Black v. People
Black v. People
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
No motion for a new trial was filed on behalf of Black and for that reason the trial court denied a request for a free transcript of the record and for appointment of counsel to represent him on writ of error to this court. Admittedly, the time for filing a motion for new trial had expired prior to the request for a free transcript.
On March 18, 1966, the judge who presided at the trial on the burglary charge wrote to Black and informed him that since no motion for a new trial had been filed he was not entitled to writ of error. The letter included the following:
“For these reasons, your present Motion cannot be granted, and the same is denied. Your attention is invited to Rule 35 (b), entitled ‘Post Conviction Remedy for Prisoners in Custody.’ This Rule relates to the possible violation of a prisoner’s constitutional rights.”
Approximately one year thereafter Black, appearing pro se, filed what he captions “MOTION (Rule 35,b) TO ANNUL, VACATE AND SET ASIDE THE JUDGMENT.” This motion was denied on April 27, 1967. In so doing the court said, inter alia:
“It is the position of this Court that the defendant is required to comply with the Colorado Rules of Criminal Procedure and that until and unless he does comply with said Rules, he may not complain that his constitutional rights have been infringed. We need not go outside of the record in this case to determine that the defendant
The Attorney General, in his answer to the “brief” of Black which is directed to denial of the 35 (b) petition, makes the following statement, inter alia:
“* * * before the merits of this appeal can be determined it is first necessary that the trial court conduct a hearing into the merits of the allegations made in the petition for 35(b) relief. Roberts v. People, 158 Colo. 76, 404 P.2d 848.
We agree. See also Cruz v. Patterson, 253 F. Supp. 805, (D.C. Colo. 1966).
The judgment denying the petition for post conviction relief is vacated, and the cause remanded to the district court with directions to conduct a hearing thereon; to make findings upon pertinent issues of fact alleged therein; and to enter judgment consistent with the findings of fact.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John Black v. The People of the State of Colorado
- Status
- Published