In re Richardson
In re Richardson
Opinion of the Court
MEMO OPINION
Joseph Bert Richardson, an inmate of the Montana State Prison, appearing pro se, filed with this Court a petition for a writ of habeaus corpus.
Petitioner asserts that his plea of guilty to the crime of first degree burglary in the district court of Hill County, Montana, on July 29, 1968, was secured by coercion and duress. To support this contention petitioner states that when he and his co-defendant were arrested at the site of the crime and taken to the police station by the officers he was in great pain, suffering from a twice operated on hernia, heart ailment, ruptured heart valve and bursitis in both arms and shoulders. Petitioner recites at length the “heart attacks” that he suffered in the police station and county jail.
Counsel was appoined for petitioner and he states that at the time of his arraignment and plea he told his court-appointed counsel that he had bursitis, heart trouble, a rupture and high
The records in the district court, including transcript of the hearings, shows that petitioner was before the court and requested an attorney. The court appointed counsel and fixed July 11, 1968 for arraignment. On that day petitioner and his counsel appeared before the court and a plea of guilty was entered. Counsel requested a presentence investigation with the possibility of a mental examination at the State Hospital in Warm Springs if such investigation warranted it. The court stated it would secure a presentence investigation and set further proceedings for July 29, 1968.
On July 29, 1968 petitioner and his counsel were again before the court and the court in addressing counsel stated:
“Now, if you or Mr. Eichardson has a statement in mitigation you may proceed.”
Petitioner’s counsel then stated:
“My client asked me to say that he would like to make a statement that he is unhealthy and has a bad heart and does not expect to live long and because of this he does not wish to die in jail. He would ask for leniency to be given under these circumstances and Mr. Eichardson says that he may die at any moment and he would like to have a medical examination or at least be looked at by a doctor. I have not pressed this actively with the Sheriff’s Office as I possibly should have. At this time he asks that the Court take into consideration his mental and physical condition in pronouncing sentence.”
Petitioner then addressed the court: “Your Honor, I have been sick since I was 21 and I don’t know what a jury looks like in a courtroom and I don’t expect to come into this court
The court responded: “I might state for the record in this case that the time for pronouncement of judgment has been delayed in order to obtain information from the pre-sentence investigation. This pre-sentence investigation was made by the Parole Officer and it has been presented to the Court and a copy made available to counsel for the defendant. In addition to that the Parole Officer has obtained and furnished the Court a copy of records compiled at the Washington State Prison when you were last confined there Mr. Bichardson and that report is also available for examination by counsel if he wishes to examine it. Consequently, the Court has a full report before it today and one thing that I have noted in the report is that there is a statement by the examining physician. As I understand it is to the effect that a year or so ago they found you to be in the best mental and physical condition that you had been in for a number of years and there is no particular report of any physical disability. I think that can be followed up by the State Prison. In the absence of any further report or information I think that the Court is entitled to rely upon the report of the Parole Officer and the information from the Washington State Prison. ’ ’
The Washington State Prison record to which the court referred covered the period of petitioner’s confinement from January 13, 1954, until October 12, 1967. It disclosed that petitioner had major surgery on February 9, 1954, being surgical repair
The record of the district court in this matter which has been reviewed by this Court fails to support petitioner’s charge that his plea was entered by coercion and duress and the writ sought is denied and this proceeding is dismissed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Petition of JOSEPH BERT RICHARDSON
- Status
- Published