Lewis v. State
Lewis v. State
Concurring in Part
concur in part/dissent in part.
T1 While I agree this Petition for Certio-rari should be denied, I cannot join in the majority's disregard for the Court's Rules and case law precedent.
{2 The Petitioner's arguments are not properly before the Court and should be denied summarily. See Walker v. State, 1998 OK CR 14, ¶ 3, 953 P.2d 354, 355. Instead the majority takes up the petition on its merits because an interesting question is raised. As the State points out in its Response, Rule 4.3 requires that all petitions for certiorari contain "[the errors of law urged as having been committed during the proceedings in the trial court which were raised in the application to withdraw plea." Rule 4.3(C)(5), Rules of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, 22 O.8., ch.18, App. (2009). The State points to several unpublished opinions where this Court has consistently and repeatedly refused to consider issues that were not raised in the Petition for Writ of Certiorari or in the Motion to Withdraw Plea filed in the District Court.
13 The majority acknowledges the Petitioner has not complied with the Rules of this Court and has thus waived review by the Court. However, the majority then decides to review the waived issues because it is an interesting question. This lack of discipline in following the Rules promulgated by the Court, together with prior decisions interpreting those Rules, throws into question the very validity of the Rules themselves. Statutes, Rules and case law give the notice that is required to provide the process that is due
T4 In effect, the majority is seeking to issue an advisory opinion which, through this Court's history, it has refused to do. See, Murphy v. State, 2006 OK CR 3, ¶ 1, 127 P.3d 1158; Canady v. Reynolds, 1994 OK CR 54, ¶ 9, 880 P.2d 391, 394; Matter of L. N., 1980 OK CR 72, ¶ 4, 617 P.2d 239, 240.
T5 I concur in the denial of the Petition for Writ of Certiorari based on an application of our Court Rules and case law, but object to the advisory dicto that flows from it. Therefore, I must dissent to the advisory opinion of the Court as the issue is not properly before the Court.
Opinion of the Court
SUMMARY OPINION DENYING CERTIORARI
T1 Sarah Lewis pled guilty to one count: Unlawful Distribution of Marijuana, in Delaware County District Court, Case No. CF-2006-22(A). On March 28, 2006, Lewis entered a plea of guilty in the Delaware County District Court before the Honorable Robert G. Haney. Under Lewis' plea agreement, judgment and sentence would not be imposed unless she withdrew or was removed from the drug court program. Successful completion of the program would result in a dismissal of all charges.
T2 On February 21, 2008, after multiple sanctions over a two-year period, the drug court team voted to remove Lewis from drug court. A Hearing to Terminate Drug Court Proceedings was held on May 21, 2008, at which District Judge Haney sentenced Lewis to ten (10) years imprisonment and a $2,000 fine, as stipulated under the terms of her plea agreement. Lewis filed an Application to Withdraw Plea on May 29, 2008, which was denied after a June 25, 2008 hearing. Lewis appealed to this Court on September 18, 2008. We ordered a response from the State, which was filed on August 31, 2009.
T3 Lewis raises five propositions of error in support of her petition:
I. The trial court abused its discretion by not allowing Lewis to withdraw her guilty plea into drug court because her plea was not given voluntarily or knowingly;
II. The trial court abused its discretion by not allowing Lewis to withdraw her guilty plea because she had not waived her rights under 22 0.8. § 996 (the Delayed Sentencing Program for Young Adults program);
III. The trial court abused its discretion by failing to recognize the ineffec*1142 tiveness of Lewis's counsel by counsel's failure to apprise her of her rights 22 O.S8. § 996 (the Delayed Sentencing Program for Young Adults program);
IV. The trial court erred by failing to recognize Lewis's relapse under 22 O.S. § 471.7(E) and incorrectly revoked Lewis from Drug Court; and
V. The trial court erred by disallowing the testimony of a key defense witness and by denying a continuance before revoking Lewis from Drug Court.
14 After thorough consideration of the entire record before us on appeal, including the original record, transcripts, exhibits and briefs, we find that no relief is required under the law and evidence. We first note that our review of the denial of Lewis's motion to withdraw her plea is limited to whether the plea was knowing and voluntary and whether the district court had jurisdiction to accept it.
15 We find in Proposition I that the trial court was not required to inform Lewis about the Delayed Sentencing Program for Young Adults (DSPYA)
T6 Entry into the DSPYA program is reserved, among other persons, for adults aged 18 to 21 years who are charged with a nonviolent felony, with some limitations.
T8 We conclude in Proposition I that the DSPYA does not create or constitute a right analogous to a constitutional right. It does not create or constitute a material consequence which would flow from a plea of guilty. The trial court was not required to inform Lewis of DSPYA before she entered her plea. Whether she was informed of that program has no bearing on whether her plea was knowing and voluntary. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in accepting Lewis's plea and entry into Drug Court.
T9 We find in Proposition II that, as DSPYA does not create rights analogous to constitutional rights, and the trial court is not required to inform defendants of DSPYA before entering a plea, there was no error when Lewis did not waive, on the record, any rights created by DSPYA. We find in Proposition III that, based on our conclusion in Proposition I, counsel cannot have been ineffective for failing to inform Lewis about the DSPYA program.
$10 In Propositions IV and V Lewis raises issues arising from the trial court's decision terminating her from Drug Court. In Proposition IV Lewis claims the trial court erred in terminating her from the program without recognizing her relapses and allowing her to restart, as provided by the Drug Court statute.
112 This decision was not an abuse of discretion. Lewis asked that her expert witness's curriculum vitae be admitted. There is no clear offer of proof regarding the witness's expected testimony.
Decision
1 183 The Petition for Writ of Certiorari is DENIED. Pursuant to Rule 8.15, Rules of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, Title 22, Ch.18, App. (2009), the MANDATE is ORDERED issued upon the delivery and filing of this decision.
. Cox v. State, 2006 OK CR 51, ¶ 4, 152 P.3d 244, 247.
. Cox, 2006 OK CR 51, ¶ 4, 152 P.3d 244, Id.
. Rule 4.3(C)(50), Rules of the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, Title 22, Ch.18, App. (2009).
. 22 0.S.Supp.2003, § 996 et seq.
. King v. State, 1976 OK CR 103, ¶ 7, 553 P.2d 529, 532; Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U.S. 238, 89 S.Ct. 1709, 23 L.Ed.2d 274 (1969). A defendant may also challenge an illegal sentence or competency to plead. Lewis raises neither of these claims.
. King v. State, 1976 OK CR 103, ¶ 11, 553 P.2d at 534-35.
. Pickens v. State, 2007 OK CR 18, ¶ 2, 158 P.3d 482, 483 (85% Rule); Ferguson v. State, 2006 OK CR 36, ¶ 3, 143 P.3d 218, 219 (85% Rule); Robinson v. State, 1991 OK CR 23, ¶ 9, 806 P.2d 1128, 1130-31 (eligibility for probation or parole).
. Fields v. State, 1996 OK CR 35, ¶¶ 28-30, 923 P.2d 624, 630.
. Cox, 2006 OK CR 51, ¶ 18, 152 P.3d at 251.
. 22 0.$.Supp.2005, § 996.1.
. 22 0.$.Supp.2005, § 996.3.
. 22 0.$.$upp.2003, § 996.2.
. State ex rel Prater v. District Court of Oklahoma County, 2008 OK CR 21, ¶¶ 7, 8, 188 P.3d 1281, 1282-83.
. Lewis must show that counsel's acts or omissions throughout the pretrial and plea process fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and prejudiced her, affecting the outcome of the plea process. Lozoya v. State, 1996 OK CR 55, ¶ 27, 932 P.2d 22, 31. A defendant "must do more than simply testify that but for counsel's errors, he would not have pled guilty...." Lozoya, 1996 OK CR 55, ¶ 28, 932 P.2d at 31.
. 22 0.8.2001, § 471.7(B).
. Hagar, 1999 OK CR 35, ¶ 11, 990 P.2d 894, 898.
. Id.
. Alexander v. State, 2002 OK CR 23, ¶ 19, 48 P.3d 110, 114-115.
. Cole v. State, 2007 OK CR 27, ¶ 8, 164 P.3d 1089; Harris v. State, 2004 OK CR 1, ¶ 10, 84 P.3d 731, 740.
. Other witnesses testified that in their opinion Lewis was as immature as a twelve-year-old and that the court should consider this in deciding whether to terminate her from the program. The State noted that these witnesses, though they knew Lewis, had no particular expertise in this area. At the close of the hearing defense counsel responded to this argument by noting for the record that, respect to psychological expertise or lack thereof would have been provided had we been allowed and able to call the expert we desired to call as before mentioned." As an offer of proof, this is too vague to determine what the expert testimony would have added to the proceedings.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Sarah Jane LEWIS, Petitioner v. STATE of Oklahoma, Respondent
- Cited By
- 8 cases
- Status
- Published