State v. Dehler

115 N.W.2d 358, 262 Minn. 171, 1962 Minn. LEXIS 695
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedMarch 16, 1962
Docket38,378
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 115 N.W.2d 358 (State v. Dehler) 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 v. Dehler, 115 N.W.2d 358, 262 Minn. 171, 1962 Minn. LEXIS 695 (Mich. 1962).

Opinion

Thomas Gallagher, Justice.

Defendant appeals from a judgment of conviction of the crime of murder in the second degree in the District Court of Morrison County on the grounds that (1) certain of his constitutional rights were denied; (2) the court erred in denying his motion for change of venue; and (3) the court erred in denying his motion made after a sentence of life imprisonment was imposed to permit withdrawal of a plea of guilty to the crime of murder in the second degree and to accept plea of not guilty thereto.

On December 30, 1941, defendant was indicted by the grand jury of Morrison County for murder in the first degree in the death of Regina Dehler, his mother. On January 23, 1942, after a plea of not guilty and trial, the jury returned a verdict of guilty and defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In May 1959, defendant was released on habeas corpus to stand trial again on the indictment described on the ground that in the first proceedings thereunder his rights as a juvenile had been denied. On May 20, 1959, he was arraigned under such indictment and entered a plea of not guilty and former jeopardy as a defense thereto. He subsequently moved for an order quashing and dismissing the indictment.

On June 8, 1959, the grand jury of Morrison County returned four separate indictments charging defendant with murder in the first degree in the deaths of Regina Dehler, August Benedict Dehler, Kenneth Dehler, and Anna Mae Dehler, on December 19, 1941. On June 10, 1959, he was arraigned on these four indictments and entered a plea of not guilty to all of them. He also moved for an order quashing and dismissing these indictments on the same grounds as those specified in the motion made with reference to the 1941 indictment.

On June 10, 1959, the District Court of Morrison County certified that the questions raised in all such motions were so important and *173 doubtful as to require the decision of the supreme court pursuant to Minn. St. 632.10. In its opinion with respect thereto, State v. Dehler, 257 Minn. 549, 102 N. W. (2d) 696, this court determined such questions as follows:

(1) The District Court of Morrison County had jurisdiction to arraign and try defendant for the offense charged under the indictment returned December 30, 1941;

(2) Where the offense was committed prior to the time defendant was 18 years of age, but his arraignment was not until after he became 18, the case could be tried in the district court without any preliminary proceedings in juvenile court;

(3) The previous trial and conviction in 1942 would not constitute former jeopardy since the court which tried defendant at that time lacked jurisdiction and defendant not having asserted denial of his rights until May 1959 had waived any right he might otherwise have had to a speedy trial;

(4) Defendant was not prejudiced in the second trial because certain witnesses had removed from the state in that under § 611.08 depositions of absent witnesses for defendant may be taken as in civil actions;

(5) Defendant was not prejudiced as to his defense of insanity by lapse of time in that it had been his duty in the first instance to prove his mental state at the time of the commission of the crime;

(6) Defendant upon conviction would not be required to serve an additional term without allowance of credit for time served and good conduct earned in view of § 631.49, which provides that such credit be given in diminution of a sentence;

(7) Defendant was not deprived of due process or equal protection under the Federal constitution, any such rights having been waived by his failure to raise such constitutional question until 1959.

Following this decision, defendant moved the District Court of Morrison County for a change of venue. This was denied. By order dated August 29, 1960, trial under the original indictment of December 30, 1941, was set for November 14, 1960. On November 15, 1960, defendant renewed all previous motions to quash the indictment (more partic *174 ularly set forth in State v. Dehler, supra), and such motions were again denied. Defendant at that time refused to enter a plea and accordingly the court entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. Defendant by his counsel then offered to plead guilty to the crime of murder in the third degree under the indictment dated December 30, 1941. Subsequently, this offer was withdrawn and by agreement with counsel defendant’s trial was set for December 5, 1960. On that date a jury was impaneled and sworn, and on December 12, 1960, defendant appeared with counsel and formally entered a plea of guilty to murder in the second degree under the indictment of December 30, 1941. The court accepted this plea and the jury was discharged. On December 19, 1960, defendant moved that the court sentence him pursuant to § 619.08, as amended by L. 1959, c. 683, which became effective on April 24, 1959. The amendment changed the penalty for murder in the second degree from life imprisonment, as it was at the time of defendant’s commission of the crime, to imprisonment for not less than 15 nor more than 40 years. As amended, § 619.08 further provides:

“All offenses committed, and all penalties and punishments incurred therefor, prior to the talcing effect hereof, shall be prosecuted and punished in the same manner and with the same effect as if this amendment had not been passed.”

The court denied the motion and sentenced defendant to life imprisonment. Defendant then moved that he be permitted to withdraw his plea of guilty to murder in the second degree and to stand trial on the indictment of December 30, 1941. This motion was likewise denied. 1

*175 In support of his motion for change of venue, defendant relied upon certain radio newscasts and newspaper publications in Morrison County, most of which were published in 1942, and none of which expressed any opinion as to his guilt or innocence.

*176 On appeal defendant renews the contentions made in the prior proceedings in this court and urges further that the trial court erred (1) in denying his motion for change of venue; (2) in failing to advise him *177 that the consequences of his plea of guilty to murder in the second degree would be a sentence of life imprisonment; and (3) in not permitting him to withdraw his plea of guilty.

As to the various motions of defendant to quash or dismiss the proceedings in the second trial and all matters pertaining thereto on the *178 grounds that they constituted violation of his state and Federal constitutional rights and as to the court’s denial of such motions, we adhere to our previous opinion, State v. Dehler, supra, for the reasons stated therein and affirm the orders made in reliance thereon.

*179

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Related

State v. Gilbert
268 N.W.2d 576 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1978)
State v. Ellis
136 N.W.2d 384 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
115 N.W.2d 358, 262 Minn. 171, 1962 Minn. LEXIS 695, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-dehler-minn-1962.