Semet v. United States

253 F. Supp. 521, 1966 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7732
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Oklahoma
DecidedApril 19, 1966
DocketCiv. No. 6057
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 253 F. Supp. 521 (Semet v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Semet v. United States, 253 F. Supp. 521, 1966 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7732 (E.D. Okla. 1966).

Opinion

DAUGHERTY, District Judge.

The Petitioner herein was sentenced on March 19, 1963, for a mandatory period of twenty-five (25) years upon a plea of guilty to an Indictment charging violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2114, which involves a postal robbery effected by putting a life in jeopardy. The Petitioner was represented by Court-appointed counsel. No appeal was taken from the Judgment and Commitment.

Petitioner alleges in his Motion herein that his plea of guilty and sentence based thereon should be set aside because:

1. Petitioner’s plea of guilty was induced by a chain of coercive circumstances which deprived the plea of its character of being a voluntary act in violation of Petitioner’s constitutional rights.

2. Petitioner was denied the effective assistance of counsel.

3. Petitioner was denied the right to be fully informed of the serious nature and consequences of his plea of guilty.

4. Petitioner was deceived by counsel who led him to believe his punishment would be “abated” in spite of a defaulted agreement between his counsel and the Government that he would be sentenced on a lesser offense.

5. Under above circumstances his plea of guilty was obtained by duress and coercion.

From the body of the Motion and the Petitioner’s Affidavit in Forma Pauperis the Court detects these additional complaints which will be considered even though not formally raised:

6. Petitioner was interrogated and threatened while in custody and was refused an attorney all by a U. S. Postal Inspector who elicited from Petitioner certain incriminatory statements and admissions.

7. He was unlawfully forced into a line-up.

8. He was illegally detained in pseudo-State custody without formal arraignment ; that State charges were filed and dismissed against him for the same act as herein involved.

9. An agreement was made between his counsel and the United States District Attorney that he would be permitted to plead guilty to a lesser and included of[523]*523fense, which agreement was defaulted by the Government after the Justice Department rejected a plea to a lesser offense.

10. His counsel advised him to plead guilty to the Indictment with the assurance a reduction could be brought about later on.

The principal consideration for the Court regarding the Petitioner’s Motion is whether or not his plea of guilty was entered voluntarily.

“It is, of course, the rule that a plea of guilty is void when induced by promises or threats which deprive it of the character of a voluntary act and a judgment and sentence entered thereon is subject to attack by a § 2255 motion. * * * It is also the rule that a hearing is required on a § 2255 motion unless the motion and the files and records in the case conclusively show that the prisoner is not entitled to relief. * * * But, a hearing is not required where the motion and the files and records conclusively show that the prisoner is entitled to no relief, * * * or where no factual issues are raised, * * Putnam v. United States, 337 F.2d 313 (10 Cir. 1964).

Attached is a photocopy of a certified transcript of the proceedings of March 19, 1963, evidencing the Court’s strenuous efforts to be absolutely certain that Petitioner’s plea of guilty was uncoerced, completely voluntary, free of all promises, force or threats, that he understood the nature of the charge against him, the punishment he would receive if he plead guilty, and particularly that Petitioner understood that a plea to a lesser offense would not be allowed and that the charge in the Indictment with a twenty-five (25) year mandatory sentence was the only charge and the one to which he was entering his plea. The Court is completely satisfied that Petitioner’s constitutional rights were not violated and his conviction was not based on a guilty plea induced by promises of any kind or a misunderstanding which deprived it of the character of a voluntary act. This transcript shows that the Petitioner was fully advised of the nature of the charge against him, the penalty upon a plea of guilty, and was thoroughly questioned as to the voluntary nature of his plea of guilty.

There is absolutely and conclusively no foundation to Petitioner’s assertion made herein that his attorney (recently deceased) induced him to plead guilty on the promise of being sentenced on a lesser included offense or that the punishment or principal offense would be “abated,” or that a reduction in sentence could be brought about later. The attached transcript shows without any doubt that efforts to change the charge to a lesser offense were unsuccessful and the Petitioner was clearly so advised and definitely knew this; that Petitioner was advised and knew that the charge in the Indictment would stand and would not be reduced and upon a plea of guilty a mandatory sentence of twenty-five (25) years would have to be imposed. By the careful explanation made to the Petitioner he is conclusively bound to know that a reduction in sentence later on would not be possible where a mandatory sentence is involved. In addition, he knew this by the efforts made with his knowledge by his attorney to substitute the charge with a lesser offense. Petitioner knew this possibility was rejected by the Government. The Petitioner with this personal knowledge as conclusively shown by the record entered his plea of guilty.

The Petitioner was represented throughout all these proceedings by a capable member of the bar who was well qualified to advise his client on all matters pertaining to the charge. As further evidence of the voluntary plea, a photocopy of Petitioner’s letter of March 15, 1963, is attached. This letter, written on March 15, 1963, and asking that he be permitted to enter a plea of guilty, was placed in evidence during the sentencing proceedings on March 19, 1963, and filed in the case.

The record absolutely and conclusively negates coercion, duress or deceit regarding the Petitioner’s plea of guilty. Petitioner’s claim of “a chain of coercive [524]*524circumstances” and “duress and coercion” making his plea of guilty involuntary, are not only conclusions presenting no factual issues, but are directly and conclusively negated by the record.

Therefore, the Court finds from the transcript of the sentencing proceedings and the files and records in the case that the guilty plea entered by Petitioner was made voluntarily, with full understanding of the charge and penalty and that an evidentiary hearing and appointment of counsel are not required. Putnam v. United States, supra; Martinez v. United States (10 Cir. 1965), 344 F.2d 325.

Petitioner also asserts his Court-appointed counsel (recently deceased) was negligent or incompetent. The record affirmatively discloses that the Petitioner was ably represented, (his attorney was a former Assistant United States Attorney) and the alleged ineffective assistance of counsel certainly does not amount to manifest injustice necessary to impeach the voluntary plea herein. Edwards v. United States, 103 U.S.App.D.C. 152, 256 F.2d 707 (1958), certiorari denied, 358 U.S. 847, 79 S.Ct. 74, 3 L.Ed.2d 82.

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Related

United States v. Semet
295 F. Supp. 1084 (E.D. Oklahoma, 1968)

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Bluebook (online)
253 F. Supp. 521, 1966 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7732, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/semet-v-united-states-oked-1966.