State v. Blanks

161 P.3d 455
Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided July 3, 2007·No. 34628-1-II·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

161 P.3d 455 (2007)

STATE of Washington, Respondent,
v.
Derek Lamont BLANKS, Appellant.

No. 34628-1-II.

Court of Appeals of Washington, Division 2.

July 3, 2007.

*456 Sheri Lynn Arnold, Attorney at Law, Tacoma, WA, for Appellant.

P. Grace Kingman, Attorney at Law, Tacoma, WA, for Respondent.

QUINN-BRINTNALL, J.

¶ 1 Derek L. Blanks seeks withdrawal of his guilty plea to one count of first degree child molestation, arguing that the plea was involuntary and that his counsel was ineffective. The facts underlying Blanks's conviction are not known. The State charged him with first degree child molestation and two counts of first degree child rape. In exchange for a guilty plea, the State dropped both child rape charges. The trial court accepted the guilty plea, and then Blanks promptly sought to withdraw the plea, arguing that his attorney did not adequately investigate the case before he entered the plea and that Blanks did not understand that the State would not recommend a sex offender sentencing alternative (SSOSA). The trial court held a lengthy evidentiary hearing, found that Blanks was not a credible witness, and denied his motion.

*457 ¶ 2 Blanks then argued that the State incorrectly calculated his offender score because two sets of prior convictions were the same criminal conduct. He prevailed on his argument regarding one set of convictions and the trial court reduced his score from six to five. But Blanks did not move to withdraw his plea based on the miscalculation.

¶ 3 This appeal requires that we review whether: (1) Blanks's plea was voluntary; (2) Blanks waived his right to appeal the voluntariness of his guilty plea; (3) defense counsel was ineffective; and (4) Blanks presents an issue warranting reversal in his statement of additional grounds for review (SAG).[1] Regarding the first and second issues, State v. Mendoza, 157 Wash.2d 582, 587, 141 P.3d 49 (2006), controls our decision. Mendoza holds that a defendant has the right to withdraw a guilty plea based on a miscalculated offender score resulting in a lower standard range than anticipated by the parties when negotiating the plea. But Mendoza also holds that a defendant waives the right to challenge his plea if he was informed of the miscalculation before sentencing and did not object or move to withdraw the plea on that basis. Applying our State Supreme Court's opinion in Mendoza, as we must,[2] we affirm.

ANALYSIS

INVOLUNTARY GUILTY PLEA

¶ 4 Blanks asserts that his guilty plea is defective because: (1) he did not understand that the State would not recommend a SSOSA; and (2) the plea agreement calculated his offender score as six with a sentence of 98 to 130 months, but the trial court reduced his score to five with a sentence range of 77 to 102 months.

¶ 5 Due process requires that a defendant's guilty plea be knowing, voluntary, and intelligent. In re Pers. Restraint of Isadore, 151 Wash.2d 294, 297, 88 P.3d 390 (2004) (citing Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 242, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969)). This standard is reflected in CrR 4.2(d), which mandates that the trial court "shall not accept a plea of guilty, without first determining that it is made voluntarily, competently and with an understanding of the nature of the charge and the consequences of the plea." Under this rule, once a guilty plea is accepted, the trial court may allow withdrawal of the plea only "to correct a manifest injustice." CrR 4.2(f). Among other reasons, manifest injustice occurs if the plea was involuntary or the defendant was denied effective counsel. State v. Wakefield, 130 Wash.2d 464, 472, 925 P.2d 183 (1996). There is a strong public interest in enforcing plea agreements that are voluntarily and intelligently made. State v. Walsh, 143 Wash.2d 1, 6, 17 P.3d 591 (2001) (citing In re Pers. Restraint of Breedlove, 138 Wash.2d 298, 309, 979 P.2d 417 (1999)).

¶ 6 We review a trial court's decision on a motion to withdraw a guilty plea for abuse of discretion. State v. Padilla, 84 Wash.App. 523, 525, 928 P.2d 1141, review denied, 132 Wash.2d 1002, 939 P.2d 215 (1997). And we review the findings of fact that support this decision for substantial evidence. State v. Brockob, 159 Wash.2d 311, 343, 150 P.3d 59 (2006).

A. RETROACTIVITY OF MENDOZA

¶ 7 First, we address whether our Supreme Court's recent ruling in Mendoza applies in the present case. Both parties cite Mendoza, and we agree that it applies because Blanks's case was pending when it was issued. See In re Pers. Restraint of St. Pierre, 118 Wash.2d 321, 326, 823 P.2d 492 (1992) (citing Griffith v. Kentucky, 479 U.S. 314, 321 n. 6, 107 S.Ct. 708, 93 L.Ed.2d 649 (1987) (new rules for the conduct of criminal prosecutions apply to all cases pending on direct review or not yet final when the rule is issued)).

*458 B. SENTENCING RANGE

¶ 8 Blanks argues that his plea was involuntary because the agreement calculated his offender score at six with a 98- to 130-month standard range sentence, but the trial court later found that two of Blanks's prior convictions were the same criminal conduct and accordingly reduced his offender score to five with a 77- to 102-month standard range sentence.[3]Mendoza compels such a holding.

¶ 9 But Mendoza also sets out circumstances in which a defendant waives his right to challenge the validity of a plea agreement that contains a miscalculated penalty. Mendoza, 157 Wash.2d at 591, 141 P.3d 49. Waiver may occur when: (1) the miscalculation results in a less onerous penalty than written in the plea agreement; (2) the defendant is informed of the less onerous standard range before he is sentenced; and (3) the defendant is given the opportunity to withdraw the plea before sentencing but does not seize the opportunity. Mendoza, 157 Wash.2d at 591-92, 141 P.3d 49.

¶ 10 As in Mendoza, these three requirements are fulfilled in the present case and Blanks has waived his right to challenge the validity of his plea agreement. First, Blanks's plea agreement contained a more onerous penalty range than Blanks was ultimately subject to due to a miscalculated offender score.

¶ 11 Second, before sentencing, the trial court informed Blanks that his plea agreement contained a miscalculation by granting Blanks's own motion and ruling that his offender scor

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State v. Blanks, 161 P.3d 455 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007).

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