State Ex Rel. Biebinger v. Ellsworth

415 P.2d 728, 147 Mont. 512, 1966 Mont. LEXIS 409
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedJune 22, 1966
Docket11124
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 415 P.2d 728 (State Ex Rel. Biebinger v. Ellsworth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Ex Rel. Biebinger v. Ellsworth, 415 P.2d 728, 147 Mont. 512, 1966 Mont. LEXIS 409 (Mo. 1966).

Opinions

MR. JUSTICE JOHN C. HARRISON

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

Petitioner here filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus with the district court of the Twelfth Judicial District, being represented by counsel, in which he alleged he was not informed of his right to counsel at public expense, that he was an indigent, that he did not know nor was he informed by the district judge as to the nature of the charges against him or the consequences of a guilty plea; that had he known of his rights or had counsel he would have demanded a preliminary hearing and would have demanded time in which to answer the Information; that the presiding district judge did not give him a chance to set forth facts in mitigation; that the district judge failed to make a pre-sentence investigation as provided by section 94-7831, R.C.M.1947; and that the district judge did not inform petitioner, nor was he aware of his right, nor did he waive the appointment of time for Judgment as provided by section 94-7801, R.C.M.1947.

[514]*514A transcript of that hearing along with the district conrt file accompanied petitioner’s application to this conrt. The original hearing was held on March 14, 1966. On March 18, 1966, the district court denied and dismissed petitioner’s petition finding that the petitioner had failed to prove the allegations of his petition.

On April 13, 1966, petitioner filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus with this court and the matter was argued by petitioner’s counsel and by County Attorney Morrison of Hill County and Charles M. Joslyn of the Attorney General’s office for the State of Montana on May 3, 1966.

It appears that petitioner at the time of his arrest was 27 years of age, and employed by the Great Northern Bailway Company at $450 per month. He is a high school graduate, had never before been arrested or in any way involved with the law, and was married to a woman who had been married before and there were seven children to support, though the record does not disclose how many children, if any, were children of this marriage.

On October 10, 1962, petitioner was charged by Information with the crimes of attempted rape, and lewd and lascivious act upon a child. The child involved was an eleven year old stepdaughter. A complaint was filed in the justice court at Havre and petitioner appeared before Justice of the Peace Stallcup. Bond was set at $5,000 and he was bound over to the district court. Petitioner does not remember whether or not Justice Stallcup told him he had a right to have an attorney. Prior to his appearance in the justice court petitioner gave a statement to the arresting police officers that was reduced to writing and signed by petitioner. He admits that they informed him at that point of the procedure that “he had a right to have an attorney before he talked to them, before he gave them any statement.”; that at that time “he knew he had to have an attorney.”; that the police officers took him to the county attorney’s office where he was again informed of his right to an attorney and [515]*515that he was informed of the charges to be filed against him and the nature of those charges; and that he called an attorney but was unable to reach him and that he did not follow up on the call. Petitioner was served with a copy of the complaint filed in the justice court and a copy of the Information. At the time he appeared in district court he had with him, at his request, an officer of the Salvation Army with whom he had consulted on his family affairs and to whom he had requested that an attorney be consulted. However, for reasons that do not appear, the Salvation Army officer either did not or could not secure an attorney to appear.

Petitioner testified that at the time of his arrest he had no immediate funds to secure an attorney and that all his wages from the Great Northern went into rent, food, ear payments and family expenses. His landlord was a local attorney. Just before he was arraigned in district court petitioner admits that he conferred with the county attorney in some detail who explained to him that he could have an attorney represent him in court, the nature of the charge against him and that after the explanation of his rights he told the county attorney “he didn’t want an attorney at that time.”

He was then taken into the district court room where he appeared and was arraigned by District Judge Elwell. The following is a transcript of that proceeding.

“Havre, Montana “October 10, 1962
“Before: Hon C. B. ELWELL, Judge, without a jury.
“MR. MORRISON: Your Honor, in the State of Montana vs. Vem Biebinger request leave to file an information charging the defendant with Count I, attempted Rape; Count II, Lewd and Lascivious Act upon a child.
“THE COURT: Attempted Rape would be enough.
“MR. MORRISON: Yes, Your Honor, my understanding on the pleading is he can be convicted on one of the two and inasmuch as its a different statement of the same offense.
[516]*516“THE COURT: Bail is set for the sum of $5,000.00.
“Vem Biebinger having been first duly sworn by the Clerk of the Court, testified as follows:
“BY THE COURT:
“Q. Sir, your true name is Vem Biebinger? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Do you have a lawyer, Mr. Biebinger? A. No, sir, I have a minister, I just have my minister is all.
“Q. Do you want to have a lawyer before you enter your plea in the case? A. Yes, sir — No, sir.
“Q. Do you understand, that everyone has a right to have a lawyer if they want one? A. I do.
“Q. That is the right given to you. You have a copy of the information of what you are charged with? A. I do, sir.
“Q. Are you ready to enter your plea at this time? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. You have read it over and don’t care to have me read it at length to you, do you? A. Well, I haven’t read it all, sir, but it don’t make no difference.
“Q. You understand that you are accused of the crime on One Count of Attempted Rape and the other with Lewd and Lascivious Act on a Child on the Second Count, you understand that? A. Yes,sir.
“Q. What is you plea? Are you ready to plead now? A. Yes, sir. I would like, before I plead, I would like to ask for leniency and I do plead guilty.
“Q. You plead guilty to the Attempted Rape? A. Yes, sir. I would like to ask for leniency.
“Q. How old are you? A. Twenty-seven.
“Q. Twenty-seven? A. Yes, sir.
“Q. How old was this girl? A. Eleven.
“(By Mr. Morrison:)
“Q. You are younger than your wife? A. Same age, sir. A little bit younger.
[517]*517“Q. She has an eleven year old child? A. By another marriage.
“Q. It’s your step-child? A. Yes, sir.

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Related

In Matter of Little Light
598 P.2d 572 (Montana Supreme Court, 1979)
Lewis v. State
457 P.2d 765 (Montana Supreme Court, 1969)
Morsette v. Ellsworth
443 P.2d 28 (Montana Supreme Court, 1968)
Gransberry v. State
423 P.2d 853 (Montana Supreme Court, 1967)
Harding v. State
424 P.2d 130 (Montana Supreme Court, 1967)
State Ex Rel. Biebinger v. Ellsworth
415 P.2d 728 (Montana Supreme Court, 1966)
Dryman v. State
361 P.2d 959 (Montana Supreme Court, 1961)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
415 P.2d 728, 147 Mont. 512, 1966 Mont. LEXIS 409, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-biebinger-v-ellsworth-mont-1966.