United States v. Rife

514 F. Supp. 368, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12064
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedMay 11, 1981
DocketNo. 4805
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 514 F. Supp. 368 (United States v. Rife) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Rife, 514 F. Supp. 368, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12064 (S.D. Ohio 1981).

Opinion

RICE, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on the motion of Marvin Rife, pro se, for an Order requiring the Court’s reporter to transcribe portions of the movant’s trial in 1970, in which he was convicted of six counts of possession and passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. In the alternative, movant moves for a declaratory judgment pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201-2202. Attached to the motion as exhibits are several certified copies of court records from Clark County and movant’s Affidavit in Support of Request to Proceed in Forma Pauperis.

The trial in the above captioned cause was held on January 19-20, 1970, before Judge Carl Weinman. Movant was found guilty by a jury on all six counts of the indictment and was thereafter sentenced to two years on count I, and to two years on each of counts II-VI. The sentences in counts II-VI were to, and apparently did, run concurrently with each other, and concurrently with the sentences for count I. Movant has served the above sentences in full and is presently an inmate at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, Lucas-ville, Ohio, on an unspecified and unrelated conviction.

Specifically, movant seeks transcription of the direct and cross-examination of himself at the 1970 trial, relating to his prior convictions in 1951, 1957, and 1960. He alleges that defense counsel did not inform the trial judge in the 1970 proceedings that he was not represented by counsel during the proceedings that led to his prior convictions; that he was not advised of his constitutional right to appointment of counsel in the prior proceedings; and that he did not waive said right to counsel therein. Consequently, because the proceedings which led to his convictions in the prior proceedings were constitutionally infirmed, he alleges that inquiry into those prior convictions by the prosecution in the 1970 trial, for the purpose of impeaching his credibility “ ‘May’ have so prejudiced the jury that he was denied his right to due process in the 1970 trial.” (Motion at 1).

Movant also seeks an order remanding him to this Court with appointment of effective counsel 'for an evidentiary hearing which, he states, “in effect will do nothing more than give Petitioner an opportunity to remove the stigma of that [1970] judgment and sentence long fully served.” (Memorandum at 4).

Exhibit A is a certified copy of the docket entries in In the matter of Marvin Rife, Clark County Probate Court, Juvenile Division (1951). An entry was filed on April 16, [370]*3701951, adjudging movant delinquent and ordering that he be committed to the permanent care of the Boys’ Industrial School, Lancaster, Ohio.

Exhibit B contains an Entry from the Clark County Court of Common Pleas bearing the date of January 6, 1958.1 Therein, movant was convicted on a plea of guilty, after withdrawing a plea of not guilty, of two counts of Burglary in violation of section 2907.10, Ohio Rev.Code. He was sentenced to an indeterminate sentence.

Exhibit C contains certified copies of records from the Clark County Court of Common Pleas relating to movant’s conviction in 1960, for uttering and publishing in violation of section 2913.01, Ohio Rev.Code. Movant pleaded guilty to the above charge and was sentenced for an indeterminate period.

There is nothing in the records before the Court, relating to the 1951 or 1957 convictions, indicating that the movant was represented by counsel in either of those proceedings. The records are also silent as to whether he was apprised of his right to counsel or that he had waived his right thereto.

Exhibit C(b) is a judgment entry, the date of which is blurred, relating to movant’s 1960 conviction. This entry states that “By written decision of February 24, 1976, this Court ruled that Defendant was entitled to relief under his petition to vacate judgment under the provisions of section 2953.21 [Petition to vacate or set aside sentence], Revised Code.” The Court granted Defendant a new trial:

“[0]n the basis that the Defendant voluntarily entered a plea of guilty without counsel to the Indictment ... but that at the time of entering said plea of guilty no written record was taken of said proceedings and this Court .. . had no recollection of what was said to the Defendant about his right to Court appointed counsel at County expense.”

Thus, Exhibit C(b) shows that the Clark County Court of Common Pleas vacated movant’s 1960 judgment of conviction, in 1976, either because movant was not represented by counsel or because there was no evidence in the record to establish that he had been told of his right to appointed counsel and had voluntarily waived same.

SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS

1. Despite the manner in which the motion is fashioned, the relief sought by movant argues in favor of treating the motion as a petition or application for a writ of error coram nobis, under the “All Writs” statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1651.
It cannot be treated as a § 2255 motion because the movant is no longer in federal custody for the sentence imposed in 1970. It cannot be treated as a § 2254 motion because movant is not claiming to be in state custody in violation of the U. S. Constitution or any federal law.
Failure to style the motion as an application for writ of error coram nobis is not fatal. There is authority for treating it as such, especially where, as here, the movant is an incarcerated indigent, his sentence has been fully served, and he is seeking relief to “achieve justice.” United States v. Morgan, 346 U.S. 502, 74 S.Ct. 247, 98 L.Ed. 248 (1953).
2. If movant’s allegations regarding the 1960 conviction are proven, that is, that he was questioned about this pri- or felony conviction during the 1970 trial for impeachment purposes, he is almost certainly entitled to relief. The judgment entry, Exhibit C(b), vacating judgment and sentence on the 1960 conviction, shows that there was a constitutional infirmity therein.
The Supreme Court has held that the admission of a prior criminal conviction which is constitutionally infirmed [371]*371under the standards of Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335, 83 S.Ct. 792, 9 L.Ed.2d 799 is inherently prejudicial, Burgett v. Texas, 389 U.S. 109, 88 S.Ct. 258, 19 L.Ed.2d 319 (1967), and that an infirmed prior conviction cannot be used to impeach an accused’s credibility. Loper v. Beto, 405 U.S. 473, 92 S.Ct. 1014, 31 L.Ed.2d 374 (1972).
3. As to the 1951 and 1957 convictions, the Court cannot presume waiver from a silent record.
“The record must show or there must be an allegation and evidence which show, that an accused was offered counsel but intelligently and understandingly rejected the offer. Anything less is not waiver.” Carnley v. Cochran, 369 U.S. 506, 516, 82 S.Ct. 884, 890, 8 L.Ed.2d 70 (1962).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
514 F. Supp. 368, 1981 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12064, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-rife-ohsd-1981.