State v. Maeder

428 N.W.2d 180, 229 Neb. 568, 1988 Neb. LEXIS 303
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 19, 1988
Docket87-960
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 428 N.W.2d 180 (State v. Maeder) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska 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. Maeder, 428 N.W.2d 180, 229 Neb. 568, 1988 Neb. LEXIS 303 (Neb. 1988).

Opinion

Hastings, C. J.

The defendant pled guilty to kidnapping and first degree sexual assault in connection with an incident in Sarpy County. He was sentenced to 15 to 25 years’ imprisonment on each count, the sentences to run consecutively. He appeals from the judgment and sentencing.

On October 4,1986, the 16-year-old victim walked to her car from the Richman Gordman store in Sarpy County, where she had been working. As she entered her car, the defendant approached, pointed a gun at her, and told her to get in the passenger seat. He forced her head down and threw a coat over her so that she could not see. He drove her to an area on Giles Road, all the while threatening to kill her if she looked up. Her *570 eyes were taped shut. He told her to take off her pants and underwear and to pull up her shirt, which she did. He briefly fondled her breasts, and then put his fingers into her vagina. He unzipped his pants and forced her to rub his penis and put his penis into her mouth. He forced her to get on her hands and knees, he put a cold, creamy substance in her vaginal area, and he attempted to penetrate her with his penis. She was forced to rub his penis again until he ejaculated. He then drove her back to the parking lot, reminding her that he knew where she lived and that he would kill her if she told the police.

The defendant was subsequently charged with kidnapping, first degree sexual assault, and use of a firearm to commit a felony. Pursuant to an agreement with the State, the defendant pled guilty to kidnapping and sexual assault, and the firearm charge was dismissed. After a presentence investigation was completed, the court sentenced the defendant to 15 to 25 years’ imprisonment on each count, the sentences to run consecutively.

The errors assigned are that (1) the court’s acceptance of the defendant’s guilty pleas to both the kidnapping and sexual assault charges, which arose out of one continuous transaction, subjected the defendant to double jeopardy, and (2) the sentences were excessive.

The defendant asserts that he was subjected to multiple punishments for the same offense. Since “there could not have been a conviction for kidnapping without proving the elements of the felony (rape)... these two crimes were the ‘same’ and the rape conviction should be vacated.” Brief for appellant at 6. The defendant asserts that the present kidnapping statute clearly makes first degree sexual assault a lesser-included offense of kidnapping.

On the other hand, the defendant attempts to argue that kidnapping is a lesser-included offense of first degree sexual assault. Sexual assault, contends the defendant, “almost by definition includes restraint of the victim [and therefore] merges with kidnapping----” Id. at 8.

Regardless of whether these arguments have merit, the defendant is precluded by a longstanding rule of this court from raising the double jeopardy issue on appeal. “ ‘A voluntary *571 guilty plea waives every defense to the charge, whether the defense is procedural, statutory, or constitutional.’ ” State v. Rivers, 226 Neb. 353, 356, 411 N.W.2d 350, 353 (1987), citing State v. Paulson, 211 Neb. 711, 320 N.W.2d 115 (1982). The only apparent exceptions to this rule, which are not applicable here, are the defenses that the information, indictment, or complaint is insufficient to charge an offense, State v. Kennedy, 224 Neb. 164, 396 N.W.2d 722 (1986), and State v. Golgert, 223 Neb. 950, 395 N.W.2d 520 (1986), and that the guilty plea was the result of ineffective assistance of counsel, State v. Stranghoener, 212 Neb. 203, 322 N.W.2d 407 (1982). “If, therefore, defendant’s plea was understandingly and voluntarily made, he has waived his other alleged defenses____” State v. Mason, 187 Neb. 675, 193 N.W.2d 576, 577 (1972).

The court carefully and exhaustively explained to the defendant his legal rights and the possible consequences of his guilty pleas. The court specifically instructed the defendant that “if I accept the pleas of guilty to these offenses, that you waive any defenses at all that you have to these two charges ...” Based on this discussion and the defendant’s affirmative responses, the court then found that “you [the defendant] understand these charges, the penalties, your constitutional rights, consequences of entering these pleas of guilty, and that your guilty pleas are given voluntarily, freely, intelligently, with advice of counsel, and they have a factual basis.” As the guilty pleas were knowingly and voluntarily made, the defendant has waived his defenses to the charges.

Even if this court were to consider the defendant’s double jeopardy argument as a defense, the issue is without merit. That is, there is no merit to the argument that sexual assault is a lesser-included offense of kidnapping or that kidnapping is a lesser-included offense of sexual assault.

The rule regarding lesser-included offenses was recently stated in State v. Pribil, 224 Neb. 28, 395 N.W.2d 543 (1986). Quoting from State v. Murphrey, 220 Neb. 699, 371 N.W.2d 702 (1985), and State v. Lovelace, 212 Neb. 356, 322 N.W.2d 673 (1982), this court stated, “ ‘ “ ‘To be a lesser-included offense, the elements of the lesser offense must be such that it is impossible to commit the greater without at the same time *572 having committed the lesser. State v. Pribil, supra at 31, 395 N.W.2d at 547.

The crime of kidnapping is set forth in Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-313 (Reissue 1985), and provides: “(1) A person commits kidnapping if he abducts another or, having abducted another, continues to restrain him with intent to do the following:...(c) Terrorize him ... or (d) Commit a felony . . ..” It is clear from the statute that it was quite possible to commit kidnapping without at the same time committing rape. The defendant points to subsection (l)(d) when he states, “Clearly, in the instant case there could not have been a conviction for kidnapping without proving the elements of the felony (rape),” brief for appellant at 6, but proof of the commission of a felony is not a necessary element of kidnapping. In the present case, the kidnapping charge was supported by evidence of subsection (l)(c); the facts reveal that the defendant terrorized the victim by pointing a gun at her and threatening to kill her.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
428 N.W.2d 180, 229 Neb. 568, 1988 Neb. LEXIS 303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-maeder-neb-1988.