Welfare of S. R. J. v. State

293 N.W.2d 32, 1980 Minn. LEXIS 1396
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedMay 9, 1980
Docket50597
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 293 N.W.2d 32 (Welfare of S. R. J. v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Welfare of S. R. J. v. State, 293 N.W.2d 32, 1980 Minn. LEXIS 1396 (Mich. 1980).

Opinion

TODD, Justice.

Petitions for delinquency, based on a series of felonies, were filed against S. R. J. *34 Following a hearing, probable cause was determined to exist. Prior to a reference hearing, a psychiatrist was appointed to examine the minor at his request. The state unsuccessfully sought to obtain an adverse psychiatric examination. At the reference hearing, the juvenile court dismissed the petition of the state to have the minor certified for trial as an adult. We affirm as to the finding that S. R. J. was amenable for treatment, but we reverse the case for further proceedings as to whether the public safety is not served under the provisions of law relating to juvenile courts.

S. R. J. is charged with the commission of nine offenses consisting of one count of kidnapping in violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.-25 (1978); three counts of aggravated robbery in violation of Minn.Stat. §§ 609.245 and 609.05 (1978); one count of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree in violation of Minn.Stat. §§ 609.342(c) and 609.05 (1978); two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree in violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.343 (1978); one count of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree in violation of Minn.Stat. § 609.345 (1978); and attempted robbery in violation of Minn.Stat. §§ 609.17 and 609.24 (1978). These offenses were allegedly committed on November 9, 1978, and November 16, 1978.

At the time of these offenses, S. R. J. was 16 years of age. He previously had been adjudicated delinquent and was on probation for auto tampering.

Following a hearing which determined that probable cause existed, the minor moved the court for the appointment of Dr. John Duffy to conduct a psychological and psychiatric evaluation of S. R. J. pursuant to Minn.Stat. § 260.151. The court granted the motion following a hearing on December 15, 1978. At the close of the hearing, the following dialogue occurred:

MISS ELLEDGE: One other matter, Your Honor, I would just ask the Court if Mr. McClay is going to intend to call Dr. Duffy as a witness at the reference hearing, that we be provided with copies of any reports in time to prepare for cross-examination of Dr. Duffy.
MR. MCCLAY: I have no objection.
THE COURT: Let me put it this way, if there is going to be a written report filed by Dr. Duffy I want a copy provided to the County Attorney’s Office and I think it should be done at least a week before the hearing.
MR. MCCLAY: Only if Dr. Duffy is going to testify.
THE COURT: I assume that is what we are talking about.
MR. MCCLAY: If he is not I would not be required under those circumstances to provide them with a report?
THE COURT: If he is going to testify you are.

On February 26, 1979, the state moved the juvenile court for an order to have S. R. J. examined by a court-appointed psychiatrist or psychologist on the grounds that S. R. J. had put his mental condition in issue. The juvenile court denied the motion based on Ramsey County Juvenile Court rules and the Rules of Criminal Procedure. The state sought mandamus relief in this court to compel the issuance of such an order. We denied the request for a writ of mandamus. The state renewed its request for a separate evaluation of S. R. J. on April 25, 1979. This motion was denied. On April 26,1979, a reference hearing was held. The state presented evidence from S. R. J.’s probation officer, Michael Murphy. An examination of the evidence discloses that Murphy clearly was of the opinion that S. R. J. was amenable to treatment. When asked if S. R. J. would be a threat to public safety, Murphy responded that no one would know how he would react to treatment since S. R. J. had never been involved in treatment before. He further testified that S. R. J. would possibly be a danger to the community. The state also called the dean of students from the high school S. R. J. had been attending. His testimony disclosed serious attendance problems and some disruptive problems caused by S. R. J.’s failure to attend classes while in school. However, the dean of students testified that S. R. J. did not at any time engage in what he considered to be violent behavior.

*35 The state also offered in evidence the delinquency petitions and the police reports evidencing the alleged offenses and their underlying circumstances. The court received the exhibits for purposes of the reference hearing over the objection of counsel for S. R. J., who claimed they constituted hearsay and denied S. R. J. his right of confrontation. The report of Dr. Duffy was not made a part of the court’s proceedings nor was Dr. Duffy called as a witness. The state was furnished a copy of the report, but there is nothing in the record to indicate that the juvenile judge ever saw the report. The state rested, and the court granted defendant’s motion for a directed verdict on the ground that the state had failed to satisfy its burden of proof on the issues of amenability to treatment and threat to public safety as required by Minn. Stat. § 260.125, subd. 2(d).

In discussing the issue of amenability to treatment, the court referred to the testimony of Murphy, the probation officer. We agree with the trial court that the state failed to establish that S. R. J. was not amenable to treatment.

In discussing the issue of threat to public safety, the court referred to the testimony of Murphy apparently to support its determination of this issue. The juvenile judge discussed these reports as they related to probable cause but not as they related to evidence of the circumstances surrounding the commission of the alleged felonies. The state has appealed from the order of the juvenile court dismissing its petition to have S. R. J. certified for trial as an adult.

The issues which relate to the threat to public safety issue are:

(1) For what purpose are police reports admissible at juvenile reference hearings?

(2) How shall mental evaluation testimony be secured and what use shall be made of it at a juvenile reference hearing?

(3) Did the trial court err in refusing to recuse himself from the proceedings?

1. Having determined that the juvenile court was correct in finding that the state failed to carry its burden of proof in establishing that S. R. J. was not amenable to treatment, we confine our discussion of the evidence and procedures herein as they relate to the issue of threat to public safety. A finding that the state had satisfied its burden on the public safety issue would be grounds to certify S. R. J. for trial as an adult since the statutory test is stated in the disjunctive. State v. Hogan, 297 Minn. 430, 212 N.W.2d 664 (1973). In Hogan, we stated:

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

Related

In Re the Welfare of J.S.J.
550 N.W.2d 290 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1996)
State v. Milk
519 N.W.2d 313 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 1994)
In Re the Welfare of E.Y.W.
496 N.W.2d 847 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1993)
Matter of Welfare of TLJ
495 N.W.2d 237 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1993)
State v. Christopher P.
801 P.2d 662 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1990)
In Re the Welfare of J.A.R.
408 N.W.2d 692 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1987)
In Re the Welfare of S.R.L.
400 N.W.2d 382 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1987)
Matter of Welfare of Rwb
376 N.W.2d 263 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1985)
In Re the Welfare of D.M.
373 N.W.2d 845 (Court of Appeals of Minnesota, 1985)
Matter of Welfare of Hartung
304 N.W.2d 621 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1981)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
293 N.W.2d 32, 1980 Minn. LEXIS 1396, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/welfare-of-s-r-j-v-state-minn-1980.