State v. Marinelli

415 P.3d 405, 307 Kan. 768
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedApril 13, 2018
Docket111227
StatusPublished
Cited by54 cases

This text of 415 P.3d 405 (State v. Marinelli) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Marinelli, 415 P.3d 405, 307 Kan. 768 (kan 2018).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by Biles, J.:

**769 The Kansas Offender Registration Act (KORA), K.S.A. 22-4901 et seq., imposes registration requirements on an individual convicted of any person felony when the district court finds on the record that a deadly weapon was used in the crime's commission. The Act provides for the district court to make that deadly weapon finding and to inform the offender at the time of conviction about the need to register.

Christopher Marinelli pleaded no contest to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. On appeal, the parties dispute whether the court made the necessary deadly weapon finding for registration but agree Marinelli was not informed of his duty to register when convicted. He contends these procedural deviations void his registration obligation.

Before addressing the merits, we will consider whether we have appellate jurisdiction to decide if Marinelli's registration responsibilities are invalid. This question arises because this is a direct appeal in a criminal case, and K.S.A. 2017 Supp. 22-3602(a) limits the available grounds for appeal when a defendant has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere, as Marinelli did. In the KORA context, this is an issue of first impression for this court.

An appellate court has a duty to question jurisdiction on its own initiative. Kaelter v. Sokol , 301 Kan. 247 , 247, 340 P.3d 1210 (2015). When the record discloses a lack of jurisdiction, an appellate court must dismiss the appeal.

*408 Kaelter , 301 Kan. at 247 , 340 P.3d 1210 ; see also In re T.S.W ., 294 Kan. 423 , 432, 276 P.3d 133 (2012). We hold we have jurisdiction based on K.S.A. 2017 Supp. 22-3602(a) because Marinelli is not challenging on appeal his conviction.

On the merits, we affirm the district court's order that Marinelli comply with KORA. We hold the court made the requisite finding on the record in documents filed by the court, including a 2012 Kansas Sentencing Guidelines Journal Entry of Judgment. We conclude its failure to inform Marinelli about his registration obligations at the time of conviction was error in the court's fulfillment of the statutory procedure, but this does not excuse his registration duties. The error was harmless.

**770 FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The State charged Marinelli with aggravated assault, alleging:

"[O]n the 3rd day of May, 2013, in Riley County, Kansas, Christopher Neil Marinelli did then and there unlawfully, feloniously, and knowingly place [victim] in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm with a deadly weapon, to wit: knife ." (Emphasis added.)

Marinelli pleaded no contest and executed two documents before entering that plea: (1) "Defendant's Acknowledgement of Rights and Entry of Plea" and (2) "Plea Agreement." The acknowledgement stated Marinelli was pleading to aggravated assault and described the penalty range. The parties further agreed to jointly recommend probation and "interstate compact" to California, where Marinelli lived. For unexplained reasons, the acknowledgement indicated he would not be subject to KORA registration.

At the plea hearing, the district court asked whether Marinelli read the acknowledgment and plea agreement and discussed them with his attorney. Marinelli confirmed he had and that the documents contained the entire agreement. The court read the charge. Marinelli said he understood and informed the court he wished to plead no contest. The State recited the factual basis for the plea: Marinelli was arguing with the victim when Marinelli head-butted the victim and swiped at him with a knife. Marinelli's counsel agreed the State would produce evidence at trial consistent with this account.

The court found Marinelli's plea was made knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently after consulting with counsel and that the State presented sufficient evidence to support conviction. The court accepted the no contest plea and found Marinelli "guilty of the charge in the Information ." (Emphasis added.) There was no mention of KORA or Marinelli's possible responsibilities under KORA resulting from his conviction.

At the sentencing hearing, the district court inquired whether there was any reason not to proceed. The prosecutor answered there was not but then raised the registration question: "Although, I did not mention the fact that the defendant has to register on this offense and I didn't see that that has occurred yet." Marinelli's **771 counsel said he "may have some questions about the registration issue" but was not aware of legal cause not to proceed. The court sentenced Marinelli to 24 months' probation with an underlying 12-month prison term consistent with the plea agreement.

After a break, the State announced it had prepared a "Notice of Duty to Register." Marinelli objected, citing the KORA statute providing: "At the time of conviction or adjudication for an offense requiring registration ... the court shall ... [i]nform any offender, on the record, of the procedure to register and the requirements of K.S.A. 22-4905 ...." (Emphasis added.) K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 22-4904(a)(1)(A). Counsel argued Marinelli was not informed about it when convicted or in the two plea documents. Counsel also claimed there was no necessary finding on the record.

The district court asked why these problems would excuse registration, rather than simply being considered a procedural violation with the appropriate remedy being to request plea withdrawal. The State argued the lack of a specific deadly weapon finding was not crucial because that fact was an element of Marinelli's crime. The court ruled:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
415 P.3d 405, 307 Kan. 768, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-marinelli-kan-2018.