State v. Lingford
State v. Lingford
Opinion of the Court
The defendant entered a plea of guilty and was found guilty of two counts of indecent behavior with a child. Upon recommendation of the state welfare department, he was committed for specialized treatment as a sex deviate as authorized by the Sex Crimes Act.
On the scheduled day of the trial, the defendant appeared and through his attorney stated to the court that he desired to plead guilty to two counts of indecent behavior with a child. Each count was then read to him. As to each count the following questions were asked and answers given:
“The Court: Do you fully understand what you are charged with as to Count No. 1? (Question repeated as to Count No. 3.)
“Defendant: Yes, sir. (Answer repeated as to Count No. 3.)
“The Court: Do you realize that if you are found guilty as to taking indecent liberties with that child, that you could be sentenced to a term at the Wisconsin prisons up to ten years? (Instruction repeated as to Count No. 3.)
“Defendant: Yes, sir.
“The Court: Have any said threats or any said promises been made to you by anyone at all to get you to enter a said guilty plea as to Count No. 1, which has just been read to you? (Question repeated as to Count No. 3.)
“Defendant: No, sir. (Answer repeated as to Count No. 3.)
“The Court: Are you entering that guilty plea of your own free will ?
“Defendant: On the advice of my attorney, yes.
“The Court: And are you entering it of your own free will?
“Defendant: Yes.
“The Court: Do you in your own heart feel you are guilty of that offense ?
“Defendant: In a way, yes.
“The Court: Sir, I don’t want any of this half ways ‘in a way’ or not. Do you feel you are guilty of that offense or do you feel you are not guilty?
“Defendant: I feel I am guilty, Your Honor.
“The Court: Now, sir, referring to Count No. 1 and to Count No. 3, do you realize that if you are found guilty*621 on either of those two counts or both of those two counts, this court must order sex deviate examination pursuant to section 959.15 ?
“Defendant: I did not know that.
“The Court: Well, I am advising you of that now. Further be advised that if you are found to be a sex deviate, this court will order you committed to the Wisconsin Department of Welfare for an indeterminate period of supervision or confinement in an institution until such time as the psychiatrist and psychologist at the said institution shall determine that you are no longer a said danger to society, when you shall be released on parole; that said supervision and/or control over you can extend for a period of up to five to ten to fifteen years. Do you realize that?
“Defendant: Yes, sir.
“The Court: That period of control over you. At any time after they have put you on parole, should they feel that you are in need of further hospitalization or treatment, they can bring you back to the institution for further treatment and control. Do you realize that?
“Defendant: Yes, sir.
“The Court: Now understanding all of this, do you want to enter a guilty plea as to Count No. 1 and Count No. 3?
“Defendant: May I talk with my lawyer, please?
“The Court: Yes, sir, you can.
(short pause.)
“The Court: On the first and third count you have had an opportunity to discuss that again with your attorney ? (Emphasis added.)
“Defendant: Yes, those two I will plead guilty to.”
The first of the three portions of the transcript underlined is a reminder that the pleas of guilty here involved were entered by defendant on advice of his trial counsel. The defendant’s attorney at the trial was an able and experienced barrister, Louis Wiener, who has specialized in the trial of criminal cases for many years. The trial
The second exchange of questions and answers underlined above clearly indicates that the trial court correctly informed the defendant that his possible commitment as a dangerous sex deviate would be for an indeterminate period and until it was determined that he was “. . . no longer a said danger to society.” Granted the difficulty of capsulizing an involved statute, this correctly informed the defendant that if he were found to be a sex deviate, he would be committed for an indeterminate period of supervision or confinement in an institution for treatment “. . . until such time as the psychiatrist and psychologist at the said institution shall determine that you are no longer a said danger to society, when you shall be released on parole.” The essential elements of a commitment under the Sex Deviate Law are all there: Commitment for an indefinite period of supervision or confinement until cured.
Postconviction counsel finds error in the additional statement by the trial court that “. . . said supervision and/or control over you can extend for a period of up to five to ten to fifteen years.” Referring to the term of probable confinement, the comment errs on the ground
In analogous situations where persons are committed by courts for treatment — for example, mental illness, narcotics addiction, untreated tuberculosis — to require a warning that lifelong institutionalization might accompany failure to respond to treatment would be inconsistent with all modern concepts of encouraging patient cooperation with the treatment program. Recovery is not aided by stressing a remote possibility as a predictable probability. If such warning that nonresponse to treatment may mean nonrelease is to be required, it is adequately covered by the explanation that the commitment is for treatment until cured. The important consideration here is the one set forth by the trial court that commitment is for an indefinite period and until “you are no longer a said danger to society.”
This is particularly so where, as the third underlined section of the transcript reveals, the answer of the de
So we are not dealing just with the presumption that a defendant, represented by counsel, has, prior to arraignment, “. . . been informed of the nature of the offense with which he is charged, the range of punishment, the possible defenses, and that he has understandingly considered these factors with the help of counsel.”
The extensive interrogation by the trial court occupies five pages in this record. The prologue is the presumption of prearraignment informing the defendant as to possible penalties by his attorney. The epilogue is the mid-hearing conference of defendant and counsel on the
The defendant also contends that the trial court erred in failing to appoint a publicly compensated psychiatrist to assist him at the evidentiary hearing concerning his sexual deviation. In Huebner v. State,
“The defendant shall be afforded such hearing with with counsel, process to compel attendance of witnesses, production of evidence, an examination by a doctor or psychiatrist of his own choosing, and if he is unable to provide counsel, he shall have counsel appointed for him at public expense, all as provided in sec. 959.15 (14), for hearings after commitment to the department. After such hearing the court shall make its finding and either sentence the defendant under criminal law as provided in sec. 959.15 (5) or commit him to the department under the alternatives of sec. 959.15 (6).”7
The language as to process, witnesses and counsel comes from the statute governing applications for review on the question of continuing control by the department;
Before reaching the question of entitlement to a publicly paid doctor or psychiatrist, selected by the defendant or appointed by the court, the defendant was required to establish that he was not able to procure such additional medical testimony on his own and out of his own resources. Here the trial court found that he was able to hire his own medical or psychiatric witness if he so desired. The trial court found that the defendant “. . . can hire his own psychiatrist if he wishes to have one in court to contest this finding in this case. He is able to hire his own psychiatrist . . This involved more than a finding that the defendant was regularly employed and earning $91 per week, $5 per week more than at the time counsel was appointed for him. The trial court referred to the fact that, earlier in this case, the defendant “. . . was able to hire a psychiatrist and psychologist before.” On that occasion he borrowed the money from his employer and had paid back the employer by the time the request for a publicly paid psychiatrist was made. There is no proof nor offer of proof in the record that the defendant could not have secured a second psychiatric witness in exactly the same manner and from the same source as to finances he had used on the first occasion.
More importantly, we cannot close our eyes to the balance of the record in this case. Prior to sentencing, Attorney Wiener urged that the defendant be given outpatient treatment rather than treatment in the state facility. At that time, on behalf of and in the presence of his client, he assured the court that “. . . the man is working, wants to take treatment and will at Ms own expense. His wife is working, and he is working and
“Mr. Wiener: If the Court please, in the case of State vs. Lingford, after reading the report of the Department of Public Welfare in this case, it is our position that it would be to the benefit of the defendant under present circumstances to waive an evidentiary hearing and abide by the recommendation of that department as to specialized treatment.”
“The Court: Do you wish to contest the said findings of the Wisconsin Department of Welfare that you are a sex deviate?
“Mr. Wiener: The Judge means by that, do you want to fight the report from the Department of Welfare that you are a sex deviate, or do you want to take the benefit of their recommendation that you are and get the treatment. That’s what the Judge means. It may take some years to cure you, or not. Are you satisfied?
“The Defendant: Yes.
*628 “The Court: What do you want to do? Do you want to accept their recommendation or do you want to contest and so fight their recommendation?
“The Defendant: I don’t wish to contest their recommendation.
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“The Court: All right. In other words, that you do want to receive this treatment and therapy?
“Defendant: Yes, sir, Your Honor.
“The Court: The Court allows the defendant to withdraw his request for the said hearing . . . .”
Again, five days after the defendant had been committed pursuant to the Sex Crimes Act, he reappeared in court with his attorney who stated: “. . . we have come to the conclusion not to raise any or ask for any further proceedings or any further action so far as the final disposition of the Court. We both believe that is a step which would be most beneficial to the final outcome of this case.” The court responded: “What do you mean?” Defendant’s attorney explained: “That we do not proceed any further with any further hearings.” The trial court then stated:
“The Court: Then you are reaffirming the decision made earlier by you and your client that you do not wish to challenge the said findings of the Wisconsin Department of Public Welfare psychiatrists and psychologists that this defendant is a sex deviate at this time and needs treatment and therapy?
“Mr. Wiener: That is correct.
“The Court: Is that correct, Mr. Lingford?
“Defendant. Yes.”
On this record we find no error as to either of the two rulings of the trial court challenged by this appeal
By the Court. — Order affirmed.
See. 959.15, Stats. “The purpose of the Sex Crimes Act commonly known as the ‘Sex Deviate Law’ is to protect society from the commission of dangerous sex crimes.” Huebner v. State (1967), 33 Wis. 2d 505, 521, 147 N. W. 2d 646.
State v. Reppin (1967), 35 Wis. 2d 377, 385, 151 N. W. 2d 9.
See State v. Strickland (1965), 27 Wis. 2d 623, 135 N. W. 2d 295.
A recent study of persons committed under the Wisconsin Sex Crimes Law reveals that between July, 1951, and June 30, 1963, 978 deviated persons were sent to the sex crimes facility for treatment. Of this number 717 were paroled. Most of these served less than eighteen months in the treatment program and more than one third were paroled in less than one year. Pacht and Roberts, “Factors Related to Parole Experience of the Deviated Sex Offender,” Journal of Correctional Psychology, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Jan. — Feb., 1968).
State v. Koerner (1966), 32 Wis. 2d 60, 65, 145 N. W. 2d 157.
Supra, footnote 1, pages 528, 529.
Id. at page 529.
Sec. 959.15 (14), Stats.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). I must dissent from the conclusion of the majority that the accused pleaded guilty with full knowledge of all possible penalties. When first arraigned on the charge of taking indecent liberties with a child and while being represented by counsel, the
The court then undertook to advise the accused, but in so doing I think made a materially ambiguous statement, certainly ambiguous to a layman under the tension of being sentenced. The court stated in reference to commitment for an indeterminate period of supervision “. . . that said supervision and/or control over you can extend for a period of up to five to ten to fifteen years.” This illustration by the court can reasonably be interpreted to mean indeterminate up to a maximum of fifteen years. After this statement the accused talked to his counsel and again pleaded guilty. The majority assumes this was for the purpose of explaining the possible penalties of the charge. This is pure speculation. If the instructions were as clear as the majority believes them to be, there would be no need for it to assume they needed explanation by counsel. I think the presumption laid down in State v. Strickland (1965), 27 Wis. 2d 623, 135 N. W. 2d 295, that an accused represented by counsel has been fully explained, the nature of the offense charged, the range of the penalties, the possible defenses, and that said counsel has satisfied himself as the accused’s attorney that the accused understood such explanations before permitting him to plead guilty, was overworked in this case in view of the fact that the attorney allowed his client in the first instance to plead guilty when he was ignorant that a sex deviate examination pursuant to sec. 959.15, Stats., was mandatory on the court.
An error in overstatement is as disastrous as an understatement because the result is likewise erroneous. The court has a demanding and grave duty in accepting a plea of guilty. It is not enough that part of his instructions is correct. Nor is it justified in giving an ambiguous statement because there is therapeutic value in not stating the ultimate consequences of an illness. One pleading guilty to a crime is entitled to know what he is getting into.
In this court’s experience many attorneys and some trial judges are not fully aware of the consequences of incarceration as a sex deviate and they are not aware the sex deviate facility is the state prison in Waupun, the same place the accused would be sent under a criminal sentence. Nor are most attorneys and judges aware or familiar with the course, nature or extent of treatment at the sex deviate facility.
It is not a question of whether this accused is guilty or not guilty or the consequences of being a sex deviate are not so bad because many sex deviates are paroled. The question presented is one of procedural due process and under the manifest injustice rule of State v. Reppin (1967), 35 Wis. 2d 377, 151 N. W. 2d 9, the accused should have been allowed to withdraw his plea. Consequently I would reverse.
I am authorized to state that Mr. Justice Wilkie and Mr. Justice Heffernan join in this dissent.
Reference
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- State, Respondent, v. Lingford, Appellant
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