Kime v. Brewer

182 N.W.2d 154
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedDecember 15, 1970
Docket54179
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 182 N.W.2d 154 (Kime v. Brewer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Kime v. Brewer, 182 N.W.2d 154 (iowa 1970).

Opinions

MOORE, Chief Justice.

We are here presented the question of whether the trial court erred in denying a prisoner’s application for writ of habeas corpus based on the grounds he did not have effective assistance of counsel during and immediately after his trial and conviction.

John Monroe Kime was charged with the crime of burglary with aggravation. He was represented by his self-employed attorney, Lawrence Scalise, at his first trial in January, 1968 which resulted in a hung jury. Defendant being without funds, Scalise, an experienced trial lawyer and former Iowa Attorney General, was appointed to continue as defense counsel for the second trial in March, 1968 which resulted in a guilty verdict. On April 5, 1968 Kime was sentenced in Polk County District Court by Judge Gibson C. Holliday to a term not to exceed 50 years in the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison.

On October 14, 1969 Kime filed an application for a writ of habeas corpus under the provisions of chapter 663, Code 1966. We are not here concerned with the provisions of chapter 1276, Acts of the 63rd G. A., referred to as the uniform post-conviction procedure act which did not become effective until July 1, 1970.

A full evidentiary hearing was held on Kime’s application or petition for a writ of habeas corpus after which the trial court on December 16, 1969 filed a carefully prepared review of the applicable law and these findings of fact :

“1) That the petitioner is being held in the Iowa State Penitentiary at Fort Madison, Iowa, by virtue of a mittimus directed to the warden of the penitentiary, following the entry of judgment and imposition of sentence on April 5, 1968;
“2) That the petitioner was at all times represented by competent counsel who discharged his obligation in a conscientious and meaningful manner;
“3) That petitioner’s counsel gave consideration to the defenses available to the petitioner at his trial and rejected the alibi defense after carefully investigating the facts as to the petitioner’s location at the time of the commission of the offense;
“4) That petitioner’s counsel did not advise him that he would appeal his conviction, but advised petitioner that an appeal would be of no help to him;
“5) That the petitioner has failed to establish by the required burden of proof, the existence of jurisdictional defects which make his imprisonment illegal.”

Petitioner Kime has appealed from the trial court’s order denying the requested writ. He asserts the trial court erred in finding (1) his counsel’s failure to submit alibi evidence did not constitute denial of effective assistance of counsel and (2) counsel had not advised Kime an appeal of his conviction would be made.

I. The following applicable legal principles in prisoner habeas corpus cases under chapter 663, supported by many cited authorities, are recognized in State v. Kendall, Iowa, 167 N.W.2d 909, 910, 911, and Scalf v. Bennett, 260 Iowa 393, 398-400, 147 N.W.2d 860, 863, 864.

The trial court’s findings in a ha-beas corpus action involving a state prisoner are binding upon us if supported by substantial evidence.

It is not the purpose of a habeas corpus proceeding to determine the guilt or innocence of the prisoner of the crime [156]*156charged, nor to pass upon the errors in his trial, nor to retry the facts and pass upon the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the charge. Unless there was no jurisdiction in the court, the judgment is not void and may not be collaterally attacked by ha-beas corpus.

Lack of effective counsel may constitute a jurisdictional defect reviewable by habeas corpus.

Under the provisions of Amendment 6, section 1 of Amendment 14 to the Constitution of the United States, and Article 1, sections 9 and 10, of the Constitution of Iowa, the accused, Kime, was entitled to effective assistance of counsel and to receive a fair trial.

“Effective” does not mean successful. It means conscientious, meaningful representation wherein the accused is advised of his rights and honest, learned and able counsel is given a reasonable opportunity to perform the task assigned to him.

Improvident strategy, bad tactics, mistake, carelessness or inexperience do not necessarily amount to ineffective assistance of counsel. Only in extreme cases where it is shown the trial as a whole was a farce and a mockery of justice will a conviction be set aside because of inadequacy of counsel.

It is presumed that a court appointed counsel for an indigent defendant acts properly.

The burden of proof is on petitioner to establish his counsel was ineffective and he did not have a fair trial.

II. Petitioner testified he told Scalise prior to trial that at the time the crime was committed he was at a movie with his girl friend with whom he was living and later they were with another woman at her home on S.E. Edison Street in Des Moines where they remained the rest of the night. The women testified they would have so testified.

Scalise testified he conferred with Kime several times prior to the first trial and that Kime first indicated he could prove he was in Arkansas at the time of the offense, about three a. m, April 2, 1967. Scalise employed an investigator who determined Kime was not in Arkansas and that Kime had not remained at the Edison Street home as later claimed by him. Kime had been convicted of a felony which Scalise stated caused him to hesitate using him as a witness.

An alleged accomplice and the victim, a Mr. Ponxs, who was shot during the burglary, both testified Kime took part in the burglary. On the first trial Mrs. Ponxs did not identify Kime as a participant,

Mr. Scalise testified that after full investigation it was his theory of defense to attack the witnesses’ attempt to identify Kime and not present an albi defense. Scalise stated he felt he had been compromised by what Kime had told him about a possible alibi and it was his strategy not to offer evidence thereof.

On cross-examination, Scalise stated he did not at any time consider the use of an alibi as a result of his conversations with his client and that he would not allow Kime or anyone else to commit a crime at the time of trial.

Prior to the sentencing Judge Holliday said: “I will ask you now for the record, are you satisfied with his (Scalise) services and his defense for you in your behalf during this last trial?” Kime answered “Right”. He was further asked: “Do you have any complaints as to your representation by' the Court appointed attorney ?” Defendant answered “no”.

The record, only part of which we have set out, supra, clearly establishes the trial court’s findings of fact numbered 2 and 3 are supported by substantial evidence. Petitioner’s first assigned error is untenable.

III. Immediately, after the sentencing Judge Holliday stated: “It is my duty to tell you you do have a right of appeal to [157]*157the Supreme Court of Iowa from this trial and this sentence.

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Walker v. Brewer
189 N.W.2d 605 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1971)
Toogood v. Brewer
187 N.W.2d 748 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1971)
Kime v. Brewer
182 N.W.2d 154 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1970)

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Bluebook (online)
182 N.W.2d 154, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kime-v-brewer-iowa-1970.