State v. Wabashaw

55 A.L.R. Fed. 2d 631, 740 N.W.2d 583, 274 Neb. 394, 2007 Neb. LEXIS 148
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 26, 2007
DocketS-06-642
StatusPublished
Cited by66 cases

This text of 55 A.L.R. Fed. 2d 631 (State v. Wabashaw) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska 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. Wabashaw, 55 A.L.R. Fed. 2d 631, 740 N.W.2d 583, 274 Neb. 394, 2007 Neb. LEXIS 148 (Neb. 2007).

Opinion

Connolly, J.

Elroy L. Wabashaw appeals his convictions for robbery and use of a firearm to commit a felony. Before his jury trial, Wabashaw moved to quash the information. He argues that article I of the “1868 Treaty between the United States of America and different Tribes of Sioux Indians” (1868 Treaty) and article VI of the U.S. Constitution barred his prosecution. The district court overruled the motion. A jury found Wabashaw guilty on both charges, and the district court sentenced Wabashaw as a habitual criminal under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 29-2221 (Reissue 1995).

Although Wabashaw raises several issues on appeal, the main issue is whether the district court had jurisdiction over the robbery that occurred in Indian country. We conclude that the district court had jurisdiction over the offense and that the relevant provision of the 1868 Treaty did not divest the district court of jurisdiction. We affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

Monica Kitto testified that she was working at a gas station on April 8, 2005, when a person dressed in black and wearing a white scarf around his face came into the gas station. The robber pointed a gun at Kitto and gave her a note directing her to put money in a bag, and she did as instructed. Kitto estimated that the total amount taken was a little more than $500. The robber then took the women’s restroom key, threw it at Kitto, and told her to go to the restroom. Kitto stayed inside the restroom 2 to 3 minutes before she came out and called the police.

*397 Kitto testified that she could not see the robber’s face or hands because they were covered. Although she could not recognize the robber’s voice, she described him as slim, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall.

Acting on a tip, Santee Police Chief Michael G. Vance met with Wabashaw at the police station. As Vance began questioning Wabashaw, Officer Robert Henry was present, but Henry left on a police call and did not witness the entire interview. Vance read Wabashaw his Miranda rights and told Wabashaw that Vance wanted to talk about the robbery. Wabashaw signed a waiver of his Miranda rights and initially stated he had nothing to do with the robbery. Vance then told him that police had recovered some clothing articles left at a sweat lodge. Vance also told him a DNA analysis on the clothing would match Wabashaw. Upon hearing this, Wabashaw told Vance that he “ ‘did it’ ” and that he had acted alone. When Vance asked Wabashaw about the gun used in the robbery, he stated he left the rifle in a field when he was running from a police officer. After making this admission to Vance, Wabashaw wrote and signed a statement stating he committed the robbery. Because Henry was present at part of the interview, Vance signed Henry’s name and his own at the bottom of Wabashaw’s written statement.

Later, the State charged Wabashaw with robbery and use of a weapon to commit a felony. Wabashaw moved to quash the information. He alleged that the prosecution was unconstitutional, as prohibited by the 1868 Treaty and article VI of the U.S. Constitution. The court overruled the motion to quash.

Before trial, the State submitted handwriting samples to a laboratory for analysis. Claiming the written confession was a forgery, Wabashaw moved to have a handwriting expert appointed. The court granted his motion. The record does not show whether Wabashaw’s trial counsel ever obtained the expert. Wabashaw argues on appeal that he was denied effective assistance of counsel because counsel failed to obtain a handwriting expert.

At trial, the State called four witnesses, including Vance and a handwriting expert. The handwriting expert compared more than 26 known writings and concluded that Wabashaw was the *398 individual who wrote the written confession. Wabashaw’s counsel cross-examined each of the State’s witnesses except Vance, reserving examination of Vance for Wabashaw’s case in chief.

A jury found Wabashaw guilty of robbery and use of a firearm to commit a felony. At the enhancement hearing, the court received certified records for a 1977 South Dakota conviction. The court admitted records of the 1977 conviction and another prior conviction. The court found Wabashaw to be a habitual criminal. It sentenced him to consecutive prison terms of 12 to 14 years for the robbery conviction and 10 to 12 years on the weapons conviction.

H. ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR

Wabashaw assigns, rephrased and reordered, that the district court erred by (1) overruling Wabashaw’s motion to quash, (2) not conducting an evidentiary hearing on Wabashaw’s motions to allow counsel to withdraw and to appoint substitute counsel, (3) determining that the State sufficiently proved identity to use a prior conviction to enhance Wabashaw’s sentence, and (4) accepting a prior conviction from South Dakota for enhancement when South Dakota law precludes the use of the conviction for enhancement purposes.

Wabashaw also assigns that he was denied effective assistance of counsel. He claims his attorney (1) had a conflict of interest when he had previously represented Henry, who was called as a witness; (2) failed to request an evidentiary hearing on Wabashaw’s motion to quash; (3) failed to object to references to evidence recovered by the police; (4) failed to file a motion to suppress Wabashaw’s confession as fruit of the poisonous tree; (5) failed to cross-examine Vance during the State’s case in chief; and (6) failed to obtain a handwriting expert.

IH. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Regarding questions of law presented by a motion to quash, we resolve the questions independently of the lower court’s conclusions. 1

*399 IV. ANALYSIS

1. The District Court Had Jurisdiction Over Wabashaw’s Prosecution

Wabashaw argues that the district court did not acquire jurisdiction over him because his arrest, detainment, and prosecution violated article I of the 1868 Treaty and article VI of the U.S. Constitution. After Wabashaw’s counsel had briefed to this court, we appointed Wabashaw new counsel. During oral argument, Wabashaw’s new counsel argued that the record is insufficient for us to decide the jurisdictional issue. Counsel suggested that to address the issue, we would need to know whether Wabashaw is an Indian, and that evidence is not in the record. We have determined, however, that the court had jurisdiction regardless of whether Wabashaw is an Indian or a non-Indian.

(a) Background Concerning Public Law 280

By enacting Public Law 280 in 1953, Congress granted Nebraska jurisdiction over criminal offenses committed by or against Indians in Indian country. Public Law 280 is now codified at 18 U.S.C. § 1162(a) (2000), which provides that Nebraska

shall have jurisdiction over offenses committed by or against Indians in the areas of Indian country ...

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
55 A.L.R. Fed. 2d 631, 740 N.W.2d 583, 274 Neb. 394, 2007 Neb. LEXIS 148, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-wabashaw-neb-2007.