Case Title: State v. Currier

Citation: 162 Vt. 626, 649 A.2d 246

Docket Number: 

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 1994-09-06T00:00:00Z

Document:
ENTRY_ORDER.94-097; 162 Vt. 626; 649 A.2d 246

[Filed:  06-Sep-1994]


                           ENTRY ORDER

                 SUPREME COURT DOCKET NO. 94-097

                         JUNE TERM, 1994


 State of Vermont                     }   APPEALED FROM:
                                      }
                                      }
      v.                              }   District Court of Vermont,
                                      }   Unit No. 2, Franklin Circuit          
                                      }
                                      }
 William Currier                      }   DOCKET NO. 1360/61/62-11-93FrCr

        In the above entitled cause the Clerk will enter:

    The motion filed by the State of Vermont to dismiss the defendant's
 automatic appeal pursuant to Rule 3 of the Vermont Rules of Appellate
 Procedure is denied.  Nothing in the record indicates whether the
 defendant's waiver was knowing and intelligent.  Accordingly, this matter
 is remanded to determine these issues. 

     Defendant was sentenced to life imprisonment on January 31, 1994. 
 Shortly thereafter, the defendant sent a letter to the trial court which
 stated:  "I do not wish to appeal my criminal case, which resulted in life
 imprisonment.  Thank you anyways."  The court scheduled a hearing on the
 issue. (FN1)   At the hearing, the court asked the defendant whether he still
 wanted to give up his right to have the case reviewed by the Supreme Court.
 Defendant responded, "I don't have any comment."  The only matter
 conclusively established at the hearing was that the defendant signed the
 letter after receiving the advice of counsel.  No attempt was made to
 determine whether the waiver was knowing and intelligent. 

    Rule 3(b) of the Vermont Rules of Appellate Procedure provides that in
 any criminal case resulting in life imprisonment, appeal to the Supreme
 Court shall be automatic unless the defendant with the advice of counsel
 has waived such appeal in writing.   It is clear that the defendant sent a
 letter to the trial court relinquishing his right to appeal, and that
 defendant received the advice of counsel, but acted contrary to that
 advice.  Our inquiry does not end here, however.  A defendant will not be
 permitted to forego an appeal unless the trial court determines that the
 defendant's decision was knowingly and intelligently made.  Franz v. State,