State v. Schmidt-Sharkey

2018 WI App 54, 918 N.W.2d 643, 383 Wis. 2d 785
CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedJuly 24, 2018
DocketAppeal No. 2017AP1086-CR
StatusPublished

This text of 2018 WI App 54 (State v. Schmidt-Sharkey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Schmidt-Sharkey, 2018 WI App 54, 918 N.W.2d 643, 383 Wis. 2d 785 (Wis. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

¶ 1 William Schmidt-Sharkey appeals a judgment convicting him of possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) as a second and subsequent offense. Schmidt-Sharkey argues: (1) he was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial; (2) the evidence was insufficient to convict him of the firearm possession count; (3) holding a second trial on the firearm possession count violated his right to be free from double jeopardy; and (4) his conviction on the THC count is a "nullity" because he was not properly charged and arraigned on that count. We reject Schmidt-Sharkey's first and second arguments on the merits, and we agree with the State that he has forfeited his third and fourth arguments. We therefore affirm.

BACKGROUND

¶ 2 Just after 10:30 p.m. on September 1, 2012, a motor vehicle owned and operated by Schmidt-Sharkey was stopped by law enforcement for operating without its headlights illuminated. During the traffic stop, one of the officers observed a black handgun protruding from underneath the front driver's seat. Schmidt-Sharkey was placed under arrest, and during a search incident to arrest a bag containing 4.75 grams of marijuana was found in his pocket. On September 5, 2012, a criminal complaint was filed charging Schmidt-Sharkey with a single count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. At a preliminary hearing on September 12, 2012, Schmidt-Sharkey was bound over for trial on that charge. The State then filed an Information charging the same count, and Schmidt-Sharkey entered a plea of not guilty.

¶ 3 Schmidt-Sharkey's trial was originally scheduled to take place on March 25, 2013. However, his trial was repeatedly delayed for various reasons, which we discuss in greater detail below. In the interim, the State filed an Amended Information on March 26, 2014, adding a charge of THC possession as a second and subsequent offense.

¶ 4 Schmidt-Sharkey was not arraigned on the THC possession charge. A jury trial nevertheless took place on both charges beginning on December 3, 2014. Just before 5:00 p.m. on December 5, after deliberating for approximately four hours, the jury informed the circuit court that it had reached a verdict on the THC possession count but had not reached a verdict on the firearm possession count. The court then proposed to accept the jury's verdict on the THC possession count and declare a mistrial on the firearm possession count. Schmidt-Sharkey did not object to that procedure. The jury found Schmidt-Sharkey guilty of possessing THC.

¶ 5 On February 3, 2015, Schmidt-Sharkey filed a motion to dismiss the firearm possession charge on the ground that he had been denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial. The circuit court denied that motion, and a second trial on the firearm possession count commenced on March 25, 2015. At the conclusion of the second trial, the jury found Schmidt-Sharkey guilty of that charge.

¶ 6 At the beginning of the sentencing hearing on May 19, 2015, the circuit court concluded Schmidt-Sharkey had forfeited any argument regarding the court's failure to arraign him on the THC possession count. The court imposed a sentence of twelve months in the House of Correction on the firearm possession count and a consecutive sentence of six months in the House of Correction on the THC possession count. The court then conducted a "nunc pro tunc" arraignment on the THC possession count, during which Schmidt-Sharkey stood silent. The court therefore entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. The following day, a judgment of conviction was entered on both the firearm possession and THC possession counts. Schmidt-Sharkey now appeals.

DISCUSSION

I. Speedy trial

¶ 7 Schmidt-Sharkey argues his convictions must be reversed because he was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial. "Both the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and article I, section 7 of the Wisconsin Constitution guarantee an accused the right to a speedy trial." State v. Urdahl , 2005 WI App 191, ¶ 11, 286 Wis. 2d 476, 704 N.W.2d 324. Whether this right has been violated is a question of law that we review independently, although we accept any findings of fact made by the circuit court unless they are clearly erroneous. Id. , ¶ 10.

¶ 8 When assessing whether a speedy-trial violation has occurred, we apply a four-factor test established in Barker v. Wingo , 407 U.S. 514 (1972). See Urdahl , 286 Wis. 2d 476, ¶ 11. We consider: (1) the length of the delay; (2) the reasons for the delay; (3) whether the defendant asserted the right to a speedy trial; and (4) whether the delay prejudiced the defendant. Id. "[T]he right to a speedy trial is not subject to bright-line determinations and must be considered based on the totality of circumstances that exist in the specific case." Id. Here, considering the four Barker factors in light of the totality of the circumstances, we conclude there was no violation of Schmidt-Sharkey's right to a speedy trial.

¶ 9 The first Barker factor-the length of the delay-is a "triggering mechanism used to determine whether the delay is presumptively prejudicial." Urdahl , 286 Wis. 2d 476, ¶ 12. A post-accusation delay is considered to be presumptively prejudicial when it "approach[es] one year." Id. It is only necessary to inquire into the other Barker factors when a delay is presumptively prejudicial. State v. Borhegyi , 222 Wis. 2d 506, 510, 588 N.W.2d 89 (Ct. App. 1998). In this case, the State concedes that the delay of two years and three months between Schmidt-Sharkey's arrest on September 1, 2012, and the commencement of his first trial on December 3, 2014, was presumptively prejudicial. We therefore consider the remaining Barker factors.

¶ 10 The second Barker factor directs us to consider the reasons for the delay. See Urdahl , 286 Wis. 2d 476, ¶ 11.

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Related

Barker v. Wingo
407 U.S. 514 (Supreme Court, 1972)
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State v. Borhegyi
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State v. Huebner
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Bluebook (online)
2018 WI App 54, 918 N.W.2d 643, 383 Wis. 2d 785, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-schmidt-sharkey-wisctapp-2018.