Geneau v. State

214 A.2d 103, 161 Me. 467, 1965 Me. LEXIS 188
CourtSupreme Judicial Court of Maine
DecidedNovember 4, 1965
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 214 A.2d 103 (Geneau v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Judicial Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Geneau v. State, 214 A.2d 103, 161 Me. 467, 1965 Me. LEXIS 188 (Me. 1965).

Opinion

Tapley, J.

On appeal. The petitioner-appellant, hereinafter called “appellant,” Elmer Geneau, appealed from the final judgment of dismissal with prejudice rendered on appellant’s application for writ of habeas corpus (post conviction). At appellant’s request, and upon finding of indigency, the court below appointed counsel for him in the prosecution of his application.

The issues before us are presented by appellant’s points on appeal. The points on which the appellant relies are:

“1. The Court erred when it ruled that robbery was not an offense punishable by ‘life imprisonment’ within the meaning of that term as used in Section 33 of Chapter 147 of the Revised Statutes of 1954 as amended by the Public Laws of 1957 and the Public Laws of 1959.
“2. The Court erred because it failed to rule that the Petitioner was not, prior to the time he allegedly waived prosecution by indictment, advised by the presiding justice nor by anyone while the Petitioner was in court before the presiding justice of the nature of the offense as required in said Section 33 in that the Petitioner was not advised in court by anyone of the possible penalty for the crime of robbery, and the Superior Court was therefore without jurisdiction to convict and sentence the Petitioner.
“3. The Court erred because it failed to rule that the Petitioner was not, prior to the time he allegedly waived prosecution by indictment, advised by the presiding justice nor by anyone else while the Petitioner was in court before the presiding justice, of his rights as required by said Section 33 in that the Petitioner was not at all so advised as to his right to confrontation, to witnesses, to his privilege against self-incrimination, to the presumption of his innocence, to his right of counsel at trial, to his rights in the selection of a jury or to his right to a unanimous verdict of [469]*469such jury, and the Superior Court was therefore without jurisdiction to convict and sentence the Petitioner.”

On April 10, 1961 the appellant, by complaint, was charged with the crime of robbery and, upon hearing, probable cause was found to hold him for action of the Grand Jury. He was unable to furnish bail, whereupon he was committed to the Androscoggin County Jail at Auburn. On May 16, 1961 he took advantage of the provisions of 15 M.R.S.A., Sec. 811 by filing a petition requesting waiver of indictment and seeking prompt arraignment. The appellant, claiming indigency, requested court - appointed counsel. He was found to be indigent and was provided counsel to represent him. The petition was granted by the presiding justice after the appellant signed a waiver in open court. After appellant pleaded guilty he was sentenced to not less than 10 years nor more than 20 years in the State Prison. Warrant of commitment was issued May 28, 1961.

The justice below, who heard the application for issuance of the writ of habeas corpus, provided appointed counsel to represent the appellant. A number of pre-trial conferences were held between the court and counsel. Petitioner, in lieu of testimony and by consent of the respondents, presented an affidavit in evidence. The affidavit in its pertinent portion reads as follows:

“I, Elmer Geneau, being the Petitioner in a petition for habeas corpus now on file in Sagadahoc Superior Court, Docket No. 3330, state under oath that were I to testify at the hearing under said petition as to my plea in the Superior Court to the information, I would testify as follows:
“1. That I thought I was entering a plea of guilty to Felonious assault.
“2. That I was under the impression I would receive a maximum sentence of not more than 5 years.
[470]*470“3. That I was not informed by the court that I could be sentenced to 10 to 20 years because if I had of been so informed I would not have pleaded guilty.”

The allegation in the information charging the crime is couched in the following language:

“That Elmer Geneau of Bath, in the County of Sagadahoc and State of Maine, on the eighth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and sixty-one at Bath, in the County of Sagadahoc and State of Maine, on one Flora M. Seman feloniously did make an assault, and by force and violence, one woman’s handbag and billfold, of the value of five dollars, of the property of said Flora M. Seman, from the person of said Flora M. Seman, feloniously did steal, take and carry away, against the peace of said State and contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided.”

The statute defining the crime of robbery states:

“Whoever, by force and violence or by putting in fear, feloniously steals and takes from the person of another property that is the subject of larceny is guilty of robbery and shall be punished by imprisonment for any term of years.” 17 M.R.S.A., Sec. 3401.

See State v. Greenlaw, 159 Me. 141.

The “imprisonment for any term of years” is not synonymous with “life imprisonment.” Wade v. Warden, 145 Me. 120. Bobbery is an offense which is properly within the jurisdiction of the information procedure.

The appellant, on his own volition, chose to take advantage of the information proceedings rather than to await the action of the Grand Jury. In open court he executed a waiver of prosecution by indictment and requested prompt arraignment and process by information rather [471]*471than by indictment. The execution of the waiver did not take place until after he had been advised by the presiding justice of the Superior Court of the nature of the offense and of his rights and especially, but without limitation thereto, of his rights by virtue of Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution of Maine and R. S., 1954, Chap. 147, Sec. 1, (now 15 M.R.S.A., Sec. 701 (1)).

The appellant now comes forward and, among other complaints, claims he was not advised by the presiding justice of the nature of the offense, of the possible penalty for the crime of robbery, or of “his right to confrontation, to witnesses, to his privilege against self-incrimination, to the presumption of his innocence, to his right of counsel at trial, to his rights in the selection of a jury or to a unanimous verdict of such jury.”

The official record is most illuminating in describing actually what took place from the time appellant’s petition for prompt arraignment by information instead of by indictment was acted upon by the presiding justice until sentence was imposed. The record discloses the following:

“THE COURT: Elmer Geneau: Elmer, you filed a petition which I have before me. The petition makes it appear that, you are in the County Jail awaiting action of the grand jury which meets in June. You are there as a result of a finding of probable cause found by the Municipal Court for the City of Bath on a complaint charging you with the crime of robbery.
“You were present in court all morning, during which time I had William Condon before me and I also had Raymond Dow. I deliberately had you seated in the jury seat next to Mr. Dow so that you could hear everything I said to Dow and Con-don. I explained Condon’s rights very fully to him. What I said to him applies to you. My understanding is that your attorney Mr. Carlton

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

Related

State v. Gordon
321 A.2d 352 (Supreme Judicial Court of Maine, 1974)
McTigue v. New London Education Assn.
321 A.2d 462 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
214 A.2d 103, 161 Me. 467, 1965 Me. LEXIS 188, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/geneau-v-state-me-1965.