State v. Bernal

671 P.2d 399, 137 Ariz. 420
CourtArizona Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 28, 1983
Docket5699
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 671 P.2d 399 (State v. Bernal) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona 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. Bernal, 671 P.2d 399, 137 Ariz. 420 (Ark. 1983).

Opinion

137 Ariz. 420 (1983)
671 P.2d 399

STATE of Arizona, Appellee,
v.
Camacho Hoton BERNAL, Appellant.

No. 5699.

Supreme Court of Arizona, In Banc.

September 28, 1983.
Rehearing Denied November 1, 1983.

*421 Robert K. Corbin, Atty. Gen. by William J. Schafer III and Barbara A. Jarrett, Asst. Attys. Gen., Phoenix, for appellee.

Polley & Polley Law Offices by Karl Elledge, Sierra Vista, for appellant.

Camacho Hoton Bernal, in pro. per.

CAMERON, Justice.

Defendant was convicted of one count of burglary, second degree, former A.R.S. § 13-302, and one count of grand theft, former A.R.S. § 13-661, and received concurrent sentences of twenty years to life for the burglary, and nine to ten years for the grand theft. The defendant unsuccessfully appealed the convictions and sentences to the Court of Appeals, Division Two, 125 Ariz. 51, 607 P.2d 34 (App. 1980). Defendant petitioned this court for a delayed appeal, and for review of his post conviction petition pursuant to Rule 32, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S. We granted defendant's petition because the Court of Appeals lacked jurisdiction to consider the appeal since the penalty actually imposed was life imprisonment, and exclusive appellate jurisdiction lies in this court. A.R.S. §§ 12-120.21(A)(1) and 13-4031. See also Arizona Constitution, Article 6, Section 5(3).

We must resolve the following issues:

1. Did the trial court comply with Rule 17, Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S., in accepting defendant's admission of a prior felony conviction?
2. Was defendant denied effective assistance of counsel?
3. Was defendant's right to trial by an impartial jury violated?

The facts necessary for a resolution of these issues are as follows. The defendant was charged with three counts of burglary and three counts of grand theft. Less than 20 days before trial, the State filed two motions for leave to add two allegations of prior convictions. These motions were granted by the trial court. Defendant personally denied the prior conviction in Graham County, but admitted, through his attorney, a prior conviction in Cochise County.

After returning guilty verdicts in the present case, the jury heard the State's evidence concerning the allegation of the defendant's prior conviction in Graham County, and found this allegation to be true. The trial court sentenced defendant to a minimum of twenty years and maximum of life imprisonment for second-degree burglary, and a minimum of nine years and maximum of ten years for theft, both sentences to be served concurrently. The sentences were enhanced by the prior convictions, pursuant to former A.R.S. § 13-1649 (now § 13-604).

Defendant appealed to the Court of Appeals, Division Two, and briefs were filed by both parties. The Court of Appeals, which was without jurisdiction under A.R.S. § 13-4031 and § 12-120.21(A)(1) to hear this case, nevertheless issued an opinion on 8 February 1980 upholding the trial court's *422 decision. State v. Bernal, 125 Ariz. 51, 607 P.2d 34 (App. 1980).

Numerous post-conviction petitions were filed by defendant in the trial court without success. A petition for special action was filed with this court on 10 September 1982. Noting the jurisdictional defect, we vacated by order the Court of Appeals decision granting defendant a delayed appeal to this court. On 7 January 1983 defendant additionally filed a petition for post-conviction relief in the trial court. Defendant requested, and we granted, a stay of his appeal pending resolution of this petition. The trial court dismissed defendant's petition, and we consolidated his delayed appeal with a review of the dismissal of his petition for Rule 32 relief.

PRIOR CONVICTION

First, defendant argues that the trial court did not comply with Rule 17.6, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S., in accepting defendant's plea of guilty to the prior conviction in Graham County. The Rule states:

Whenever a prior conviction is charged, an admission thereto by defendant shall be accepted only under the procedures of [Rule 17], unless admitted by the defendant while testifying at trial.

Under Rule 17 the trial court must:

determine that [defendant] understands the following:
a. The nature of the charge to which the plea is offered * * *;
b. The nature and range of possible sentence for the offense to which the plea is offered;
c. The constitutional rights which he foregoes by pleading guilty or no contest, including his right to counsel if he is not represented by counsel; and
d. His right to plead not guilty. Rule 17.2, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S.

Thus the court must "advise a defendant of his rights and of the consequences of pleading guilty * * *." State v. Canaday, 119 Ariz. 335, 336, 580 P.2d 1189, 1190 (1978). Our rules and case law comply with the United States Supreme Court in this area. Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 243, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 1712, 23 L.Ed.2d 274, 279 (1969). See also State v. Ellis, 117 Ariz. 329, 333, 572 P.2d 791, 795 (1977); State v. Cuthbertson, 117 Ariz. 62, 64, 570 P.2d 1075, 1077 (1977).

In the instant case, the court addressed the defendant through an interpreter. Although the court informed the defendant of the possible results of the plea, there was no dialogue whatsoever between the defendant and the judge concerning defendant's understanding of the statement of the court and the various rights he was forgoing by admitting the prior conviction. The only question asked of the defendant was:

THE COURT: * * * Now, having advised you of these rights, do you wish to admit or deny the allegation of the prior conviction in Cochise County?
MR. DeFRANCESCO [defendant's attorney]: He admits the allegation of the prior conviction in Cochise County.

We do not believe this procedure complies with our rule or federal and state case law. The admission was made by defendant's attorney rather than by defendant personally, and the record does not show that the defendant understood the procedure, the rights he was waiving, or did in fact agree with his counsel. Admittedly, we have held under former Rule 180, Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S.:

It is commonplace for an accused to speak and act through his attorney.

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Bluebook (online)
671 P.2d 399, 137 Ariz. 420, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-bernal-ariz-1983.