Ortega v. Williard

421 P.2d 966, 245 Or. 331, 1966 Ore. LEXIS 388
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 30, 1966
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 421 P.2d 966 (Ortega v. Williard) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ortega v. Williard, 421 P.2d 966, 245 Or. 331, 1966 Ore. LEXIS 388 (Or. 1966).

Opinions

McALLISTER, C. J.

On July 9, 1964, the petitioner, Haven Ortega, together with his brother, Donald, and a third young-man named Lawson, broke into a locked compartment of a small boat located on the banks of the Rogue river near Canfield Riffle in Curry county, with intent to steal therefrom. On the following- day, July 10, the three young men were arrested and taken before the district judge for Curry county. After being advised of their rights by the district judge, the three young men waived their right to a preliminary hearing and were bound over to the grand jury.

On the following Monday, July 13, 1964, the three men were arraigned in the circuit court for Curry county before the Honorable Robert C. Belloni, where all three men waived their right to counsel, waived indictment by a grand jury, and pleaded guilty to a district attorney’s information charging them with breaking and entering a structure other than a dwelling. ORS 164.240. Lawson was given a suspended sentence, and the sentencing of the two Ortegas was continued [333]*333pending receipt of a pre-sentence investigation. On August 24, 1964 both Ortegas were sentenced to terms of three years in the Oregon State Correctional Institution.

Haven Ortega has brought this post-conviction proceeding contending that he did not voluntarily and knowingly waive his right to counsel and enter his plea of guilty. After a hearing the court below made detailed findings that Ortega voluntarily and knowingly waived his right to counsel and entered his plea of guilty. The court dismissed the petition, and petitioner appeals.

Ortega’s arraignment before Judge Belloni was reported, and in the transcript thereof the following appears:

“MB. MILLER [District Attorney]: This is the matter, Tour Honor, of State of Oregon versus Haven Ortega.
“Tour Honor, Mr. Ortega was bound over to the grand jury on the charge of breaking and entering a structure other than a dwelling.
“A proceeding in the District Court of Curry County and — he is not represented by counsel.
“I don’t know what his wishes are in that regard but I am informed by the Sheriff’s office that he wishes to appear here today and waive indictment by the grand jury.
“THE COURT: Tour name is Donald Ortega?
“A No, Haven Ortega.
“MR. MILLER (Interposing) There are two files there, Tour Honor. Donald Ortega will follow this one.
“THE COURT: All right. This matter will proceed under that name whether or not it is your correct name but you assure me that it is ?
“A Tes.
[334]*334“Q Yon are not represented by an attorney?
“A No.
“Q Do you wish to be?
“A No.
“Q If you are unable to pay for an attorney because of lack- of funds the Court is willing to appoint an attorney for you at county expense.
“Do you want one on that basis?
“A No, sir.
“Q All right, you have the right to have this matter heard by the grand jury or you may waive that, that means give up that right and come before the Court directly at this time.
“Which would you rather do ?
“A Come before the Court at this time.
“Q Have there been any threats made to you to require you to give up this right?
“A No, there hasn’t.
“Q Have there been any promises of leniency made to you?
“A No.
“Q All right, then, you may read and sign the document which the Clerk has for you and you will be thereby giving up your right to the grand jury.
(At this time the witness read and signed the waiver presented to him by the Clerk of the Court.)
“THE COURT: You may proceed under the Information of the District Attorney.”

The information was then read verbatim by the District Attorney, the pertinent portion of which read as follows:

“That said Haven Ortega on the 9th day of July, A. D. 1964 in the said County of Curry and State of Oregon, then and there being, did then and there, wilfully and feloniously and unlawfully break and enter a certain boat, to-wit: a 14 foot wooden boat bearing Oregon License #OR 101 [335]*335DUC, located on the North Bank of the Rogue River, near Canfield Riffle; the said boat then and there being a boat in which there was at the time, personal property kept, with the intent of him, the said Defendant, to steal therefrom and commit larceny therein, by forcibly breaking into a locked compartment of said boat, contrary to the statutes in such cases made and provided, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Oregon.”
“THE COURT: You have the privilege of waiting a full day before entering your plea to this charge or you may waive that time and enter your plea now.
“Which would you rather do?
“A I will waive my time and enter my plea now.
“Q What is your plea?
“A Guilty.
“Q A guilty plea will be received.
“You may have two full days before the Court passes sentence or you may waive that time and the Court will pass sentence now.
“Which would you prefer?
“A I would like to waive that time and — may I have a chance to say something?
“THE COURT: Yes, you may. First, Mr. Miller.
“MR. MILLER: Your Honor, might I suggest that if we could have this matter wait we have two others involved in the same situation.
“THE COURT: All right. You take a seat back there.”

The advice given Ortega by the trial judge was minimal and if the record contained nothing more, the proceedings would probably not meet the standards set by McWilliams v. Gladden, 242 Or 333, 407 P2d 833 (1966), and Tucker v. Gladden, 245 Or 109, 420 P2d 625 (1966). However, the record contains much more, bearing on Ortega’s knowledge of his rights [336]*336and of the charge against him, and the consequences of his plea of guilty. Since each of these cases must be decided upon its own facts, we will set out the other pertinent portions of the record.

First, it appears that immediately after Ortega was arraigned, his brother Donald was arraigned and advised of his rights in substantially the same language and with the same result. Thereafter another case was heard, presumably Lawson’s. It thus appears that Ortega heard the advice of the court repeated three times, once to himself and twice to his companions.

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Related

Martin v. Clements
575 P.2d 885 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1978)
Lawson v. Gladden
422 P.2d 681 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1967)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
421 P.2d 966, 245 Or. 331, 1966 Ore. LEXIS 388, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ortega-v-williard-or-1966.