Case Title: Cole v. State

Citation: 707 P.2d 545

Docket Number: 

State: nevada

Court: Nevada Supreme Court

Date: 1985-10-22T00:00:00Z

Document:
707 P.2d 545 (1985) Carroll Edward COLE, Appellant, v. The STATE of Nevada, Respondent. No. 16070. Supreme Court of Nevada. October 22, 1985. *546 Edward G. Marshall, Las Vegas, for appellant. Brian McKay, Atty. Gen., Carson City, Robert J. Miller, Dist. Atty., Las Vegas, for respondent. PER CURIAM: Carroll Edward Cole, convicted on a plea of guilty to first degree murder, has been sentenced to die. Cole refused to file an appeal of his sentence, and this court ordered counsel appointed for him to resolve any of the questions as to whether Cole's waiver of appellate review was valid. We conclude that Cole's waiver was valid and that his death sentence conforms with the requirements of the laws of this state. Cole was charged with the first degree murder of Marie Cushman in Las Vegas. On advice of counsel Cole entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Cole was examined by several psychiatrists, all of whom agreed that Cole was not insane at the time of the crime and also that he was mentally competent to be tried. Thereafter Cole changed his plea to guilty of first degree murder. At Cole's insistence and after extensive questioning as required by Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 95 S. Ct. 2525, 45 L. Ed. 2d 562 (1975), the district court allowed Cole to proceed to the penalty hearing without counsel. Nevertheless, the district court appointed standby counsel for Cole should he wish consultation at any time prior to or during the hearing. The district court also appointed separate counsel to serve as amicus curiae for the three-judge sentencing panel. At the sentencing hearing Cole refused to object to any evidence offered against him. Furthermore, Cole refused to present any mitigating circumstances and objected when the amicus counsel attempted to do so. From Cole's own admissions he has killed at least 13 people. He expresses no remorse for these murders and freely admits that, given the opportunity, he would kill again: Cole also admitted that if given a prison sentence instead of death, he would make every effort to escape because: "I don't think anybody likes to do the rest of their time in a penitentiary. . . ." Cole expressly requested that he be sentenced to die. After the statutory penalty hearing the three judge panel made the following findings: On October 12, 1984, the court entered a judgment of conviction and sentence of death. As stated above, Cole failed to appeal his conviction or sentence. On April 25, 1985, this court entered an order directing the district court to appoint counsel for Cole to address the issue whether Cole had validly waived his right to appellate review. Attorney Edward G. Marshall was then appointed and has filed a comprehensive brief with this court. Whether Cole has validly waived his right to appellate review. The threshold issue in this appeal concerns Cole's obvious desire not to engage in any activity (particularly an appeal) which might delay or prevent his execution. In order to stand, Cole's decision to forego any appeal of his death sentence must be shown to be intelligently made and with full comprehension of its ramifications. From the record it appears that Cole is a fairly intelligent individual with a penchant for murdering women. Two psychiatrists have found him to have been sane at the time of the murder which constitutes the basis of this appeal. Those psychiatrists also found Cole to be mentally competent at the time of their examination. Much of the brief filed by Attorney Marshall is comprised of an affidavit by that attorney. In that affidavit the attorney states that he has had extensive discussions with Cole and found him to be consistent in his desire to be executed. In "clear and unequivocal language" Cole confirmed to Marshall that "he did indeed desire that no appeal whatever be pursued as to his murder conviction with a death penalty sentence, but that his case be expedited through the court system." (Affidavit of counsel, App.Opn.Brf., 15, 16). There should be no question that Cole was competent to decide, and did indeed decide, that no appeal be filed on his behalf. The version of NRS 177.055 in effect at the time of Cole's crime and sentencing reads as follows: As review of the first paragraph reveals, a party who had pleaded not guilty or not guilty by reason of insanity may waive his or her appeal by an affirmative action. This paragraph makes no reference to a party that has pleaded guilty, but it is logical to infer that such a party would, at a minimum, have the same right to waive appellate review. NRS 177.066 provides that in actions not covered by NRS 177.055, a party has thirty days to appeal a judgment to this court. Certainly Cole missed that deadline. We conclude that he did so purposely, with the intent to waive his right to appeal and with full knowledge of the consequences of that decision. Although this court's order required only that Cole's appointed counsel brief the question of whether Cole's waiver of appeal was valid, it appears that this court must inquire further. Paragraph 2 of NRS 177.055 requires this court to review certain issues where a judgment of death has been entered, regardless of an attempted waiver of appellate review. As the sole aggravating circumstance the sentencing panel found, pursuant to NRS 200.033(2), that the murder was committed by a person who was previously convicted of another murder or of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person of another. The panel then enumerated three murder convictions of Cole from Texas, a guilty plea and judgment of conviction of a separate Las Vegas murder, and a conviction of assault with intent to kill in Missouri. The panel failed to find any mitigating circumstances. The record supports the panel's findings in regard to both the aggravating circumstances and the absence of mitigation. There is no indication that any impermissible factor influenced the panel's decision. Indeed, great care was taken to insure that Cole was given a sentence based on the facts and law. The trial judge even went so far as to appoint an amicus counsel for the court, in addition to Cole's standby counsel. Cole admits that after he and the victim went to a motel room they engaged *549 in sexual intercourse and he then strangled her with his hands and a piece of cord he had in his pants pocket. He has no remorse for this murder or any of the many others he has committed. Except for an eight or nine-year-old childhood companion, all of Cole's victims have been women. Cole has freely admitted that he would kill again if given the opportunity. In refusing to allow the trial court's amicus counsel to put on mitigating evidence, Cole stated: "There's nothing good about me." Counsel appointed for this appeal states: We conclude that the sentence of death in this case is neither excessive nor disproportionate to the crime or defendant. See Deutscher v. State, 95 Nev. 669, 601 P.2d 407 (1979); Bishop v. State, 95 Nev. 511, 597 P.2d 273 (1979). Based on the foregoing we hereby affirm Cole's conviction of first degree murder and sentence of death.