State v. Z. Smith

2024 MT 316N
Montana Supreme Court·Decided December 23, 2024·No. DA 22-0308·Unpublished·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

12/23/2024

DA 22-0242

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

2024 MT 316N

STATE OF MONTANA,

Plaintiff and Appellee,

v.

ZECHARIAH JUSTIN DANIEL SMITH,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL FROM: District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, In and For the County of Missoula, Cause Nos. DC-20-491, DC-21-242, DC-21-299, DC-21-433, DC-21-552 Honorable Robert L. Deschamps, III, Presiding Judge

COUNSEL OF RECORD:

For Appellant:

Tammy A. Hinderman, Appellate Defender, Helena, Montana

For Appellee:

Austin Knudsen, Montana Attorney General, Roy Brown, Assistant Attorney General, Helena, Montana

Matthew C. Jennings, Interim Missoula County Attorney, Meghann Paddock, Deputy County Attorney, Missoula, Montana

Submitted on Briefs: July 31, 2024

Decided: December 23, 2024

Filed:

__________________________________________ Clerk Chief Justice Mike McGrath delivered the Opinion of the Court.

¶1 Pursuant to Section I, Paragraph 3(c), Montana Supreme Court Internal Operating

Rules, this case is decided by memorandum opinion and shall not be cited and does not

serve as precedent. Its case title, cause number, and disposition shall be included in this

Court’s quarterly list of noncitable cases published in the Pacific Reporter and Montana

Reports.

¶2 Zechariah Justin Daniel Smith (Smith) appeals from five judgments of the Fourth

Judicial District Court sentencing him to a total of 30 years at Montana State Prison (MSP)

with five suspended.1 We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for proceedings

consistent with this Opinion.

¶3 On September 10, 2020, the State charged Smith in Case 1 with Strangulation of

Partner or Family Member in violation of § 45-5-215, MCA; Burglary in violation of

§ 45-6-204(1), MCA; and Assault in violation of § 45-5-201, MCA. Over the next several

months, Smith was charged in five other cases—mostly assaults or threats of assault he

committed on peace officers and others while in detention and out on bail. On April 27,

2021, the State charged Smith in Case 3 with Criminal Mischief in violation of

§ 45-6-101(1), MCA; Attempted Assault on Peace or Judicial Officer in violation of

§§ 45-5-210 and -4-103, MCA; and Assault with Bodily Fluid in violation of § 45-5-214,

1 For ease of reference, we will refer to DA 22-0242 (DC-20-491 in the District Court) as Case 1; DA 22-0243 (DC-21-229 in the District Court) as Case 2; DA 22-0245 (DC-21-242 in the District Court) as Case 3; DA 22-0308 (DC-21-433 in the District Court) as Case 4; and DA 22-0246 (DC-21-552 in the District Court) as Case 5. Smith also originally appealed to this court under DA 22-0244 (DC-21-235 in the District Court), which was consolidated but dismissed upon Smith’s motion (Case 6). We take judicial notice of the District Court record in this appeal. 2 MCA. On May 4, the State charged Smith in Case 2 with Assault on Peace or Judicial

Officer in violation of § 45-5-210, MCA. On July 26, the State charged Smith in Case 4

with Assault with Weapon in violation of § 45-5-213, MCA. Finally, on September 27,

the state Charged Smith in Case 5 with Possession of Deadly Weapon by Prisoner or Youth

in Facility in violation of § 45-8-318, MCA; Intimidation in violation of § 45-5-203, MCA;

Assault with Weapon in violation of § 45-5-213, MCA; and Criminal Mischief in violation

of § 45-6-101, MCA.2

¶4 On September 14, 2020, Smith appeared for an arraignment in Case 1. His attorney

requested a few more days so she could discuss his rights with him and the court postponed

the arraignment. On his own, Smith requested that he be heard on bail that day. On

September 16, Smith’s attorney filed an Acknowledgment of Rights in Case 1 in which she

certified that she and Smith had fully discussed his legal rights, including the right to a jury

trial and to be represented, and that the court may impose a sentence without the possibility

of parole or may place restrictions on his eligibility for parole and may order restitution.

At his rescheduled arraignment, his attorney discussed the Acknowledgment of Rights they

had gone over, and the court asked if he had any questions regarding these rights. Smith

did not.

¶5 On April 28, 2021, Smith signed and submitted two additional Acknowledgments

of Rights in Case 3 and Case 6 acknowledging the same rights. Another defense attorney

certified they had read and fully discussed these rights with Smith as well. On August 10,

2 On April 26, 2021, the State also charged Smith with Intimidation, in violation of § 45-5-203, MCA. Smith does not appeal this conviction. 3 2021, Smith had an arraignment in Case 4. His attorney said he had been unable to talk

with Smith over the weekend, but that “[Smith] certainly is aware of his rights” and he

would feel comfortable with entering a plea on the new charges. The District Court

recognized that Smith had already acknowledged and discussed his rights in three other

cases and asked if he “ha[d] any questions about what [his] rights are on this new charge.”

Smith did not have any and entered a not guilty plea.

¶6 On May 25, at an arraignment on Cases 2, 3, and 6, the court asked Smith if his

counsel had explained his rights to him and whether he had any questions about those

rights. Smith responded: “No, I have no questions. [My counsel] explained [them] to me.”

¶7 On August 31, Smith appeared for a hearing. His counsel was not present as he had

fallen ill. Smith notified the court that he was firing the public defender and hiring private

counsel but wanted to plead guilty in Case 1. The court advised him that since counsel still

represented him, it could not change his plea without counsel present. Smith also discussed

that he felt like he was being targeted at the detention facility because of the damage he

had caused in his cell (Case 3) and that “just having contact with the alleged victims and

the prosecution witnesses is creating an environment where I’m being coerced into

pleading guilty to these charges.” The court advised him that if these allegations were true,

they were certainly illegal, and Smith should have his attorney contact the attorney

general’s office to investigate the alleged illegalities. Smith responded “[a]ll right” and

then asked about access to legal research while he was in solitary confinement. The court

responded that he would grant that request if Smith was pro se but that he did not need the

access while represented.

4 ¶8 On September 13, 2021, Smith appeared for a status conference on Case 1. His

counsel was still ill. Smith requested to fire counsel and proceed pro se in all of his cases,

and “just like last time, I’m just trying to switch my plea to guilty” in Case 1. The District

Court responded that it would not take a guilty plea without Smith talking to an attorney

about it. The court also questioned why Smith was appearing remotely from the jail in a

restraining jacket. Smith acknowledged it was a precaution because he was a dangerous

inmate and had “been causing a little bit of a raucous here. But it’s not because of mental

health issues whatsoever.” He told the court that he had spoken with multiple mental health

professionals over the last year, and each had cleared him and said he was of totally sound

mind. The court advised Smith that it had to make sure he was of sound mind to enter a

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State v. Z. Smith
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