Speer v. State

CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedJune 9, 2017
Docket115782
StatusUnpublished

This text of Speer v. State (Speer v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Speer v. State, (kanctapp 2017).

Opinion

NOT DESIGNATED FOR PUBLICATION

No. 115,782

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF KANSAS

NICHOLAS DEAN SPEER, Appellant,

v.

STATE OF KANSAS, Appellee.

MEMORANDUM OPINION

Appeal from Wilson District Court; DAVID WILLIAM ROGERS, judge. Opinion filed June 9, 2017. Affirmed.

Caroline M. Zuschek, of Kansas Appellate Defender Office, for appellant.

Jill E. Chard, county attorney, and Derek Schmidt, attorney general, for appellee.

Before POWELL, P.J., ATCHESON, J., and FAIRCHILD, S.J.

Per Curiam: Nicholas Dean Speer appeals from the district court's summary dismissal of his K.S.A. 60-1507 motion. In February 2010, Speer pled no contest to the manufacture of a controlled substance. Granting the parties' joint motion for a downward durational departure, the district court sentenced Speer to 89 months in prison. Several years after his sentencing, Speer filed a pro se K.S.A. 60-1507 motion. The State moved to dismiss the motion as untimely. In response, Speer conceded that his motion was untimely but asserted that an extension of the statutory 1-year time limitation was necessary to prevent manifest injustice. Without a hearing, the district court dismissed

1 Speer's motion, finding that Speer failed to establish manifest injustice to extend the time limitation. Finding no reversible error on the part of the district court, we affirm.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On September 28, 2009, Speer was voluntarily admitted to Osawatomie State Hospital for inpatient mental health treatment. According to his discharge summary, Speer had a long history of mental illness and entered treatment with depression and suicidal ideation. The treating physician diagnosed Speer with mood disorder and alcohol, cannabinoid, and amphetamine dependence. During his hospitalization, the treating physician prescribed Speer several antidepressant and antianxiety medications.

On October 5, 2009, before his discharge from Osawatomie State Hospital, the State charged Speer with the manufacture of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and obstructing legal process or official duty. The record on appeal does not indicate that a probable cause affidavit was attached to the original complaint. The district court appointed defense counsel to represent Speer in his criminal case.

At the time of Speer's discharge from the hospital on October 9, 2009, Speer demonstrated general improvement in treating his depression and anxiety and was calm, cooperative, alert, and oriented. Speer was released to the Wilson County Correctional Facility.

On October 18, 2009, during his incarceration, Speer requested immediate medical treatment. In the request, Speer stated that he could not stop shaking, had a severe panic attack, and could not calm down and sleep. At an appointment on October 26, 2009, Speer complained of anxiety and "nerves." The treating physician assessed Speer as having anxiety and depression and increased his anti-anxiety medication. The next day,

2 Speer was evaluated at the Four County Medical Health Center. At that evaluation, Speer presented with anxiety and mood related symptoms.

Speer was later readmitted to Osawatomie State Hospital for emergency psychiatric care based on an ex parte emergency order by the Wilson County District Court. During this hospitalization, Speer demonstrated suicidal ideations and was very upset, angry, threatening, yelling, and screaming. Speer was discharged on November 4, 2009, and transferred back to jail with instructions that he continue taking several antidepression, antianxiety, and sleep medications.

Speer returned to Osawatomie State Hospital on December 18, 2009, for further psychiatric treatment. Speer had cut himself with a razor and reported having auditory hallucinations. Speer also reported that he heard voices in his head telling him to sacrifice himself to God. At that time, the treating physician diagnosed Speer with adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct, bipolar disorder with episodes of severe psychotic features, and personality disorder. Speer was discharged on December 25, 2009.

At a hearing on January 28, 2010, Speer waived a preliminary hearing of the complaint. The district court asked Speer whether he understood the meaning of his waiver. Speer responded in the affirmative, stating that he understood and accepted the waiver.

On February 5, 2010, the State amended the complaint, charging Speer with the manufacture of a controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, and obstructing legal process or official duty. The parties ultimately entered into a plea agreement in which Speer agreed to plead no contest to the manufacture of a controlled substance in exchange for the State's agreement to dismiss the remaining charges and a joint recommendation for a downward durational departure to an 89-month prison sentence.

3 That same day, the district court held a plea hearing at which the parties first briefly recapitulated the terms of the plea agreement. The district court then conducted a plea colloquy. Among other inquiries, the district court asked Speer whether he was satisfied with the representation provided to him. Speer responded: "Yes, absolutely." Speer also stated that he had never had any sort of mental or emotional difficulties or treatment which would negatively affect his ability to understand his plea and that he had discussed the plea agreement with his defense attorney and understood it. Based on Speer's responses, the district court found that Speer was capable of making a knowing and intelligent decision regarding his rights, accepted his plea, and found him guilty of manufacturing a controlled substance.

On March 8, 2010, Speer completed a mental health screening through the Kansas Department of Corrections. At that screening, Speer reported anxiety, tremors, and bipolar disorder. Speer did not report suicidal ideations, and the screener did not observe depression, anxiety, or bizarre behavior. At the time, Speer was taking several antidepressant and antianxiety medications. Speer reported that he had never tried to kill himself, been depressed, or experienced hallucinations.

At his sentencing on April 2, 2010, the district court granted the parties' joint motion for a downward durational departure and, as recommended, sentenced Speer to 89 months in prison. Speer did not directly appeal his conviction or sentence.

In a typewritten letter filed September 6, 2013, Speer requested a copy of the affidavit of probable cause from the Wilson County District Court. Speer requested that the district court respond "A.S.A.P.," stating that he needed the affidavit for an appeal. On that same day, the Wilson County Deputy Clerk responded to Speer's letter and informed him that "[t]here [was] not a document like that in the case." The Deputy Clerk instructed Speer to contact the county attorney or arresting law enforcement agency.

4 On October 21, 2013, Speer moved pro se for the release of the affidavit of probable cause. In the motion, Speer asserted that he needed the affidavit to pursue appellate action. The district court addressed Speer's pro se motion at a hearing on December 6, 2013, and ordered the State to produce the probable cause affidavit if it existed. In a letter dated December 6, 2013, the county attorney advised Speer that she was unable to locate a probable cause affidavit but would continue to look for it.

On January 6, 2014, Speer filed a pro se K.S.A.

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