State Ex Rel. Napiwoski v. Tahash

153 N.W.2d 138, 278 Minn. 56, 1967 Minn. LEXIS 836
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedSeptember 15, 1967
Docket40360
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 153 N.W.2d 138 (State Ex Rel. Napiwoski 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. Napiwoski v. Tahash, 153 N.W.2d 138, 278 Minn. 56, 1967 Minn. LEXIS 836 (Mich. 1967).

Opinion

Frank T. Gallagher, Justice.

Appeal from an order of the district court denying relator’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus without a hearing.

On February 17, Í964, an indictment was filed against relator charging him with aggravated robbery contrary to Minn. St. 609.245. The indictment charged that on February 8, 1964, in the city of St. Paul, one Joseph Andrew Dahlby and relator, while armed with a dangerous weapon, wrongfully, unlawfully, and feloniously took money in excess of $100 from A1 Hille by means of a threat of the use of imminent force against Hille to overcome his resistance to such taking. To this charge relator entered a plea of guilty in Ramsey County District Court and on March 19, 1964, he was sentenced to the custody of the commissioner of corrections for not more than 10 years.

It appears from the record that on the evening of the robbery Dahlby and relator entered a liquor store in St. Paul; that Dahlby, who was in possession of a weapon, ordered Hille, the clerk, to hand over the money from the cash drawer; that the clerk complied; and that Dahlby and relator ran from the store and were apprehended down the street a short time later.

On October 28, 1965, relator petitioned the District Court of Washington County for a writ of habeas corpus, which petition was denied without a hearing on January 5, 1966. This appeal followed.

Relator contends, on appeal, that the trial court erred (1) in denying his right of allocution before imposition of sentence; (2) in abusing its *58 discretion by failing to order a presentence investigation before imposition of sentence; and (3) in denying his petition for a writ of habeas corpus without a hearing.

With respect to his claims of denial of the right of allocution and failure to order presentence examination, the transcript of the arraignment and sentencing proceedings indicates that after relator entered his plea of guilty the court examined him and elicited facts in connection with the robbery. At the conclusion of the examination relator’s attorney spoke in his behalf, after which the court imposed the sentence. Relator argues that the record does not indicate that he made any statement in his own behalf and that it shows that at no time did the court inquire of him whether he had anything to say in his behalf.

Relator cites State ex rel. Searles v. Tahash, 271 Minn. 304, 136 N. W. (2d) 70, and other cases in support of his position. In Searles we held that in the absence of a presentence investigation, hearing, or interrogation under Minn. St. 1961, § 610.37, 1 Minn. St. 631.20, or § 243.49, if the defendant is not afforded his right of allocution and his attorney fails to speak on his behalf at the time of sentencing, he is entitled to a vacation of his sentence and the appointment of counsel to present to the trial court all of the mitigating facts, circumstances, and arguments which are available and appropriate to a reconsideration of the sentence imposed.

In State ex rel. Krahn v. Tahash, 274 Minn. 567, 144 N. W. (2d) 262, this court refused to extend its ruling in Searles to situations wherein a presentence investigation was held. We said there that the law does not require the sentence to be vacated if by a presentence investigation there is adequate assurance (as there was in that case) that the court took into account the defendant’s version' of the circumstances leading to his conviction and other background information which is normally considered in mitigation of the penalty.

In State ex rel. Geiselhart v. Tahash, 274 Minn. 464, 144 N. W. (2d) 354, decided a short time after Krahn, we held that the law did not require that the defendant be asked if he had anything to say, nor did it *59 require a presentence investigation where before sentence was imposed an extensive examination of defendant was made.

In the present case it appears to us that there was an extensive examination made before sentence was pronounced. Relator appeared before the district judge on March 19, 1964. Mr. Paul Lindholm, an assistant county attorney, appeared in behalf of the state and relator was represented by Mr. Robert P. Tolaas, public defender. When the case was called for trial, relator’s attorney informed the court that it was his understanding in talking with relator that the latter wished to change his plea to guilty. The court asked relator if that was correct and he said, “Yes.” The clerk then read the indictment and thereafter asked relator, who had pled not guilty to the indictment, if he wished to change his plea. Relator responded, “Guilty,” whereupon he was duly sworn and examined.

In response to the assistant county attorney’s questions, relator said he was 48 years old when arrested for the present offense; that he was born in St. Paul, where he attended school through the eighth grade; and that he had lived in St. Paul since birth. He said he was a carpenter and that his last employment had been with a construction company in Savage, Minnesota. He admitted he had developed an intemperate use of alcohol and that he had prior convictions of third-degree burglary in 1935, second-degree grand larceny in August 1943, and third-degree burglary in 1954. He said that he understood the nature of the crime to which he had pled guilty and that he had entered his plea of his own free will without any threats or promises having been made to him.

He stated that on February 8, 1964, he and Dahlby entered a liquor store on Payne Avenue; that he was disguised by having a stocking over his face; that he thought Dahlby had a gun and showed it to the man tending the store; that Dahlby told the attendant “this is a holdup” and then went to the cash register and took money from the drawer; that he thought Dahlby dropped some of the money and that he (relator) picked it up; that he thought a bottle of liquor was taken from the shelf; and that he and Dahlby ran out and were apprehended down the street a short time later.

His attorney then asked relator if alcohol was his real problem and *60 he admitted it was. He said that he and Dahlby were quite drunk the day of the robbery, and that he was residing with his mother at that time. Relator’s attorney stated that he had no further questions.

The court then asked relator if he knew what he was doing and was told he did. Thereafter the assistant county attorney asked relator if he was aware that he was present in the liquor store; that he was taking money; that he was not entitled to the money; and that Dahlby had a gun. He answered all of these questions affirmatively.

Relator’s attorney then asked the court if he wished to impose sentence that morning. The court then said:

“Well, what is the Defendant’s pleasure in this matter?
“Mr. Tolaas [relator’s attorney]: I feel, your Honor, he has the past record, of course, and
“The Court [to defendant]: Well, the last time you were convicted was in ’54. Did you go to prison on that one?
“The Defendant: Was it ’54 or ’53? I don’t remember.
“Mr. Lindholm [assistant county attorney]: It was 2/26 of ’54, your Honor.

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Related

State v. Jurgens
424 N.W.2d 546 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1988)
State v. Hanson
231 N.W.2d 104 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1975)
State Ex Rel. Thunstrom v. Tahash
167 N.W.2d 139 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1969)

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Bluebook (online)
153 N.W.2d 138, 278 Minn. 56, 1967 Minn. LEXIS 836, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-ex-rel-napiwoski-v-tahash-minn-1967.