State v. Wright

427 P.2d 338, 5 Ariz. App. 357, 1967 Ariz. App. LEXIS 434
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedMay 15, 1967
DocketNo. 1 CA-CR 24
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 427 P.2d 338 (State v. Wright) 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. Wright, 427 P.2d 338, 5 Ariz. App. 357, 1967 Ariz. App. LEXIS 434 (Ark. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinions

CAMERON, Chief Judge.

This is an appeal from a jury verdict and judgment of guilty to the charge of passing a check on “no account” with intent to [358]*358defraud. § 13-316 A.R.S. Defendant also appeals from the denial of her motions for new trial based on newly discovered evidence.

We are called upon to determine:

1. Whether the court properly submitted evidence of defendant’s inculpatory statements or acts to the jury.
2. Whether defendant’s previous plea of guilty, later withdrawn by court permission, is properly admissible in the trial upon a plea of not guilty.
3. Whether the admission of evidence relating to the passing of other checks is admissible under the “common scheme or motive” rule.
4. Whether the trial court properly denied defendant’s motion for new trial based on newly discovered evidence.

The facts necessary for the determination of this matter on appeal are as follows. Defendant Marlene Wright was associated with Nancy McClannahan in a business enterprise called “Candid Cartoons, Ltd.”. Defendant was the owner of the business and Nancy McClannahan was a bookkeeper and office manager. The business had an office in the City of Phoenix, Arizona, and was primarily in the field of commercial art and writing of advertisements.

Defendant allegedly wrote a series of checks on more than one account which were returned for reasons of “not sufficient funds”, and “irregular signature”, and “account closed”. After an investigation by the Phoenix Police Department and after questioning of the defendant, at which time she initialed the checks she admitted signing, defendant was charged with passing two specific checks on no account contrary to § 13-316 A.R.S. The charge as to one check was dismissed at the close of the trial, and the charge as to the other check in the amount, of $134,56 passed to the Bi-Lo Market was submitted to the jury. Concerning the latter check the store clerk and the store manager identified the defendant as the one passing the check which was made payable to Nancy McClannahan. The State’s witness, an employee of Bi-Lo Market, stated the defendant had explained that Nancy McClannahan was her professional name and Marlene Wright was her real name; therefore she was able to endorse the check. Defendant allegedly passed other checks and evidence concerning the cashing of these other checks was admitted in the trial on the basis of common plan or scheme.

WERE THE INCULPATORY STATEMENTS AND ACTS PROPERLY SUBMITTED TO THE JURY?

Officer Ford of the Phoenix Police Department testified outside the presence of the jury that defendant initialed the check involved in this case and some of the others which were returned. He testified that defendant initialed the checks which she in fact had drawn or written and that she stated, “I want the matter cleared up. It is getting too big to do anything with”.

Testimony was presented which indicated the statements and the act of initialing were freely given and the defendant was advised of right to counsel. After the testimony of Officer Ford and defendant on this point was concluded and the defense objected to the admission before the jury of the statement and acts of the defendant, the court ruled, after discussing the testimony at length:

“Outside of that, there is nothing that I can detect to base any fear or coercion or anything connected with the other statement; that is what she stated she was basing it on. I gather from the way it looks that would be a question for the jury to determine as to the weight to be given to it. So the evidence will be admitted.”

The courts in Arizona have made it clear that there must be an affirmative finding of voluntariness by the court before the evidence is admitted to the jury for its determination of credibility and voluntariness :

“At the conclusion of the hearing on voluntariness, the judge must make a [359]*359definite determination whether the purported confession was voluntary or involuntary. Only if he makes a definite determination it was voluntary may he admit it for consideration by the jury.” State v. Costello, 97 Ariz. 220, 222, 399 P.2d 119, 120 (1965), as quoted in State v. Goodyear, 100 Ariz. 244, 249, 413 P.2d 566 (1966).

In the instant case the record does not reveal a definite finding of voluntariness by the court. The trial court must make a definite determination whether the statement (exculpatory or inculpatory), confession or act was voluntary, and he may not submit it to the jury merely upon the finding that there is a conflict in the evidence. State v. Owen, 96 Ariz. 274, 394 P.2d 206 (1964), State v. Herman, 3 Ariz.App. 323, 414 P.2d 172 (1966). Were this the only question before us we would have caused the trial court to make this determination, if possible, before writing this opinion. See State v. Hunter, 5 Ariz.App. 112, 423 P.2d 727 (1967). There being other questions which the Supreme Court of Arizona may wish to consider before we remand the case to the trial court for determination of voluntariness, State v. Mileham, 100 Ariz. 402, 415 P.2d 104 (1966), we have decided to consider the other matters raised by the defendant.

THE WITHDRAWN PLEA OF GUILTY

The defendant, after charges were brought and at the arraignment before the Superior Court, and with her prior counsel, entered a plea of guilty to the charge. At the time set for sentencing the court allowed the defendant to withdraw the guilty plea and enter a plea of not guilty. During the trial the State elicited from the defendant, on cross-examination, evidence of this withdrawn guilty plea as follows:

“Q Isn’t it true, that on that particular charge which you are now charged, Cause Number 43789, the check payable to Nancy McClannahan passed at the Bi-Lo Market, isn’t it true that you already at one time entered a plea of guilty to that charge and then withdrew that plea?
“A Yes, that is true.”

No objection was made to the question by defense counsel. However, counsel did assign the admission of the evidence of the prior guilty plea as error in the motion for new trial. If this is error, it would be fundamental error which could be raised for the first time on appeal. People v. Brady, 14 A.D.2d 575, 218 N.Y.S.2d 705 (1961), State v. Pulliam, 87 Ariz. 216, 349 P.2d 781 (1960).

The Arizona Supreme Court in the case of Rascon v. State, 47 Ariz. 501, 512, 57 P.2d 304, 309 (1936) stated:

“At the close of the cross-examination of the defendant the county attorney asked him this question: ‘Isn’t it a fact that heretofore, in this court, in this cause, you have entered a plea of guilty to first degree murder ?’ but the court, upon the objection of defendant’s counsel, declined to permit him to answer it.

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Related

State v. Wright
436 P.2d 601 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1968)

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Bluebook (online)
427 P.2d 338, 5 Ariz. App. 357, 1967 Ariz. App. LEXIS 434, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-wright-arizctapp-1967.