WEEKS v. STATE

2015 OK CR 16, 362 P.3d 650, 2015 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 16, 2015 WL 7444253
Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma·Decided November 23, 2015·No. C-2015-258·Published·Cited by 35 cases

Opinion

OPINION DENYING CERTIORARI

LUMPKIN, Vice Presiding Judge.

€ 1 Petitioner, Jimmy Robert Weeks, was charged by Amended Information in the District Court of Rogers County, Case No. CF-2014-229, with Sex Offender Loitering within 500 Feet of a Child Care Center (Counts 1-2) (21 O.S.Supp.2010, § 1125). Petitioner filed a motion challenging the constitutionality of the statute under which he was charged and, in the alternative, seeking to quash the Information for insufficient evidence. The District Court denied Petitioner's motion on December 4, 2014,

[ 2 Petitioner's case came on for jury trial on February 9, 2015 before the Honorable J. Dwayne, Steidley, District Judge. On that date, Petitioner waived his right to trial and entered a negotiated no contest plea to Count 2 of the Amended Information. Pursuant to the plea agreement, the State dismissed Count 1 but stood moot as to the issue of punishment as to Count 2.

*653 T3 The District Court accepted Petitioner's plea and sentenced him to six (6) months in the county jail with credit for the six (6) months that he had spent in jail awaiting trial, The District Court further ordered Petitioner to pay a fine in the amount of $250.00, a $100.00 Victims Compensation Assessment, and the costs of the action.

' {4 On February 19, 2015, Petitioner filed his Application to Withdraw Plea. At a hearing held on March 11, 2015, the District Court denied Petitioner's Motion. It is that demal which is the subject of this appeal.

15 Petitioner raises the following propositions of error in support of his appeal.

I. That Title 21; Section 1125(A) is unconstitutional for being vague and over-broad. -
IL, - There was insufficient evidence to find Petitioner guilty.

16 After thorough consideration of the propositions and the entire record before us on appeal meluchng the original record, tran-seripts, and briefs of the parties, we affirm the trial court's ruling.

{7 In his first proposition of error, Petitioner contends that 21 0.8.8upp.2010, § 1125(A), is unconstitutional. He does not claim that his plea was not knowingly and voluntarily entered, but, simply claims that the statute upon which he was convicted does not give fair notice of what is prohibited. 1 Therefore, we must determine whether Petitioner's claim is reviewable in a certiorari proceeding.

18 The United States Supreme Court has clearly established that a guilty plea has a preclusive effect on a petitioner's collateral attacks on his conviction. "[A] guilty plea represents a break in the chain of events which has preceded it in the criminal process." Tollett v. Henderson, 411 U.S. 258, 267, 98 S.Ct 1602, 1608, 36 L.Ed.2d 285 (1978), "A plea of guilty and the ensuing conviction comprehend all of the factual and legal elements necessary to sustain a binding, final judgment -of guilt and a lawful sentence." United States v. Broce, 488 U.S. 563, 569, 109 S.Ct. 757, 762, 102 L.Ed.2d 927 (1989). "When a criminal defendant has solemnly admitted in open court that he is in fact guilty of the offense with which he is charged, he may not thereafter raise independent claims relating to the deprivation of constitutional rights that occurred prior to the entry of the guilty plea" Tolleff, 411 U.S. at 267, 93 S.Ct. at 1608.

T9 A valid guilty plea forecloses inquiry into pre-plea defenses. Id., 411 U.S. at 266, 98 S.Ct.. at 1607. It also forecloses independent inquiry. into a claim of discrimination in the selection of the grand jury. Id. "[A] counseled defendant may not make a collateral attack on a guilty plea on the allegation that he misjudged the admissibility of his confession." Broce, 488 U.S. at 572, 109 at 764, citing McMann v. Richardson, 397 U.S. 759, 770, 90 S.Ct. 1441, 1448, 25 L.Ed.2d 763 (1970). Even a double jeopardy claim may be waived by the entry of a guilty plea. Id., 488 U.S. at 576, 109 S.Ct. at 765, citing Menna v. New York, 423 U.S. 61, 62, 96 S.Ct. 241, 242, 46 L.Ed.2d 195 (1975). Thus, a valid guilty plea forecloses review of those claims, constitutional and 'otherwise, which a pet1t1oner had before entering the plea. Tollett 411 U.S. at 266 93 S.Ct. at 1607.

110 While claims of prior constitutional deprivation may play a part in evaluating the advice rendered by counsel, they are not independent grounds for relief, Id., 411 U.S. at 267, 93 S.Ct. at 1608. Instead, a petitioner is limited to attacks on the voluntary and intelligent nature of the plea. Id.; Broce, 488 U.S. at 573-74, 109 S.Ct. at 764-65.

{11 We have similarly recognized this rule. This Court has held that a valid guilty plea waives any irregularity in the proceedings that occurred prior to the plea. Frederick v. State, 1991 OK CR 56, ¶ 5, 811 P.2d 601, 608 (recognizing valid guilty plea fatal to petitioner's claim that he had a defense or *654 mitigating evidence to present at. trial); Stokes v. State, 1987 OK CR 114, ¶ 6, 738 P.2d 1364, 1365 (finding guilty plea waives claim that crimes charged were inappropriate in light of facts presented at preliminary hearing); Maynard v. State, 1986 OK CR 35, ¶¶ 3-4, 715 P.2d 1341, 1342-43 (finding petitioner's nolo contendre plea waived review of challenge to sufficiency of search warrant resulting in charges); Brown v. State, 1965 OK CR 104, ¶ 5, 405 P.2d 698, 701 (holding guilty plea waives right to question any irregularities in preliminary hearing). We have limited certiorari review to determining "whether or not the plea was entered voluntarily and intelligently." Frederick, 1991 OK CR 56, ¶ 5, 811 P.2d at 603, citing Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L. 274 (1969).

112 The United States Supreme Court has recognized a single exception to this rule. A guilty plea does not preclude review of a claim that implicates "the very power of the State to bring the defendant into court to answer the charge brought against him." Blackledge v. Perry, 417 U.S. 21, 30-31, 94 S.Ct. 2098, 2103-04, 40 L.Ed.2d 628 (1974), citing Tollett, 411 U.S. at 266, 267, 93 S.Ct. at 1607, 1608. A guilty plea does not foreclose a subsequent challenge that the charge, judged on its face, is one which the State may not constitutionally prosecute, Broce, 488 U.S. at 575, 109 S.Ct. at 765.

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WEEKS v. STATE, 2015 OK CR 16, 362 P.3d 650, 2015 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 16, 2015 WL 7444253 (Okla. Ct. App. 2015).

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