State v. B. Hooper

2016 MT 237, 386 P.3d 548, 385 Mont. 14, 2016 Mont. LEXIS 818, 2016 WL 5094160
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 20, 2016
DocketDA 15-0261
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 2016 MT 237 (State v. B. Hooper) 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 v. B. Hooper, 2016 MT 237, 386 P.3d 548, 385 Mont. 14, 2016 Mont. LEXIS 818, 2016 WL 5094160 (Mo. 2016).

Opinion

JUSTICE MCKINNON

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

¶1 Britney Porsche Hooper (Hooper) appeals from the judgment entered in the Third Judicial District Court, Deer Lodge County, finding her guilty of aggravated burglary, a felony, in violation of § 45-6-204(2)(b)(ii), MCA (2013); elder abuse, a felony, in violation of § 52-3-825, MCA (2013); and failure to comply with licensing requirements, a misdemeanor, in violation of § 7-21-2411, MCA (2013). We affirm in *15 part and reverse in part.

¶2 Hooper presents the following issues for review:

1. Whether the failure to object to multiple convictions for elder abuse and aggravated burglary constituted ineffective assistance of counsel.
2. Whether the District Court erred in imposing higher fees in the written judgment than were imposed in the oral pronouncement of sentence.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶3 On June 26, 2014, Hooper knocked on the door of Mrs. Blaz’s home under the guise of selling Mrs. Blaz magazine subscriptions. When Mrs. Blaz declined to give Hooper any money, Hooper forced herself into Mrs. Blaz’s house and knocked the 84-year-old woman to the ground. Once in the home, Hooper grabbed and twisted Mrs. Blaz’s wrist and threw her to the ground. Mrs. Blaz hit her head when she fell. Hooper kicked Mrs. Blaz in the thigh, once she was on the ground, and demanded Mrs. Blaz give Hooper money. Hooper then threatened Mrs. Blaz with a pair of sewing shears. Only after Hooper left Mrs. Blaz’s home was Mrs. Blaz able to summon assistance. Following the attack, Mrs. Blaz became less active. She no longer visited with her neighborhood friends. She isolated herself and stayed in her house with “all the doors locked up.” According to her son, Mrs. Blaz became more forgetful and fearful after the attack.

¶4 On December 17, 2014, Hooper pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, elder abuse, and failure to comply with licensing requirements. On March 23, 2015, Hooper received a twenty-five year sentence with ten years suspended for aggravated burglary; ten years for elder abuse; and a six-month commitment to the county jail for the licensing violation. All sentences were to run concurrently. Hooper’s counsel did not object to convictions for both elder abuse and aggravated burglary. Hooper asserts on appeal that she was denied effective assistance of counsel.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶5 Claims of ineffective assistance of counsel constitute mixed questions of law and fact; our review is de novo. Deschon v. State, 2008 MT 380, ¶ 16, 347 Mont. 30, 197 P.3d 476 (internal citation omitted). “IWIhere ineffective assistance of counsel claims are based on facts of record in the underlying case, they must be raised in the direct appeal and, conversely, where the allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel cannot be documented from the record in the underlying case, *16 those claims must be raised by petition for post-conviction relief.” State v. White, 2001 MT 149, ¶ 12, 306 Mont. 58, 30 P.3d 340.

DISCUSSION

¶6 1. Whether the failure to object to multiple convictions for elder abuse and aggravated burglary constituted ineffective assistance of counsel.

¶7 Hooper argues that receiving multiple convictions for elder abuse and aggravated burglary violated § 46-11-410(2)(d), MCA, and that her counsel’s failure to object constitutes ineffective assistance of counsel. The State contends that the crimes of elder abuse and aggravated burglary are distinct and do not constitute multiple convictions in violation of double jeopardy.

¶8 When evaluating a claim of ineffective assistance of trial counsel, we use the two-part test enunciated in Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S. Ct. 2052 (1984); Whitlow v. State, 2008 MT 140, ¶ 10, 343 Mont. 90, 183 P.3d 86. “Under the first prong of the Strickland test, ‘the defendant must show that counsel’s representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness.’ ” Whitlow, ¶ 14 (quoting Strickland, 466 U.S. at 687-88, 104 S. Ct. at 2064). Under the second prong of Strickland, the defendant must show that counsel’s performance prejudiced the defense. Whitlow, ¶ 10. In establishing prejudice, the “defendant must show that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different.” Strickland, 466 U.S. at 694, 104 S. Ct. at 2068. Because a defendant must prove both prongs, an insufficient showing under one prong eliminates the need to address the other. Whitlow, ¶ 11 (citing Adams v. State, 2007 MT 35, ¶ 22, 336 Mont. 63, 153 P.3d 601, 607); Sartain v. State, 2012 MT 164, ¶ 11, 365 Mont. 483, 285 P.3d 407.

¶9 If a court can discern from the record the reason for counsel’s alleged deficient performance, then the matter may be addressed on direct appeal. State v. Kougl, 2004 MT 243, ¶ 14, 323 Mont. 6, 97 P.3d 1095. However, if the record does not disclose the reason for the alleged error, then the matter may be more appropriately decided by a post-conviction relief proceeding. Kougl, ¶ 14. With these principles in mind, we must examine whether there was any error by counsel in the first instance.

¶10 When the same transaction may establish a basis for charging more than one offense, a person may be charged and prosecuted with each offense. Section 46-11-410(1), MCA. However, a defendant may *17 not be convicted of more than one offense if “the offenses differ only in that one is defined to prohibit a specific instance of the conduct” of the other offense. Section 46-11-410(2)(d), MCA. Section 46-11-410, MCA, provides in pertinent part:

(1) When the same transaction may establish the commission of more than one offense, a person charged with the conduct may be prosecuted for each offense.
(2) A defendant may not, however, be convicted of more than one offense if:
(d) the offenses differ only in that one is defined to prohibit a specific instance of the conduct!.]

(Emphasis added). Hooper argues elder abuse is a specific instance of the conduct of aggravated burglary controlled by § 46-11-410(2)(d), MCA.

¶11 When evaluating a challenge on the basis of double jeopardy grounds to § 46-11-410(2)(d), MCA, “we consider the elements of each charge to determine whether each charge requires proof of a fact that the other does not (if so, prosecution for each charge is not statutorily prohibited.)” State v.

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

Related

State v. C. Valenzuela
2021 MT 244 (Montana Supreme Court, 2021)
State v. J. Webb, Jr.
2021 MT 88N (Montana Supreme Court, 2021)
State v. R. Brandt
2020 MT 79 (Montana Supreme Court, 2020)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2016 MT 237, 386 P.3d 548, 385 Mont. 14, 2016 Mont. LEXIS 818, 2016 WL 5094160, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-b-hooper-mont-2016.