State v. Nichols

207 S.W.3d 215, 2006 Mo. App. LEXIS 1828, 2006 WL 3479053
Missouri Court of Appeals·Decided December 4, 2006·No. 27047·Published·Cited by 14 cases

Opinion

PHILLIP R. GARRISON, Judge.

James M. Nichols (“Defendant”) was convicted by a jury of committing first degree statutory sodomy, a violation of Section 566.062. 1 He was sentenced to a term of thirty years in the department of corrections to run consecutive to a sentence he was already serving on a separate conviction. Defendant appeals his conviction, contending that the trial court erred in: (1) denying his motion to dismiss, because he was not tried within the statutory period set by the Uniform Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Law (“UMDDL”); (2) failing to ascertain on the record whether Defendant’s waiver of counsel was knowingly and intelligently entered; and (3) permitting evidence of Defendant’s pri- or misconduct. We reverse and remand.

Defendant does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence supporting his conviction. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict the record reveals the following.

In October of 1996, thirteen-year-old K.H. (“Victim”) was staying at the family’s lake house in Camden County, Missouri, with her stepfather, Defendant. Victim’s mother and sisters, who had remained at their home in Franklin County, Missouri, were planning on joining them the next day. The morning after their arrival, as Victim was getting out of the shower, she discovered Defendant waiting for her and holding her towel. Defendant dried Victim off with the towel and then led her to his bed. Using lotion as a lubricant, Defendant proceeded to fondle Victim’s breasts and “forcefully” rub her vagina, at one point, inserting his finger into Victim’s vagina. After a while, Defendant stopped and told Victim to get dressed. Victim left and went to her friend’s house, where she waited until her mother arrived that evening.

In August of 2000, after Victim’s mother had divorced Defendant, Victim and her older sister, E.H., reported Defendant’s sexual abuse to the Franklin County authorities. Detective David R. Scott (“Detective Scott”) of the Franklin County *219 Sheriffs Department, investigated the allegations. In September of 2000, Detective Scott visited Defendant in O’Fallon, Missouri, where he was residing at the time. Defendant agreed to speak to Detective Scott about the investigation. On the way to the Sheriffs Department, after Detective Scott advised Defendant of his Mi-randoi 2 rights, Defendant spontaneously provided an account of incidents that had occurred between him and his stepdaughters, which corroborated the allegations of sexual abuse that had been made. After arriving at the Sheriffs Department, Defendant continued to talk about what had occurred, before signing a written waiver of his Miranda rights. Defendant then provided Detective Scott with a written statement.

On February 18, 2003, while Defendant was serving time in the department of corrections on a separate conviction, he was charged by information with first degree statutory sodomy. A jury trial on October 27, 2004, with Defendant appearing pro se, resulted in a verdict of guilty. The trial court sentenced Defendant as indicated earlier. This appeal followed.

In his first point on appeal, Defendant argues that the trial court erred in overruling his motion to dismiss because he was not tried within the statutory period set by the UMDDL. We disagree.

“[T]he right to be brought to trial within 180 days after a proper request under [the UMDDL] is jurisdictional.” Carson v. State, 997 S.W.2d 92, 98 (Mo.App. S.D.1999). “[T]he provisions of the UMDDL are not drenched in doubt or ambiguity, and ‘a loss of subject matter jurisdiction inexorably occurs by operation of law when an imprisoned person who has initiated a proper request is not brought to trial within the appropriately determined statutory time period.’ ” Id. (quoting Russell v. State, 597 S.W.2d 694, 697 (Mo.App. W.D.1980)). “Jurisdictional issues present questions of law, which we review de novo and without deference to the [trial] court’s determination.” State ex rel. Garrett v. Dally, 188 S.W.3d 111, 113 (Mo.App. S.D.2006)(quoting State ex rel. Nixon v. Moore, 159 S.W.3d 488, 490 (Mo.App. W.D.2005)).

“The [UMDDL] provides for the prompt disposition of detainers based on untried state charges pending against a prisoner held within this state’s correctional system.” State ex rel. Kemp v. Hodge, 629 S.W.2d 353, 354 (Mo. banc 1982). 3 Section 217.450.1 of the UMDDL provides that:

Any person confined in a department correctional facility may request a final disposition of any untried indictment, information or complaint pending in this state on the basis of which a detainer has been lodged against him while so imprisoned. The request shall be in writing addressed to the court in which the indictment, information or complaint is pending and to the prosecuting attorney charged with the duty of prosecuting it, and shall set forth the place of imprisonment.

A defendant who complies with Section 217.450.1 must be brought to trial “[w]ithin one hundred eighty days after the receipt of the request and certificate ... by the court and the prosecuting attorney,” or the *220 untried indictment, information or complaint must be dismissed. Section 217.460. However, the UMDDL defines three instances in which the 180-day period may be tolled: (1) the trial court may grant “additional necessary or reasonable time ... for good cause shown in open court, the offender or his counsel being pres-entí;]” (2) “[t]he parties may stipulate for a continuance!;]” and (3) “a continuance may be granted if notice is given to the attorney of record with an opportunity for him to be heard.” Section 217.460. Additionally, Missouri courts have held that any delays attributable to the affirmative actions of a defendant will toll the 180-day period. State v. Laramore, 965 S.W.2d 847, 850 (Mo.App. E.D.1998). The State has the burden of showing that the 180-day period should be extended. Id.

The following timeline is set out to assist in determining whether Defendant was timely tried.

10/03/02 A Complaint was filed, alleging that Defendant committed the felony of statutory sodomy in the first degree.
11/12/02 The Camden County Sheriffs Department places a detainer against Defendant.
11/21/02 Defendant files an Inmate’s Request for Disposition of Indictments, Informations or Complaints (“Request”).
12/09/02 Defendant’s Request is received by the prosecutor.
12/12/02 Defendant’s Request is received by the trial court, triggering the 180-day period in which Defendant must be tried.
02/18/03 Information filed.
03/12/03 The trial is scheduled to begin on May 19, 2003.

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State v. Nichols, 207 S.W.3d 215, 2006 Mo. App. LEXIS 1828, 2006 WL 3479053 (Mo. Ct. App. 2006).

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