Summers v. State

227 N.E.2d 680, 248 Ind. 534, 1967 Ind. LEXIS 480
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedJune 23, 1967
DocketNo. 31,021
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 227 N.E.2d 680 (Summers v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Summers v. State, 227 N.E.2d 680, 248 Ind. 534, 1967 Ind. LEXIS 480 (Ind. 1967).

Opinions

Mote, J.

Appellant, John Summers, together with one, James A. Smith, was charged by the affidavit of the prosecuting witness, Thomas Verplank, with the felony of aggravated assault in violation of the provisions of Chap. 22 of the Acts of 1933, § 1, p. 110, as follows:

“Whoever intentionally or knowingly and unlawfully inflicts great bodily harm or disfigurement upon another person is guilty of aggravated assault and battery and upon conviction shall be imprisoned in the state prison for not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years, to which may be added a fine in any amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000).” Burns’ Ind. Stat. Anno. 1956 Repl., Vol. 4, Part 2 ,§ 10-410, 1966 Cum. Pocket Supp.

It appears from the record that at the time of the alleged offense, Appellant was fifteen years of age, but soon thereafter arrived at the age of sixteen.

The Lake Juvenile Court caused to be filed in the Lake Criminal Court a printed form of waiver of jurisdiction by the first mentioned court to the latter court, in which it is stated in part, as follows:

“After full preliminary investigation of certain alleged acts committed in Lake County, Indiana on or about the 10th day of February, 1966, by the above named child (Appellant), a child under the age of eighteen (18) years and a resident of Lake County, Indiana, and which child is subject to the jurisdiction of this Court, the Court now waives jurisdiction herein and orders the said child to be held for [536]*536trial under the regular procedure of the Lake County Criminal Court, And it is so Ordered. Judgment.”

It also appears from the record that upon the filing of the affidavit charging aggravated assault, the judge of the Lake Criminal Court ordered Appellant’s arrest and fixed his bond in thé sum of $3,000.00.

On March 8, 1966, an attorney entered his appearance for the Appellant. On March 18, 1966, the cause was set for trial on March 31, 1966, but on said date, at the request of Appellant’s attorney, the cause was continued. On April 29, 1966, the cause was set for trial on May 12, 1966, and on said latter date, the cause was submitted. Appellant appeared in person and by his attorney, waived arraignment and pleaded guilty to the charge, after having been advised and instructed as to his constitutional rights. It further appears from the record that the court briefly questioned Appellant, who stated: “I kicked him, but only once.”

A typed statement dated February 11, 1966, appears in the record and concerns questions asked the Appellant about the prosecuting witness, as follows:

“Q. Why did you happen to pick out this boy, Tom Verplank ?
A. Because I was mad at the Wallace (Lew Wallace High School) boys, because prior to this they beat up my younger brother, Fred, at a party in the Glen Park area.
Q. What part did you take in the attack of Tom Verplank & what did you see Jim Smith do to Verplank?
A. * * * & I kicked him on the top of his head while he was down.”

The questions and answers set forth above are found in a written statement included in the transcript, however, we do not find any offer or admission of the same in to the record. Doubtless said statement, from which this coloquy was taken, was merely filed.

[537]*537Appellant pleaded guilty to the charge and the court thereupon “committed (him) to the custody of the Board of Trustees of the Indiana Reformatory, to be confined by them, according to law, for a period of not less than one year nor more than five years from this date and to pay the costs of this prosecution.”

Appellant has been admitted to bail during this appeal.

The section of the Statutes under which Appellant was charged, to which he pleaded guilty and was sentenced, is Chapter 22 of the Acts of 1933 entitled: “An Act defining the crime of aggravated assault and battery and fixing penalties,” approved March 6, 1963, effective October 1, 1963, and previously quoted herein.

This appeal is predicated on the asserted error and the denial by the lower court of Appellant’s Verified Motion for Leave to Withdraw Plea of Guilty, to which the State filed its unverified Answer and Memorandum, both of which, omitting the formal parts thereof, are as follows:

“VERIFIED MOTION FOR LEAVE TO WITHDRAW PLEA OF GUILTY.
Comes now the defendant and moves the court for leave to withdraw his plea of guilty and in support of said motion represents to the court as follows:
1. Defendant did on the 12th day of May, 1966, plead guilty to the charge of Aggravated Assault and Battery.
2. The plea of guilty was improvidently made in that the defendant was not in fact guilty of Aggravated Assault and Battery and that the defendant was not fully aware of the consequences of his act in pleading guilty to said charge.
3. Defendant is a minor child sixteen (16) years of age and had only conferred with his counsel in regard to the charge and the plea of guilty for less than thirty (30) minutes on the day the plea of guilty was entered; that prior to the time the defendant entered a plea of guilty he had never conferred with his counsel in regard to the charge or the making of such a plea of guilty.
[538]*5384. That defendant has a substantial and meritorious defense to the crime of Aggravated Assault and Battery in that he did not inflict great bodily harm or disfigurement upon the complainant.
Wherefore, defendant prays that he be granted leave to withdraw his plea of guilty heretofore entered; that the court vacate and expunge from the record the judgment entered on such plea of guilty wherein the defendant was sentenced to- a term of one to five years at the Indiana State Reformatory and that this cause stand for trial at the next term of court.”
“ANSWER AND MEMORANDUM.
Comes now the State of Indiana by its Prosecuting Attorney for the 31st Judidical Circuit, Henry S. Kowalczyk, by and through his deputies, Fred L. Mock and George M. Fisher, and in Answer to Defendants Verified Motion for Leave to Withdraw Plea of Guilty states as follows:
1. The State of Indiana admits the allegations contained in rhetorical paragraph number 1.
2. The State of Indiana denies the allegations contained in rhetorical paragraphs 2, 3 and 4.
Wherefore, the State of Indiana respectfully requests the Honorable Court to deny said Defendants Verified Motion for Leave to Withdraw Plea of Guilty, and for all other just relief in the premises.
MEMORANDUM
The State of Indiana would further show the Honorable Court as follows:
1. On March 1, 1966, an affidavit was filed in and for the County of Lake, State of Indiana charging said defendant with the felony of Aggravated Assault and Battery in the Lake County Criminal Court together with a Waiver of Jurisdiction of the Lake County, Indiana Juvenile Court.
2.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Brumley v. Charles R. Denney Juvenile Center of Snohomish County
466 P.2d 481 (Washington Supreme Court, 1970)
Steinhauer v. State
206 So. 2d 25 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1968)
Summers v. State
230 N.E.2d 320 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1967)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
227 N.E.2d 680, 248 Ind. 534, 1967 Ind. LEXIS 480, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/summers-v-state-ind-1967.