State v. Segura

2014 NMCA 037, 5 N.M. 645
New Mexico Court of Appeals·Decided January 21, 2014·No. Docket 31,904·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinion

OPINION

GARCIA, Judge.

{1} This case raises the question of whether a defendant who has allegedly violated the conditions of his pretrial release pending trial has a due process right to confront the State’s evidence before the district court may revoke bail and remand the defendant back into custody. Defendant in this case was not provided an opportunity to be heard before his bail was revoked and remanded back into custody. We conclude that a proper evidentiary hearing was required to protect Defendant’s procedural due process rights. W e reverse the judgment of the district court.

BACKGROUND

{2} Defendant was charged with one count of aggravated battery against a household member and one count of criminal damage to property. Following his arrest on the charges, Defendant was released on a $15,000 bond. The district court filed the order setting the conditions of Defendant’s release pending trial. In pertinent part, the order required Defendant to refrain from the possession and consumption of illegal drugs and alcohol, and from contact with the alleged victim or witnesses in his case. The consequences for violating the conditions of Defendant’s pretrial release included the revocation of Defendant’s bond and release from custody.

{3} Seventeen months later, Defendant appeared at a scheduled plea hearing but decided to reject the State’s plea offer. Following this rejection, the State orally alleged that Defendant had violated the conditions of his pretrial release by harassing the alleged victim. Additionally, the alleged victim had purportedly told a victim.’s advocate that she believed Defendant was using drugs. The State asked the district court to remand Defendant into custody for these alleged violations. Defense counsel responded by raising his due process concerns. “I would ask that if the prosecution believes [Defendant] has violated the conditions of [his pretrial] release, that they request a hearing, and we would request a full evidentiary hearing. This is a scheduling conference.”

{4} The district court denied defense counsel’s request for “a [full evidentiary] hearing and notice and the ability to properly argue” the alleged violations of Defendant’s pretrial release conditions. The court ordered Defendant to submit to an immediate urinalysis test through the pretrial services department. Following Defendant’s urinalysis test, the pretrial services employee who tested Defendant threw the test strip in a bathroom trash can. The same employee then informed the court that Defendant had tested positive for opiates. As a result, the State requested Defendant’s “remand in violation of his conditions of [pretrial] release.” Defense counsel again responded with a request for “a full evidentiary hearing pertaining to the allegations that [Defendant] violated his [pretrial release] conditions” and for an opportunity to “put the testing officer under oath and conduct an evidentiary hearing regarding the reliability of the testingf.]”

{5} Following defense counsel’s renewed due process objection, the district court asked the pretrial services employee to retrieve Defendant’s urinalysis test strip from the trash can. The district judge then personally examined the test strip, stating that the results were “pretty much across the border.” The pretrial services employee agreed: “It’s pretty clear it is a positive drug test. There’s no line whatsoever on the opiates. That indicates recent use.” Based on this evidence, the district court found D efendant had violated his conditions of pretrial release. The court did not permit Defendant to cross-examine the pretrial services employee regarding the foundation, sufficiency, or accuracy of the test.

{6} Defendantwas remanded into the custody of the Metropolitan Detention Center and detained on a no-bond hold. The district court ordered Defendant to participate in the Metropolitan Detention Center’s addictions treatment program (ATP) during his detainment. After completing ATP, a process the court estimated would take approximately eight to ten weeks, Defendant would be returned to the district court for “a motion to review [the] conditions of [Defendant’s pretrial] release.” At that time, the district court planned to “see how things go” with regard to Defendant’s continued custody. Defendant timely filed an appeal of the district court’s orders. See State v. David, 1984-NMCA-119, ¶ 6, 102 N.M. 138, 692 P.2d 524 (treating a docketing statement as a motion filed under the rule that is now codified as Rule 12-204 NMRA).

DISCUSSION

'{7} Under Article II, Section 13 of the New Mexico Constitution, every accused, except a person accused of first degree murder where the proof is evident or the presumption great, is entitled to bail. A secured bond or additional conditions may be imposed if a release would be inimical to public safety or if a release without conditions would not reasonably assure the appearance of the defendant. See State v. Gutierrez, 2006-NMCA-090, ¶¶ 16-17, 140 N.M. 157, 140 P.3d 1106 (stating “that the purpose of bail is to secure the defendant’s attendance to submit to the punishment to be imposed by the court” and that a defendant’s interest in pretrial release must be balanced with “the [s]tate’s interest in securing the defendant’s appearance at trial and the interest in safeguarding the community” (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)). In this case, Defendant challenges the procedure used to revoke his bail and remand him into custody.

{8} The right to bail is not absolute. Tijerina v. Baker, 1968-NMSC-009, ¶ 9, 78 N.M. 770, 438 P.2d 514. The district court has the discretion to revoke bail when necessary “to prevent interference with . . . the proper administration of justice.” Id. ¶ 10. A court can similarly order re-arrest and confinement for violation of a condition of pretrial release. See State v. Rivera, 2003-NMCA-059, ¶ 20, 133 N.M. 571, 66 P.3d 344 (“Conditions of release are separate, coercive powers of a court, apart from the bond itself. They are enforceable by immediate arrest, revocation, or modification if violated. Such conditions of release are intended to protect the public and keep the defendant in line.”), rev’d on other grounds, 2004-NMSC-001, 134 N.M. 768, 82 P.3d 939. Despite this recognized power to revoke bail if a defendant violates his conditions of release, Rule 5-403 NMRA provides no mechanism or procedure for the revocation of bail under such circumstances.

{9} Defendant argues that the district court violated his right to procedural due process by remanding him into custody without notice or an opportunity to be heard at an evidentiary hearing on the allegations. The State responds that the imposition of ATP — notwithstanding Defendant’s placement in the Metropolitan Detention Center — did notrevoke Defendant’s bail and instead simply imposed a modification of the conditions of Defendant’s pretrial release. The State also asserts that this Court should not reach the merits of this appeal because Defendant has subsequently been released from state custody.

{10} As a preliminary matter, we address the nature of the district court’s orders. Second, we will discuss the State’s assertion ■that this appeal is moot. Finally, we will address the merits of this appeal.

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State v. Segura, 2014 NMCA 037, 5 N.M. 645 (N.M. Ct. App. 2014).

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