State v. Williams

505 P.2d 1092, 19 Ariz. App. 201, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 478
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedFebruary 6, 1973
Docket1 CA-CR 440
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 505 P.2d 1092 (State v. Williams) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Williams, 505 P.2d 1092, 19 Ariz. App. 201, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 478 (Ark. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

DONOFRIO, Presiding Judge.

This is an appeal by defendant Floyd Williams, Jr., from a judgment of guilt to the crime of assault with intent to commit rape and a sentence imposed thereon of not less than 10 nor more than 14 years in the Arizona State Prison.

The original information filed against defendant charged him with the crime of *202 child molesting involving a female child of 6 years of age, in violation of A.R.S. § 13-653. The defendant, represented by counsel in the Superior Court, pleaded not guilty to this charge and the case was set for trial. The day before the trial date an amended information was filed charging defendant with the crime of assault with intent to commit rape, a felony, to which he entered a plea of guilty.

Defendant’s opening brief raises only one issue, namely, whether the record adequately showed that defendant understood the nature of the charge against him when he pleaded guilty. Defendant, however, in propria persona, has filed a supplemental brief wherein he raises the issue of inadequacy of counsel and that he was refused a psychiatric examination or a competency hearing. We will consider each of these questions in this opinion.

Regarding the first issue, the law now seems to be settled in this State that the trial court need not advise a defendant of all the specific elements of the crime charged against him in order to comply with Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969); State v. Montgomery, 109 Ariz. 11, 505 P.2d 244 (filed January 12, 1973). See also State v. Hunt, 16 Ariz.App. 397, 493 P.2d 943 (1972). It is necessary only that the defendant be sufficiently informed of the nature of the crime charged so that his plea can be voluntarily and intelligently made.

In the case of State v. Montgomery, supra, the Court said:

“Defendant nevertheless argues that although he repeatedly told the trial judge that he understood the charge his ‘con-clusory responses in no way indicate that he understood the tripartite elements of the crime.’
“In State v. Kuhlman, 15 Ariz.App. 359, 488 P.2d 996, the Court of Appeals held that it was not necessary for the trial judge to recite the elements of the offense charged. In State v. Phillips, 108 Ariz. 332, 498 P.2d 199, we cited Kuhl-man with approval, and in State v. Ferrell, 108 Ariz. 394, 499 P.2d 109, we cited both Kuhlman and Phillips with approval.”

The record shows that the trial court asked at the time of receiving defendant’s plea whether he understood he was charged with the crime of assault with intent to commit rape, to which he answered in the affirmative. In a dialogue between the court and the defendant, this question was asked more than once and defendant’s answer was always the same. The court also read the specific charge:

“Q You understand that by the Amended Information filed in this case that you are charged with the crime of assault with intent to commit rape, a felony?
“A Yes.
“Q And the specific charge is that on or about June 24th, 1971, in the County of Maricopa, State of Arizona, that you assaulted one - [giving the name which is omitted from this opinion as it would serve no useful purpose] with intent to rape her, in violation of the Arizona Revised Statutes?
“A Yes.
“Q You fully understand the crime that’s charged against you as the Court read it to you?
“A Yes, sir.”

Defendant also specifically answered that he desired to plead guilty of the crime of assault with intent to commit rape, a felony.

It is defendant’s contention that his con-clusory responses in no way affirmatively showed that he understood the nature of the offense and thus the plea was in violation of the requirements of Boykin, supra. We are unable to agree. We believe the record adequately shows that the defendant understood the nature of the charge to which he was pleading. It is not questioned that the record shows a sufficient factual basis for the plea. It is also not questioned that the reception of the *203 plea was in compliance with all the other Boykin requirements.

The record shows extensive dialogue between the trial court and the defendant, with the court advising him of his constitutional rights as required by Boykin, supra. At the end, before receiving the plea of guilty, the record shows:

“THE COURT: Mr. Remender, I assume you have discussed this with the defendant and you feel that he fully understands the consequences of entering a plea of guilty to the crime charged?
“MR. REMENDER: Yes, your Honor, we have discussed it several times. In fact, it was continued once so he could think it over a little longer, and I’m satisfied that he does.”

It is difficult for us to conceive that the defendant, with an eleventh grade education, being represented by counsel and given advice and the time to reflect on the subject, would not know the nature of the charges against him. We believe he was sufficiently informed of the nature of the charge against him so that his plea was intelligently and voluntarily made.

The defendant in his pro per brief has set forth many facts and circumstances. In order to better understand the case, it is well to set forth briefly the events that occurred which are supported by the record. At the hearing on August 19, 1971, which was set to consider a motion to add an allegation of prior conviction as an addendum to the information, the addendum filed alleged that on the 7th day of March, 1968, in the Superior Court of Maricopa County, State of Arizona, the defendant, Floyd Williams, Jr., was convicted of the crime of rape, first degree, a felony. The State had submitted copies of this motion, the addendum, and records of the prior conviction to counsel for defense. Mr. Richard Remender, deputy public defender, in accordance with A.R.S. §§ 13-1649 and 13-1650, as amended 1969.

This proceeding ended up by the State stipulating to withdraw its addendum of prior conviction to the information of “child molest” and file an amended information charging assault with intent to commit rape to which the defendant entered his plea of guilty. The attorneys and defendant signed the stipulation which agreed to the amendment and further stipulated that if at a subsequent time this plea be withdrawn for any reason, the information may be re-amended without objection to allege the charge contained in the original information.

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Related

State v. Valdez
534 P.2d 449 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1975)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
505 P.2d 1092, 19 Ariz. App. 201, 1973 Ariz. App. LEXIS 478, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-williams-arizctapp-1973.