State Ex Rel. Drysdale v. Tahash

154 N.W.2d 691, 278 Minn. 361, 1967 Minn. LEXIS 875
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedNovember 24, 1967
Docket40621
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 154 N.W.2d 691 (State Ex Rel. Drysdale v. Tahash) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Ex Rel. Drysdale v. Tahash, 154 N.W.2d 691, 278 Minn. 361, 1967 Minn. LEXIS 875 (Mich. 1967).

Opinion

Nelson, Justice.

Appeal from an order entered October 27, 1966, discharging a writ of habeas corpus.

It appears from the record that relator, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was arrested on March 23, 1961, on a charge of drunkenness. Two weeks later, on April 7, 1961, an information was filed charging him with having had sexual intercourse with his daughter on March 5, 1961, in violation of Minn. St. 1961, § 617.13.

During the 3 weeks following defendant’s arrest, he was held in jail without access to counsel, and during this time the sheriff of Winona County is alleged to have obtained a confession from defendant which defendant refused to sign until April 17, 1961. It also appears from the record that on that same day defendant was brought into court and counsel was appointed for him. Defendant at that time pled not guilty to the charge of incest and was returned to the county jail.

*363 On April 20, 1961, defendant was again brought before the district court, at which time he withdrew his plea of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty. Defendant contends that during the 3 days following the appointment of Mr. P. S. Johnson as his counsel and up to the time he changed his plea to guilty he only saw Mr. Johnson for about 11 minutes. His counsel, however, states in his deposition that he had from six to eight conferences with defendant before he entered his plea of guilty.

The issue here is whether the existence of an allegedly improperly obtained confession is of material consideration in determining the voluntariness of defendant’s plea of guilty. The charge against defendant of the crime of incest arose out of certain relations defendant had with his daughter, age 13, on March 5, 1961. Following the entry of his plea of guilty, a presentence social, physical, and mental examination was given to defendant pursuant to Minn. St. 246.43. Thereafter, on July 24, 1961, he was sentenced to up to 10 years and committed to the State Prison.

Defendant in the petition for a writ of habeas corpus alleges that a confession was extracted from him in violation of his constitutional rights in that he was held incommunicado for an unreasonable time without assistance of counsel and was subjected to psychological coercion. He also claims that his plea of guilty was improperly induced by promises of his court-appointed counsel that defendant would be placed on probation and that therefore the withdrawal of his plea of not guilty and the entry of his plea of guilty were improperly accepted by the court; that the court did not ascertain the facts surrounding the crime and his participation therein and did not determine whether defendant had made the plea intelligently, with understanding of his rights, and with knowledge of the consequences of such a plea; and that he was denied his right to a preliminary hearing guaranteed him by virtue of § 628.31 and that he did not waive such a right.

Defendant also challenges the jurisdiction of the court, the legality of the sentence, and the use of illegally seized evidence against him, and asserts his right not to be placed twice in jeopardy, his right to be charged by proper indictment or substitute therefor, and his right to a fair and impartial trial.

The habeas court in response to defendant’s petition issued a writ. *364 After an evidentiary hearing the court discharged 'the writ, holding that defendant had not presented any evidence supporting the allegations of the petition.

The record of the proceedings at which defendant entered- his plea of guilty show that his attorney stated that he had talked with defendant several times and at great length and had also talked with defendant’s wife, and that the court asked defendant if he felt his attorney was competent to act for him, to which inquiry he answered yes. The court thereupon proceeded to read the charge and after reading the charge asked the court-appointed counsel if he believed defendant was in such mental and physical condition as to comprehend the proceedings, to which counsel answered, “I believe he is, Your Honor.” The court then asked defendant if he understood the proceedings and defendant answered, “I think so, sir.” The court asked, “Do you know? You understand what is happening, don’t you?” To this defendant answered, “Yes, sir.”

At the evidentiary hearing in the habeas proceedings, defendant stated that he was arrested on March 23 for being intoxicated and that he was charged with incest April 6, 1961, and made a confession which he signed April 17, 1961. He stated also that he held out for 3 weeks and never during this time did he have benefit of counsel. Defendant claimed he was never told of his rights at the time and was never told by his counsel or by the court of his right to a jury ’trial or any other rights. Defendant also stated that the only reason he pled guilty was the promise of probation and that his confession had nothing to do with the plea of guilty. He also claimed that he did not have intercourse with his daughter and that his attorney lied when he said he conferred at length with defendant, but that he believed his counsel when he made the promise of probation; and that he was satisfied with his attorney and believed and trusted him until he was sentenced.

Defendant did not protest to the trial court about his sentence or the circumstances surrounding it. From the deposition of Mr. Johnson, his counsel, it appears that defendant admitted that he was guilty and never claimed he was innocent. Mr. Johnson said there was talk of probation but that he told defendant that there was not much chance and. that he did not promise probation if he pled guilty. Furthermore, defendant never *365 indicated to Ms counsel that he thought he would get probation. Counsel in Ms deposition further stated that the plea of guilty was voluntary and that he felt that there was no doubt that defendant knew if he pled not gmlty he would be defended by his attorney M a trial.

Defendant admitted m his testimony before the habeas court that his plea of gmlty was not prompted by the confession, as is indicated by the followmg questions and answers:

“Q. You plead guilty because you thought you were gomg to get probation?
“A. That’s right.
“Q. That’s the reason?
“A. Yes.
“Q. That’s the sole reason?
“A. That’s the sole reason.
“Q. So your confession doesn’t have anything to do with tMs matter then, does it?
“A. No.”

Generally, a conviction following trial or on a plea of gmlty based on a confession extorted by violence or by mental coercion is rnvalid under the Federal due process clause. The Urnted States Supreme Court so held in Pennsylvania ex rel. Herman v. Claudy, 350 U. S. 116, 76 S. Ct. 223, 100 L. ed. 126. The Minnesota court has also passed on the effect of an illegally obtained confession on a subsequent plea of guilty. In State v. Clifford, 267 Minn. 554, 555, 126 N. W.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In the Matter of the Welfare of: S.L.S., Child.
Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 2016
Hamilton v. State
198 N.W.2d 271 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1972)
McLaughlin v. State
190 N.W.2d 867 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1971)
Black v. State
184 N.W.2d 419 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1971)
State v. Ahlstrand
179 N.W.2d 170 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1970)
Goggleye v. State
178 N.W.2d 737 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1970)
Gallagher v. State
176 N.W.2d 618 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1970)
State Ex Rel. Parks v. Tahash
170 N.W.2d 448 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1969)
State Ex Rel. Pittman v. Tahash
170 N.W.2d 445 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1969)
State v. King
167 N.W.2d 745 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1969)
State v. Linehan
164 N.W.2d 616 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1969)
State v. Hellickson
162 N.W.2d 390 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1968)
Chapman v. State
162 N.W.2d 698 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1968)
State Ex Rel. Turner v. Tahash
156 N.W.2d 904 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
154 N.W.2d 691, 278 Minn. 361, 1967 Minn. LEXIS 875, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-drysdale-v-tahash-minn-1967.