admitted; in support thereof, he relied on the fact that the state had failed to file a response to his petition within thirty days, as required by Ind. 1, § 4.

The trial court denied the motion; the court thereafter also denied the petition for post-conviction relief. Petitioner then appealed the denial of his petition to this Court. Solely on the basis that the trial court had erred in failing to grant petitioner's motion for a change of venue from the judge, this Court reversed the judgment of the court and remanded the cause for a new hearing. Davis v. State, supra (1979 decision).

On remand before a new judge, petitioner did not assert that the allegations contained in his petition should be deemed admitted for the failure of the state to respond within thirty days. Instead, he proceeded to a hearing on the merits of those factual allegations, which culminated in the court's denial of his petition.

Petitioner here asserts, however, that the second court which considered his petition should have deemed the factual allegations admitted due to the state's tardy response. In support thereof, he relies on Ind.R.P.C. 1, § 4, as implemented in Purcell v. State, (1975) 165 Ind.App. 47, 330 N.E.2d 779.

Petitioner misconstrues the effect of our 1979 decision and the responsibilities incumbent upon him in its wake. Our decision vacating the judgment of the first trial court to consider the petition restored the parties to the position they occupied when the error occurred. Doughty v. State Dept. of Pub. Welf, (1954) 233 Ind. 475, 121 N.E.2d 645; Moore v. Ransdel, (1901) 156 Ind. 658, 60 N.E. 1068; Hunter v. Hunter, (1973) 156 Ind. App. 187, 295 N.E.2d 834. It was incumbent upon petitioner to renew his assertion on remand, for the record reveals his motion for a change of judge was erroneously denied prior to the denial of his motion to deem the allegations admitted. The question petitioner presents to us was not placed before the court from which this appeal is taken; the issue consequently has been waived.

IL.

Petitioner next alleges that his guilty plea to the charge of rape was not knowingly and intelligently made since he was not fully advised of his rights as enumerated by our statute, Ind.Code § 85-4.1-1-3 (Burns 1979). The record in this case shows that petitioner originally entered pleas of not guilty to both the charges of rape and kidnapping. Then, on the morning of the trial, petitioner appeared before the trial court with his counsel and stated that he wished to enter a plea of guilty to the charge of rape.

The court carefully questioned petitioner to establish the factual basis of the plea and determined that there had been no threats, force, or coercion used to obtain the plea. Petitioner acknowledged that he was aware that the state would continue with the prosecution of the kidnapping charge after the guilty plea for the rape was given. The court advised petitioner of the constitutional rights which he was waiving, but inadvertently failed to advise him of his right to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses.

[1321]*1321This Court has repeatedly emphasized that the record must show that the trial court informed the accused person of all the constitutional rights he is waiving by direct statements at the time of the guilty plea. Strict compliance with our statute is demanded of our trial courts in order to determine that any waiver of fundamental constitutional rights is knowingly and intelligently given. Early v. State, (1982) Ind., 442 N.E.2d 1071; Romine v. State, (1982) Ind., 431 N.E2d 780; German v. State, (1981) Ind., 428 N.E.2d 234.

Although the record shows that petitioner was aware of the one right which the trial court omitted from his advisements, there is nothing in the record to show that he was actually advised of this right in any manner by the trial court. The conclusion of the post-conviction court that petitioner was adequately informed of his right to compulsory process for obtaining witnesses is not supported by the evidence. Therefore, the judgment denying relief to petitioner on this issue is contrary to law and must be reversed.

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Bluebook (online)
446 N.E.2d 1317, 1983 Ind. LEXIS 800, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/davis-v-state-ind-1983.