Case Title: Miles v. State

Citation: 195 Kan. 516, 407 P.2d 507

Docket Number: 44,214

State: kansas

Court: Kansas Supreme Court

Date: 1965-11-06T00:00:00Z

Document:
195 Kan. 516 (1965)
407 P.2d 507
WESLEY C. MILES, Appellant,
v.
STATE OF KANSAS, Appellee.
No. 44,214

Supreme Court of Kansas.
Opinion filed November 6, 1965.
E. Dexter Galloway, of Hutchinson, argued the cause and was on the brief for the appellant.
Lane H. Cronhardt, assistant county attorney, argued the cause and was on the brief for the appellee.
The opinion of the court was delivered by
PRICE, J.:
This is an appeal from an order denying relief under the provisions of K.S.A. 60-1507.
The background of the matter is this:
In 1961, plaintiff (appellant) in this proceeding, was convicted in the district court of Reno county of the offense of statutory rape. The girl in question was his thirteen-year-old stepdaughter. He was committed to the state penitentiary pursuant to K.S.A. 21-424. He appealed from his conviction. On June 8, 1963, the judgment was affirmed in State v. Miles, 191 Kan. 457, 382 P.2d 307. On July 10, 1963, his motion for a rehearing was denied by this court.
Subsequently, plaintiff, being confined in the penitentiary, filed a petition in the sentencing court for a writ of habeas corpus in which he attacked the proceedings of his trial and conviction. His petition was treated by the court and all parties as a petition for relief under K.S.A. 60-1507. He was returned to Reno county for the hearing and counsel was appointed to represent him. He testified in his own behalf. Following the hearing the court denied relief and made findings of fact and conclusions of law as follows:
"MEMORANDUM OPINION
"The court finds:
"CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
"Dated November 18, 1964."
In this appeal from the order denying relief, plaintiff, through his court appointed counsel, makes ten contentions  eight of which refer to alleged errors occurring prior to or during his trial, several *518 of which were urged by him and considered by this court in the appeal from his conviction referred to above.
We therefore have this situation:
Plaintiff was charged with a felony. At his preliminary examination, throughout his trial, and in his appeal to this court  he was represented by experienced counsel retained by him. The conviction was affirmed. Later, while confined under the sentence imposed, he brought a proceeding attacking the judgment and sentence, alleging various trial errors. He was denied relief, and now, in this appeal from that order, again urges the invalidity of his conviction because of alleged errors occurring prior to or during his trial.
The answer to the matter presented is found in Rule No. 121 of this court (194 Kan. XXVII) prescribing the procedure under the provisions of K.S.A. 60-1507. The pertinent portion of the rule is:
Indicative of the fact that at some point there must be a finality to such matters, subdivision (d) of Rule No. 121 provides that a sentencing court shall not entertain a second or successive motion for relief on behalf of the same prisoner where the same ground presented in the subsequent application was determined adversely to the applicant on the prior adjudication, or where the prior determination was on the merits.
In this case plaintiff, through his own counsel, appealed from his conviction and raised such points as he considered had merit. They were answered adversely to him. In the matter presently before us plaintiff is not only attempting to raise trial errors which could have been, or were raised in his former direct appeal, but he also is attempting to convert this proceeding into a substitute for a second appeal. We have no question here of his right to raise trial errors which could have been raised upon appeal provided there were exceptional circumstances excusing the failure to appeal in the first place  for he did appeal.
The ninth ground urged is that this court erred in denying plaintiff's motion for a rehearing on July 10, 1963, the point being that through alleged failure of the county attorney to keep an agreement *519 whereby counsel were to submit the appeal without oral argument  plaintiff's then attorney was prevented from appearing in person and arguing the appeal, notwithstanding he had filed an abstract and brief which were considered by this court. This matter was the ground of the motion for a rehearing. The motion was considered and denied by this court and that ruling is adhered to.
The tenth and last ground now urged is that the trial court erred in failing to grant relief in this proceeding under K.S.A. 60-1507. The contention is without merit. The findings and conclusions of the trial court are supported by the record, and are approved.
The judgment is affirmed.