State v. Urban

779 P.2d 121, 108 N.M. 744
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 20, 1989
Docket10719
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 779 P.2d 121 (State v. Urban) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Urban, 779 P.2d 121, 108 N.M. 744 (N.M. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

OPINION

MINZNER, Judge.

Defendant appeals his conviction for shoplifting, contending that the trial court erred in denying his motion to dismiss the indictment on sixth amendment speedy trial and fourteenth amendment due process grounds. He asks this court to remand for an evidentiary hearing. Alternatively, he contends he was denied effective assistance of counsel. The state contends on appeal that defendant’s motion was untimely and incomplete under SCRA 1986, 5-601(D) and (E) and that the record is not sufficient to permit this court to resolve the claim of ineffective assistance. Defendant’s appeal and the state’s response raise questions that require an interpretation of Rule 5-601. We conclude that defendant’s motion was timely but that he failed to show sufficient grounds to require a hearing as to either claim. Thus, we hold that the trial court did not err in denying his motion. Finally, we conclude that the claim of ineffective assistance has been raised prematurely. Therefore, we affirm.

Defendant raised three other issues in his docketing statement. He restates those issues in his brief-in-chief, citing State v. Boyer, 103 N.M. 655, 712 P.2d 1 (Ct.App.1985). However, defendant presents no argument or authority in his brief in support of his contentions under those issues. See State v. Sisneros, 98 N.M. 201, 647 P.2d 403 (1982). For the reasons stated in our calendar notices, we therefore affirm as to those issues. Id.

Facts

Defendant complains only about the period of delay between his arrest on the date of the offense and his indictment for that offense, which was almost a year. Defendant was arrested for shoplifting on October 25, 1986. He was released from custody pending further investigation two days later, without bond and without restrictive conditions. He was indicted on October 16, 1987.

Defendant was arraigned on November 16,1987. Although Rule 5-601(D) requires that pre-trial motions shall be filed at the time of arraignment or within twenty days thereafter, defendant did not file his motion to dismiss until March 3, 1988, five days before trial and 108 days after arraignment. Defendant did not file a request for evidentiary hearing as required by Rule 5-601(E), but rather he orally requested further hearing of his claims during argument on his motion to dismiss, the morning of trial. The record indicates the trial court denied his request for a hearing and also denied his motion to dismiss, because the trial court considered the motion untimely.

The public defender’s office was appointed to represent defendant three days before arraignment. Three different attorneys from that office successively represented defendant. The third defense attorney entered his appearance on January 5, 1988, two months prior to trial. The only reason defendant gave for having waited almost five months from the date of indictment to move for dismissal on pre-indictment delay grounds was the succession of attorneys representing him.

Applicability of Rule 5-601

Under Rule 5-601(C), certain defenses and objections must be raised prior to trial, while others shall be noticed by the court at any time. Under Rule 5-601(D), all motions shall be made at the arraignment or within twenty days thereafter, unless otherwise provided by the rules, otherwise ordered by the court, or unless the court waives the time requirement upon good cause shown. Under Rule 5-601(E), if an evidentiary hearing is required, the moving party must include with the motion a separate written request for such a hearing, including the ultimate facts intended to be proven. Unless a shorter time is ordered by the court, each party shall submit a witness list at least five days prior to the hearing.

The state argues that the later subsections of the rule modify the prior subsection. See People v. Moats, 165 Ill.App.3d 413, 116 Ill.Dec. 462, 519 N.E.2d 52, appeal denied, 121 Ill.2d 580, 122 Ill.Dec. 443, 526 N.E.2d 836 (1988). Thus, in the state’s view, defendant’s motion was un timely and incomplete because the motion was not filed within twenty days of arraignment and because the request for a hearing was not in compliance with Rule 5-601(E).

Defendant advances several alternative interpretations of Rule 5-601(C) and (D). First, he argues that a motion based on a defect in the initiation of the prosecution is not subject to the twenty-day rule. Rather, such a motion may be raised at any time prior to trial. Cf. State v. Aragon, 99 N.M. 190, 656 P.2d 240 (Ct.App.1982) (six-month rule motions, SCRA 1986, 5-604(B), not governed by Rule 5-601(D)). Defendant also contends that the timeliness of his assertion of the right to a speedy trial should be only one factor in the analysis. See Barker v. Wingo, 407 U.S. 514, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 33 L.Ed.2d 101 (1972); State v. Harvey, 85 N.M. 214, 510 P.2d 1085 (Ct.App.1973). Finally, defendant argues that his motion was timely because it arises out of a fundamental right. See State v. Lujan, 103 N.M. 667, 712 P.2d 13 (Ct.App.1985).

Defendant does not contend that Rule 5-601(E) is inapplicable. Rather, he suggests that he made a sufficient showing to excuse noncompliance.

According to the committee commentary, paragraph C of Rule 5-601 was derived from the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 12(b)(1), (b)(2), (f).. Under the federal rule, there is no equivalent to paragraph D or E of Rule 5-601.

The first question presented by defendant’s appeal and the state’s response is whether paragraph D of Rule 5-601 modifies paragraph C. We believe it does not. Paragraph C provides that failure to present a defense as required by that paragraph constitutes a waiver, but the court for cause may grant relief. Paragraph D contains its own waiver provision. Paragraph D also excludes from its operation motions governed by other rules. Finally, Aragon indicates that the motions listed in Rule 5-601(C)(l) need not be made within the time limit imposed by Rule 5-601(D). For all of these reasons, we conclude that Rule 5-601(C) lists several motions that must be raised before trial but need not be raised at arraignment or within twenty days thereafter. See State v. Aragon.

Defendant’s motion was based on two objections, both of which were directed at the initiation of the prosecution. Therefore, defendant’s motion was timely.

The next questions raised by defendant’s appeal and the state’s response are whether paragraph E applies to defendant’s request for a hearing and, if so, how his noncompliance with that provision affects his appellate claim.

Paragraph E establishes an orderly procedure for resolving issues that need to be resolved prior to trial but for which an evidentiary hearing is appropriate.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
779 P.2d 121, 108 N.M. 744, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-urban-nmctapp-1989.