State v. Ruffing

105 N.W.2d 541, 78 S.D. 556, 1960 S.D. LEXIS 51
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 21, 1960
DocketFile 9838
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 105 N.W.2d 541 (State v. Ruffing) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota 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. Ruffing, 105 N.W.2d 541, 78 S.D. 556, 1960 S.D. LEXIS 51 (S.D. 1960).

Opinion

HANSON, J.

Joseph John Ruffing was charged with and tried for the crime of second degree rape in the Circuit Court of Gregory County. He was found guilty of the lesser included offense of assault with intent to commit rape upon which verdict he was sentenced to *558 five years in the State Penitentiary. Sentence was imposed and judgment entered on December 18, 1958. Later the same day the State’s Attorney filed a supplemental information alleging that defendant had previously been convicted of the following felonies: E’scape, Obtaining Money Under False Pretenses, and Grand Larceny. Upon his plea of guilty defendant’s sentence was increased to ten years and the previous five-year sentence vacated. He appeals.

Defendant’s principal contention is that he was not fully and properly advised of his rights in the supplemental proceedings in which his sentence was enhanced.

Our habitual criminal statute does not create a new or separate offense. It merely authorizes enhanced penalties for habitual offenders in the discretion of the trial court. Proceedings thereunder are presented by Subsection 3 of SDC 13.0611 as follows:

“If at any time, either after sentence or conviction, it shall appear that a person convicted of a felony has previously been convicted of crimes as set forth herein, it shall be the duty of the state’s attorney of the county in which such conviction was had to file an information accusing the said person of such previous convictions. Whereupon, the court in which such conviction was had shall cause the said person, whether confined in prison or otherwise, to be brought before it and shall inform him of the allegations contained in such information and of his right to be tried as to the truth thereof according to law, and shall request such offender to' say whether he is the same person as charged in such information or not. If he says he is not the same person or refuses to answer or remains silent, his plea or the fact of his silence shall be entered of record and a jury shall be empanel-led to inquire whether the offender is the same person mentioned in the several records as set *559 forth in such information. If the jury finds that he is the same person or if he acknowledges or confesses in open court, after being duly cautioned as to his rights, that he is the same person, the court shall sentence him to the punishment prescribed herein, as the same may apply, and shall vacate the previous sentence, deducting from the new sentence all time 'actually served on the sentence so vacated. Wherever it shall become known to any warden or prison, probation, parole, or police officer or other peace officer that any person charged with or convicted of a felony has been previously Convicted within the meaning of this statute, it shall become his duty forthwith to report the facts to the state’s attorney of the county.”

At his trial defendant was represented by court-appointed counsel, William C. Grady. Such counsel, however, did not appear or represent defendant at the supplemental arraignment. The record of such arraignment shows the following proceedings:

“Mr. Donohue: May the record show that the defendant is being furnished with a copy of the Information.
(a copy of the Information is handed to defendant)
(the Information is read by State’s Attorney)
“The Court: Mr. Ruffing, you have heard the Information under the habitual criminal act read to you and I presume you have a copy of it in your hand. Now do you have a lawyer representing you at this time?
“Mr. Ruffing: No.
“The Court: Do you want a little time to consult with a lawyer?
*560 “Mr. Ruffing: Yes.
“The Court: Very well, we will he in recess for approximately 30 minutes and you can see what you want to do about this new charge.
(recess for approximately 30 minutes)
“The Court: Let the record show that after recess there appeared in Court the defendant, together with his counsel, Dudley Herman and the officers of this Court and thereupon the following proceedings were had:
The defendant may rise.
Mr. Ruffing, do you have a lawyer representing you at this time? .
“Mr. Ruffing: Mr. Herman.
“The Court: I wonder, Mr. State’s Attorney, if you wish to arraign the defendant at this time?
“Mr. Donohue: The defendant has been arraigned. All there is is to sentence him.
“Mr. Herman: I was here.
“The Court: Let the record show that the counsel, Dudley R. Herman was present at the reading of the Information and has waived any further reading of the information and states for the rec'ord he is now appearing for Joseph John Ruffing as counsel.
“The Court: Are you attorney for Mr. Ruffing in this matter, Mr. Herman?
“Mr. Herman: Yes, I am.
“The Court: Mr. Ruffing, are you ready at this time to enter your plea of guilty or not guilty to the habitual criminal charge just filed by Mr. Donohue?
*561 “Mr. Ruffing: Yes.
“The Court: What is your plea, guilty or not guilty?
“Mr. Ruffing: Guilty.
“The Court: The Clerk -'of Courts will note the entry of a plea of guilty. Is there any legal cause to show why sentence of the Court should not be pronounced at this time?
“Mr. Ruffing: No.
“Mr. Herman: None.
“The Court: Is there anything you want to say to the Court about this matter before the Court passes sentencie?
“Mr. Herman: None.
“Mr. Ruffing: No.
“The Court: It is the judgment of the Court that you be sentenced to a period of ten years of hard labor to the penitentiary at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, served under the rules and regulations of that institution and that you pay whatever costs there are in this proceedings.”

Thereafter the court questioned defendant about the alleged prior convictions. Defendant readily admitted the same and that he was the same person as charged in such information with reference to each prior crime. Thereupon the court informed defendant the five-year sentence was vacated and he would be subject to the ten-year sentence. Such a-otion is reflected in the subsequent judgment entered by the court.

Manifestly the provisions of our habitual criminal statute were not followed.

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Related

State v. Holiday
335 N.W.2d 332 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1983)
State v. Watkins
272 N.W.2d 839 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1978)
State v. Walking Bull
190 N.W.2d 121 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1971)
Application of Abelt
145 N.W.2d 435 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1966)
State Ex Rel. Ruffing v. Jameson
123 N.W.2d 654 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1963)
State Ex Rel. Smith v. Jameson
123 N.W.2d 300 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1963)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
105 N.W.2d 541, 78 S.D. 556, 1960 S.D. LEXIS 51, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-ruffing-sd-1960.