State v. Moreno

492 P.2d 440, 16 Ariz. App. 191, 1972 Ariz. App. LEXIS 482
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJanuary 10, 1972
Docket1 CA-CR 377
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 492 P.2d 440 (State v. Moreno) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Moreno, 492 P.2d 440, 16 Ariz. App. 191, 1972 Ariz. App. LEXIS 482 (Ark. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

KRUCKER, Chief Judge.

This appeal is from the final judgment .and sentence entered October 26, 1970, by the Honorable Roger G. Strand, Judge of the Superior Court of Maricopa County.

Appellant was originally charged with the crime of grand theft. An amended •complaint was filed charging appellant with attempted grand theft. The appellant thereafter entered a plea of guilty to the amended information and was sentenced to a term of not less than two nor more than four years.

The only issue raised on appeal is whether the court followed the requirements of Boykin v. Alabama, infra, in accepting appellant’s plea.

In Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969), the United States Supreme Court held that requirements of Rule 11, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, 18 U.S.C.A., were applicable to the states as a matter of constitutional due process. State v. Laurino, 106 Ariz. 586, 480 P.2d 342 (1971). 1 The Arizona Supreme Court in State v. Griswold, 105 Ariz. 1, 457 P.2d 331 (1969) gave Boykin prospective application only.

Rule 11, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, in its pertinent part reads:

“The court . . . shall not accept such plea [of guilty] without first addressing the defendant personally and determining that the plea is made voluntarily with understanding of the nature of the charge and the consequences of the plea. * * * The court shall not enter a judgment upon a plea of guilty unless it is satisfied that there is a factual basis for the plea.”

Boykin requires, pursuant to Rule 11, “an affirmative showing that it [the plea] was intelligent and voluntary.” The purpose of the rule is to produce a complete record at the time of the plea of the factors relevant to this voluntariness determination.

Our Court of Appeals, Division One, in State v. Sutherland, 14 Ariz.App. 344, 483 P.2d 576 (1971), analyzed Rule 11 as follows :

“On a plea of guilty, the rule requires :
1. That the court must address the defendant personally.
2. That the court must determine that the plea of guilty:
a. is made voluntarily;
b. is made with an understanding of the nature of the charge; and
c. is made with the understanding of the nature of the consequences of the plea.
3. That before a judgment of guilty can be entered on a plea of guilty the trial court must be satisfied that there is a factual basis for the plea.”

Counsel for appellant contends that the court failed to comply with the Boykin mandate in two respects: (1) it failed to explain the legal elements of the crime to the accused, and (2) the court had no facts *193 before it from which it could satisfy itself that there was a “factual basis” for the plea.

The courts of this State have already rejected the first contention and decided that Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure does not require that the elements of the crime be explained to the defendant. State v. McCallister, 107 Ariz. 143, 483 P.2d 558 (1971) ; State v. Brown, 15 Ariz.App. 48, 485 P.2d 872 (1971); State v. Jackson, 14 Ariz.App. 591, 485 P.2d 580 (1971). Rule 11 only requires that the defendant understand the nature of the charge and that the court satisfy itself of the “factual basis” for the plea before entering judgment thereon.

Appellant’s argument seems to equate the court’s satisfaction of a “factual basis” with satisfaction of the defendant’s guilt. This requirement can be met even though the defendant might deny his guilt, as the United States Supreme Court concluded in North Carolina v. Alford, 400 U.S. 25, 91 S.Ct. 160, 27 L.Ed.2d 162 (1970):

“An individual accused of crime may voluntarily, knowingly, and understandingly consent to the imposition of a prison sentence even if he is unwilling or unable to admit his participation in the acts constituting the crime.” 91 S.Ct. at 167.

As this court said previously in Sutherland, supra, the magic words “the court is satisfied that there is a factual basis for the plea” might be desirable but are not absolutely required. We believe that upon review of all the facts and the records available to the court, the trial court was able to satisfy itself that there was a “factual basis” for defendant’s plea before entering judgment thereon.

Our review of the record indicates that appellant appeared before the court as a co-defendant with his brother, Frank Moreno. The transcript indicates that the court first addressed Frank Moreno and explained his rights to remain silent, to have a jury trial and to confront and cross-examine his accusers. It was explained that the amended information charged both defendants with attempted grand theft. The court inquired if Frank Moreno knew the consequences of his guilty plea and the possible penalty and an affirmative answer was given. The court then asked Frank Moreno to state briefly the circumstances which led to the filing of these charges. Following his statement, the court asked him if he wished to enter a plea to the charge, attempted grand theft. Frank Moreno then entered his plea of guilty.

The court then turned to appellant Pedro Moreno to review the same matters just reviewed with his co-defendant. The court informed appellant of his rights to a jury trial, to remain silent, to confront his accusers and to have them cross-examined by his attorney. Appellant answered that he understood his rights and the possible penalty should he enter a plea of guilty to the charge. Appellant was then asked to state the circumstances which led to the filing of these charges. Appellant said it was as his brother, Frank, had stated it except that he (Pedro) had no intention of removing the machine and had not known that Frank and Jerry Freeman were going to do so.

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Bluebook (online)
492 P.2d 440, 16 Ariz. App. 191, 1972 Ariz. App. LEXIS 482, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-moreno-arizctapp-1972.