State v. Gallegos

570 P.2d 938, 91 N.M. 107
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 4, 1977
Docket2964
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 570 P.2d 938 (State v. Gallegos) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Gallegos, 570 P.2d 938, 91 N.M. 107 (N.M. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

OPINION

WOOD, Chief Judge.

Defendant was found to be an habitual criminal and sentenced accordingly. His appeal raises issues as to: (1) applicability of Rule of Crim.Proc. 21; (2) State’s burden of proof; (3) jury issue as to validity of prior convictions; and (4) admissibility of exhibits.

Applicability of Rule of Crim.Proc. 21

Defendant moved to dismiss the supplemental information charging prior convictions of defendant. The trial court conducted an evidentiary hearing on the motion. Defendant introduced, as an exhibit, a transcript of the hearing at which defendant pled guilty to certain offenses. These offenses are the prior convictions charged in the supplemental information.

Defendant’s contention was that the guilty pleas were invalid. He made two claims before the trial court. One claim was that the guilty pleas were constitutionally invalid. The second claim was that in accepting the guilty pleas the trial court violated Rule of Crim.Proc. 21. The motion to dismiss was denied.

Defendant does not claim, on appeal, that the guilty pleas were constitutionally invalid. We have reviewed this aspect of defendant’s trial court claim because it bears on the disposition of other issues. The transcript of the guilty plea hearing affirmatively shows that the guilty pleas were voluntary and constitutionally valid. State v. Roland, 90 N.M. 520, 565 P.2d 1037 (Ct. App.1977); State v. Martinez, 89 N.M. 729, 557 P.2d 578 (Ct.App.1976).

Defendant’s appellate claim is that the guilty pleas were invalid because the trial court did not follow Rule of Crim.Proc. 21 in accepting the pleas. The applicable portions of the rule are:

“(e) Advice to Defendant. The court shall not accept a plea of guilty or nolo contendere without first, by addressing the defendant personally in open court, informing him of and determining that he understands the following: (1) the nature of the charge to which the plea is offered; (2) the mandatory minimum penalty provided by law, if any, and the maximum possible penalty provided by law for the offense to which the plea is offered; (3) that the defendant has the right to plead not guilty, or to persist in that plea if it has already been made; and (4) that if he pleads guilty or nolo contendere there will not be a further trial of any kind, so that by pleading guilty or nolo contendere he waives the right to a trial.
“(f) Insuring That the Plea is Voluntary. The court shall not accept a plea of guilty or nolo contendere without first, by addressing the defendant personally in open court, determining that the plea is voluntary and not the result of force or threats or of promises apart from a plea agreement. The court shall also inquire as to whether the defendant’s willingness to plead guilty or nolo contendere results from prior discussions between the attorney for the government and the defendant or his attorney.”

Defendant’s claim based on Rule of Crim. Proc. 21(f), is frivolous. He does not assert his plea was involuntary; the transcript of the guilty plea hearing shows compliance with Rule of Crim.Proc. 21(f). However, the transcript does show noncompliance with Rule of Crim.Proc. 21(e)(2), and possibly with Rule of Crim.Proc. 21(e)(3).

How does Rule of Crim.Proc. 21(e) apply in habitual offender proceedings? We hold that it does not apply.

There is a procedural problem in considering the applicability of the rule. Rule of Crim.Proc. 21(e) was one of the amendments to Rule 21 adopted by the Supreme Court effective October 1, 1974. Prior to these amendments, paragraph (e) did not exist in its present form. See Compiler’s Notes, “Amendments” to § 41-23-21, N.M. S.A.1953 (2d Repl.Vol. 6, Supp.1975). The guilty pleas were accepted on November 11, 1974; defendant was sentenced on November 26, 1974. Rules adopted by the Supreme Court are not effective to change the procedure in any pending case. N.M.Const., Art. IV, § 34; Marquez v. Wylie, 78 N.M. 544, 434 P.2d 69 (1967). The transcript of the guilty plea hearing indicates the offenses to which defendant pled guilty were committed in 1973, but there is nothing showing when charges were filed. Nothing was presented to show whether there was a pending case at the time the amendments to Rule of Crim.Proc. 21 went into effect. Absent such a showing, we cannot say that Rule of Crim.Proc. 21 was or was not applicable to the guilty pleas on November 11, 1974.

To reach the merits of this issue, we must assume that Rule of Crim.Proc. 21 was in effect and applicable to the charges to which defendant pled guilty. We make this assumption because of the importance of the issue to habitual offender proceedings where the prior convictions are based on guilty pleas.

In this case there are two answers to the claim that the guilty pleas were invalid because of the failure of the trial court to comply with Rule of Crim.Proc. 21(e). One’ answer involves the fact that defendant’s guilty pleas were part of a plea bargain. A second answer involves the collateral attack which may be made upon prior convictions.

Before the guilty pleas were accepted, the trial court inquired of defendant’s counsel whether he had gone over the proposed guilty pleas with defendant. Counsel replied: “I have gone over this with the defendant and this is a plea bargain which the District Attorney and I have agreed to whereby the other pending charges against Mr. Gallegos will be dropped in return for his plea to these charges.” Subsequently, counsel commented that he was concerned that the record clearly reflect “that these other charges are to be dismissed in return for his plea”. The court stated: “Yes, they will be dismissed.”

The record does not show what or how many charges were dismissed. However, the only showing is that the guilty pleas were part of an agreement reached between the prosecutor and defense; an agreement that was carried out.

“Plea negotiation involves an exchange of concessions and advantages between the state and the accused.” Baird v. State, decided August 23, 1977, 90 N.M. 667, 568 P.2d 193. Having obtained the advantage of the dismissal of other charges, defendant should not be permitted to welch on his part of the bargain. By his guilty pleas pursuant to a plea bargain that has not been questioned, defendant waived any right to attack the validity of those guilty pleas. Baird v. State, supra. We recognize that an attack on the constitutional validity of the pleas may be an exception to the waiver rule; however, that possibility is not decided because defendant’s pleas were constitutionally valid. What we hold is that, absent constitutional invalidity, defendant, like the State, is bound by his bargain. Compare State ex rel. Plant v. Sceresse, 84 N.M. 312, 502 P.2d 1002 (1972); State v. Plant, 86 N.M. 2, 518 P.2d 961 (Ct.App. 1973).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
570 P.2d 938, 91 N.M. 107, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-gallegos-nmctapp-1977.