People v. Boling

261 P.3d 503, 2011 Colo. App. LEXIS 647, 2011 WL 1587735
CourtColorado Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 28, 2011
Docket09CA1043
StatusPublished
Cited by320 cases

This text of 261 P.3d 503 (People v. Boling) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Boling, 261 P.3d 503, 2011 Colo. App. LEXIS 647, 2011 WL 1587735 (Colo. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

Opinion by

Judge CASEBOLT.

Defendant, Jeremie Paul Boling, appeals the trial court's orders denying the motion to withdraw his guilty plea and classifying him as a sex offender. We affirm.

I. Background

Defendant entered into a plea agreement that resulted in the disposition of several cases. He pleaded guilty to theft, a class four felony, in Case No. 08CR604, and menacing, a class five felony, in Case No. 08CR2593, in exchange for dismissal of all other charges in those and two other cases, and a stipulation for concurrent sentences to probation with conditions including a jail term of sixty days.

Before sentencing, defendant moved to withdraw his guilty pleas. The trial court denied the motion and proceeded to sentencing. Over defendant's objection, the trial court determined that defendant was a sex offender, ordered a sex offender evaluation, and ordered sex offender treatment and supervision as a condition of probation. This appeal followed.

II. Motion to Withdraw Guilty Pleas

Defendant contends the trial court erred in denying the motion to withdraw his guilty pleas. We disagree.

A. Standard of Review

A motion to withdraw a guilty plea may be made only before sentence is imposed or imposition of sentence is suspended. Crim. P. 32(d). Such a motion is committed to the sound discretion of the trial court and we will not overturn its ruling absent an abuse of that discretion. People v. Chippewa, 751 P.2d 607, 609 (Colo.1988).

B. Withdrawal of Plea

A defendant does not have an absolute right to withdraw a guilty plea, but "a plea can be withdrawn if the defendant makes a showing that denial of the request will subvert justice." Id. at 612. A court may allow the withdrawal of a guilty plea where the defendant has shown a fair and just reason for the withdrawal, such as

where a defendant may have been surprised or influenced into a plea of guilty when he had a defense; where a plea of guilty was entered by mistake or under a misconception of the nature of the charge; where such plea was entered through fear, fraud, or official misrepresentation; or where it was made involuntarily for some reason.

Maes v. People, 155 Colo. 570, 575, 396 P.2d 457, 459 (1964). It is the defendant's burden to establish a fair and just reason for withdrawal of a plea. Chippewa, 751 P.2d at 609.

*505 C. Application

Here, before sentencing, defendant moved to withdraw his guilty plea, asserting that he had received ineffective assistance of counsel. The trial court appointed alternate defense counsel to pursue defendant's claims, after which counsel informed the court there was no legal basis for withdrawal. At the sentencing hearing, defendant reasserted his request to withdraw his plea. Defendant stated, "I can't see myself pleading guilty to a charge that I am not guilty of," and said he had found papers regarding medication that his wife, the menacing victim, was taking at the time of the offense. Defense counsel advised the court she did not think that such information or documentation "affects [defendant's] ability to ... withdraw the plea." After the trial court noted that alternate defense counsel had found there was "no sufficient legal basis" for defendant to withdraw his guilty plea, defendant added,

The Court-appointed attorney was telling me I had to plead guilty to my charges in order-to get sentenced before I can-take my charges, or you know like-take my charges back that I pled guilty to.
I was like I don't see how that can be. That is what I had to do. I think that is improper counsel also.

The court found there was no reason sufficient to allow defendant to withdraw his guilty plea and denied the motion.

Here, none of defendant's asserted reasons for seeking to withdraw his plea demonstrates a fair and just reason that would allow him to do so. See Chippewa, 751 P.2d at 609; Maes, 155 Colo. at 575, 396 P.2d at 459. To the extent defendant claims his plea was entered upon the improper advice of counsel, that assertion is belied by the plea documents and transcript of the providency hearing in which he expressed complete satisfaction with counsel's representation. Similarly, defendant's contention that he "steadfastly maintained his innocence" to the trial court is contradicted by his statements to the court at the providency hearing in which he recited and acknowledged a factual basis for his plea.

We conclude that the trial court acted within its discretion by denying defendant's motion to withdraw his plea.

III. Sex Offender Status

Defendant contends the trial court erred when it found him to be a sex offender. Again, we disagree.

We review de novo whether defendant is a sex offender within the statutory definition of the term. See Hernandez v. People, 176 P.3d 746, 751 (Colo.2008) ("statutory interpretation is a question of law we review de novo"); People v. Duncan, 109 P.3d 1044, 1046 (Colo.App.2004) (same).

B. Statutory Interpretation

In construing statutes, we must ascertain and give effect to legislative intent, looking first to the plain and ordinary meaning of statutory language. See Hernandez, 176 P.3d at 751; Duncan, 109 P.3d at 1046. If the statutory language is unambiguous, we interpret it according to its plain meaning. See Hernandez, 176 P.3d at 751; Duncan, 109 P.3d at 1046.

C. Sex Offender Statutes

The General Assembly has determined that, to be considered for probation, each sex offender shall, among other requirements, submit to a sex offender evaluation. See § 16-11.7-104(1), C.R.S.2010; People v. Lenzint, 986 P.2d 980, 983 (Colo.App.1999) (statute requires evaluation of sex offenders and inclusion of this evaluation in presentence report for consideration by sentencing court). Further, each sex offender is required as part of the sentence to undergo treatment based on the recommendations in the evaluation. See § 16-11.7-105(1), C.R.S.2010; People v. Meidinger, 987 P.2d 937, 939 (Colo.App.1999) (error to impose sex offender conditions as part of probation without ordering statutorily required sex offender evaluation).

The General Assembly has defined "sex offender" in section 16-11.7-102(2), C.R.S. 2010. As pertinent to this appeal, the statute provides:

*506 (2)(a) "Sex Offender" means any person who is:
(I) Convicted in the state of Colorado, on or after January 1, 1994, of any sex offense as defined in subsection (8) of this section; or

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
261 P.3d 503, 2011 Colo. App. LEXIS 647, 2011 WL 1587735, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-boling-coloctapp-2011.