State v. Champagne

800 P.2d 154, 245 Mont. 147, 1990 Mont. LEXIS 321
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 23, 1990
Docket90-032
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 800 P.2d 154 (State v. Champagne) 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. Champagne, 800 P.2d 154, 245 Mont. 147, 1990 Mont. LEXIS 321 (Mo. 1990).

Opinions

JUSTICE HARRISON

dehvered the Opinion of the Court.

The District Court of the Thirteenth Judicial District, Yellowstone County, revoked defendant’s suspended sentence to five years in the Montana State Prison. Defendant appeals this order. We affirm.

The issue before this Court for review is whether the defendant was denied due process of the law.

On December 29, 1988, Clarence Champagne, defendant, was charged by information with the offense of conspiracy as defined by § 45-4-102, MCA. On May 9,1989, Champagne entered a plea of guilty to the offense, and on June 27,1989, he was sentenced to the Montana State Prison. The sentence was completely suspended on a special condition that he abide by the rules of the Intensive Supervision Program.

On or about October 3, 1989, a Petition for Revocation of Suspended Sentence was filed. A hearing was set on the petition for October 17, 1989. On October 17, 1989, defendant appeared with counsel and admitted the truth of the allegations contained in the petition. Based on the evidence presented, the District Court found that the defendant violated the terms of his suspended sentence. The District Court set pronouncement of judgment for November 14, 1989.

On November 14, 1989, defendant appeared with counsel and, after hearing testimony, the District Court continued the sentencing until November 21,1989. On November 21, 1989, the District Court revoked defendant’s suspended sentence, and ordered him to serve a term of five years in the Montana State Prison. From this order revoking defendant’s suspended sentence defendant now appeals. We affirm the District Court’s revocation of defendant’s suspended sentence.

The facts are as follows:

On the morning of December 25, 1988, defendant and two other men were involved in the robbery of a Kwik Way convenience store in Billings, Montana. Defendant was the driver of the car used by the three men and remained in the car during the robbery. Defendant was charged with, and pled guilty to, conspiracy.

[149]*149Prior to sentencing, the District Court reviewed defendant’s presentence report which reflected a history of drug and alcohol abuse. The District Court then sentenced Champagne to a five year term in the Montana State Prison. The sentence was suspended on the usual conditions of probation. Under these conditions defendant was not to drink any intoxicating liquor or use any narcotic or dangerous drugs without a doctor’s prescription and to conduct himself in a law abiding manner. In addition, defendant was to abide by the rules of the Intensive Supervision Program, which is an intensive out-patient program. Defendant was expressly told that any violation of the rules of the Intensive Supervision Program could result in the revocation of his suspended sentence.

On October 4,1989, a petition for revocation of the order suspending the sentence was filed with the District Court. A report from Randy Gowen, defendant’s probation officer, was attached to the petition and outlined the reasons supporting revocation of the suspended sentence. In the report, the probation officer stated that in the late evening hours of September 16, 1989, defendant assaulted his girlfriend outside of a SuperAmerica convenience store. Witnesses stated that he pulled her hair, twisted her arm and dragged her on the ground until defendant had her on the east side of the building, where he continued to punch and kick her while she lay on the ground. At that time defendant began stomping on her head and quit only when he heard the police approaching.

On October 17, 1989, a hearing was held before the District Court on the revocation petition. At this hearing the defendant admitted to the truth of all the allegations contained in the petition. In particular, the defendant admitted that he did violate Intensive Supervision Rules Nos. 1, 9, and 14; and Court Rules Nos. 1 and 3. With respect to the above rules, the District Court found the defendant to have violated the following:

Intensive Supervision Rule No. 1 in that defendant on September 16,1989, was out of his residence without permission of his supervising officer.

Intensive Supervision Rule No. 9 and Court Rule No. 1 in that the defendant indicated that on the evening of September 16, 1989, he had consumed a handful of pills and was drinking alcohol.

Intensive Supervision Rule No. 14 and Court Rule No. 3 in that the defendant on September 16, 1989, violently attacked and assaulted his girlfriend beside a convenience store. Her injuries required that she be placed in the hospital overnight for observation. [150]*150She received many cuts, scratches, contusions and hematomas as a result of the attack.

Pronouncement of judgment was set for November 14, 1989.

At the November 14 hearing, defendant again admitted the truth of the allegations contained in the petition. Defendant also testified that he had voluntarily tried to obtain treatment for his alcohol and drug abuse problems but was denied that opportunity by those in the Intensive Supervision Program. The State called no witnesses. The District Comb deferred the sentencing hearing for one week until November 21, 1989.

At the commencement of the hearing on November 21, 1989, the District Court noted that defendant’s probation officer, Mr. Gowen, had not testified at the November 14 hearing but was now present and could be called by the State as a witness. Over objection of defense counsel, Mr. Gowen was allowed to testify.

Gowen testified that defendant had requested residential treatment but was denied residential treatment because he had already been through a number of residential treatment programs from which he had not ostensibly benefited. Defendant himself verified that he had attended at least four residential treatment centers in the towns of Glasgow, Hazelton, Sheridan and Galen.

After the November 21 hearing the District Court issued its written order revoking defendant’s suspended sentence.

Additional facts will be presented as necessary.

The issue is whether defendant was denied due process of the law.

Defendant claims that the District Court’s decision to revoke his suspended sentence was based on improper ex parte communication between the probation officer and the District Court which occurred during the week the November 14 sentencing hearing was deferred. Defendant argues that this ex parte communication violated his rights to due process. At the November 21 sentencing hearing, Mr. Gowen was examined and testified regarding his communication with the District Court.

“Q. [By defense counsel] Is it fair to say that you and members of your office were disturbed that Mr. Champagne did not have his suspended sentence revoked last week?
“A. [By Mr. Gowen] Surprised.
“Q. It was your understanding that his suspended sentence had not been revoked; is that correct?
[151]*151“A. I did not think he had his sentence revoked, but that the action was still pending, and that I was to come to court and give this version of the story.
“Q. Was that something you learned from what happened last Tuesday, or something you learned from discussing the matter with Judge Fillner between last Tuesday and now?
“A.

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Bluebook (online)
800 P.2d 154, 245 Mont. 147, 1990 Mont. LEXIS 321, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-champagne-mont-1990.