Title: Williams v. State

State: arkansas

Issuer: Arkansas Supreme Court

Document:

856 S.W.2d 4 (1993) 313 Ark. 451 James E. WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Arkansas, Appellee. No. 93-129. Supreme Court of Arkansas. June 14, 1993. *5 Daniel D. Becker, Hot Springs, for appellant. Teena L. White, Asst. Atty. Gen., Little Rock, for appellee. CORBIN, Justice. This appeal arises from the circuit court's denial of appellant James E. Williams' motion to transfer his three aggravated robbery charges to juvenile court. At the time of the robberies appellant was fifteen years old. We find no error in the circuit court's decision, and we affirm. Appellant was charged with three counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of theft of property worth over $2,500.00, fleeing, and criminal mischief in the first degree as a result of incidents occurring on November 15, 1992. The charges were filed in Garland County Circuit Court by way of an information on November 16, 1992. On November 25, 1992, appellant filed a motion to transfer the charges to juvenile court pursuant to Ark.Code Ann. § 9-27-318 (Supp.1991). After a hearing on December 21, 1992, the circuit court granted the motion as to all charges except the three aggravated robbery charges. The order transferring the two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of theft, fleeing, and criminal mischief in the first degree to juvenile court and denying the motion to transfer the three counts of aggravated robbery was filed on December 21, 1992. Appellant appeals the denial of the circuit court to transfer his three counts of aggravated robbery to juvenile court. We do not reverse a circuit court's denial of a motion to transfer a case to juvenile court unless we determine the denial was clearly erroneous. Vickers v. State, 307 Ark. 298, 819 S.W.2d 13 (1991). Section 9-27-318 provides in pertinent part: (Emphasis added.) Appellant contends the aggravated robbery charges were improperly retained in the circuit court solely because of the nature of the charge. We disagree. Appellant had the burden of going forward with the proof to show a transfer was warranted under the statute. Pennington v. State, 305 Ark. 312, 807 S.W.2d 660 (1991). The circuit court made its decision after a hearing at which a Juvenile Intake Officer testified for the state and introduced a faxed copy of appellant's file from the Probation Department of Alameda County, California. Appellant chose to rely on the proof presented by the state and did not introduce any proof in his favor. The circuit court order denying appellant's motion to transfer the aggravated robbery charges provided in pertinent part: Although the circuit court is not required to make specific findings of fact in a juvenile transfer case, it is helpful to our review if the court has made findings of fact. Vickers, 307 Ark. 298, 819 S.W.2d 13. During the hearing, the circuit judge made the following findings: The court need not give equal weight to each factor in juvenile transfer *7 cases and it is permissible to give substantial weight to the information. Walker v. State, 304 Ark. 393, 803 S.W.2d 502, reh'g denied, 304 Ark. 402-A, 805 S.W.2d 80 (1991). The circuit judge properly considered each of the three factors and determined that there was violence employed in the commission of the offenses, appellant had a repetitive pattern of adjudicated offenses, and that based on appellant's character traits rehabilitation would not work. Therefore, the circuit judge determined the aggravated robbery charges should be tried in circuit court. Given the fact that the circuit judge considered all the factors and appellant failed to offer any proof in his favor, we are unable to say the circuit court's decision was clearly erroneous or was not supported by clear and convincing evidence. Therefore, we affirm.