Title: State v. Toulouse

State: arizona

Issuer: Arizona Supreme Court

Document:

122 Ariz. 275 (1979) 594 P.2d 529 The STATE of Arizona, Appellee, v. Allan L. TOULOUSE, Appellant. No. 4517. Supreme Court of Arizona, In Banc. April 18, 1979. *276 John A. LaSota, Jr., Former Atty. Gen., Robert K. Corbin, Atty. Gen., by William J. Schafer, III and Diane M. Ramsey, Asst. Attys. Gen., Phoenix, for appellee. O'Connell, Hecker & Phillips by Thomas M. Pace, Phoenix, for appellant. CAMERON, Chief Justice. Defendant, Allan L. Toulouse, pursuant to a written plea agreement, entered a plea of guilty to the charge of kidnapping while armed with a gun. A.R.S. § 13-491(A), (C) and (D).[*] He was sentenced to the Arizona State Prison for not less than five nor more than twelve years. He now appeals. We have jurisdiction pursuant to Rule 47(e)(5), Rules of the Supreme Court, 17A A.R.S. We are asked to decide the following questions on appeal: The facts necessary for a determination of this matter on appeal are as follows. On 29 January 1978, defendant and one Karn checked out of the San Carlos Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona, and were driven to the bus depot in the hotel's van. When they reached the depot, they informed the driver that they had guns and commanded him to drive them to Tucson. They left him bound and gagged in a motel in Tucson. Defendant and Karn were apprehended in Wilcox, Arizona. After a partial preliminary hearing, defendant waived further proceedings, was held to answer, pled guilty to the charge, and was sentenced. From the plea and sentence he appeals. WAIVER OF DEFECTS IN THE PRELIMINARY HEARING The caption of the complaint read "Armed Kidnapping," and the complaint stated that defendant had "kidnapped MIKE ARTHUR FINNEY while armed with a gun, all in violation of A.R.S. Sec. 13-491 A, C and D * * *." At the preliminary hearing, after one witness, the victim, had testified, the defendant signed a waiver of preliminary hearing which stated in part, "I understand that I am charged with the crime of Armed Kidnapping, A.R.S. § 13-491 * * *." The order holding the defendant to answer indicated that defendant was charged with "a Felony, to-wit ARMED KIDNAPPING." The information alleged that the defendant "Kidnapped Mike Arthur Finney while armed with a gun, all in violation of A.R.S. § 13-491 A, C and D * * *." Subsection D reads as follows: Defendant contends that "armed kidnapping" is a different offense than kidnapping armed with a gun since subsection D of § 13-491 allows for probation on a first offense for a defendant convicted of kidnapping while armed with a deadly weapon other than a gun, while if the deadly weapon on is a gun, the defendant may not receive probation. Defendant ignores the fact that he was armed with a gun, as both the complaint and information alleged and as the factual basis for the plea and the admitted plea agreement indicated. The plea agreement read: There is no question that the defendant knew the nature of the crime to which he was pleading guilty. He had not been misled and was not confused. There was no prejudice to the defendant in any defect in the preliminary hearing. We find no error. There is, however, another reason why defendant may not prevail. Our rules of criminal procedure require that defects in the charging document be raised by motion prior to trial or be precluded. Rule 13.5(c) of the Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S., reads as follows: And Rule 16.1(c) reads: These rules are in accord with the general case law that a plea of guilty is a waiver of all non-jurisdictional defenses. State v. Canaday, 116 Ariz. 296, 569 P.2d 238 (1977); State v. Hansen, 105 Ariz. 368, 464 P.2d 960 (1970). Prior to his plea of guilty, defendant raised no question regarding the insufficiency of the complaint, preliminary hearing or the order holding him to answer. His voluntary plea of guilty waives any non-jurisdictional defects in the proceedings prior to the plea. Canaday; Hansen, supra. THE PRIOR CONVICTION The State filed an allegation of a prior conviction in Wyoming for possession of marijuana. The Arizona drug statute is contained in Title 36, Ch. 9, A.R.S. §§ 36-1001, et seq., and is a part of Title 36, Public Health and Safety. The crime to which defendant pled guilty is defined in our criminal code, Title 13, 5 A.R.S. Both Title 36 and Title 13 contain enhanced punishment statutes, A.R.S. § 36-1002.05(B) and §§ 13-1649 and 1650. While admitting that the allegation of a prior conviction had been withdrawn as a result of the plea bargain, defendant contends that the allegation of the prior conviction was coercive and that since the crime defendant committed in Wyoming would be a crime in Arizona under Title 36, the enhanced punishment provisions of Title 13 may not be used to enhance punishment for a crime under Title 13. Defendant ignores the plain language of the statutes in Title 13: And: The Wyoming conviction was a felony. It was available to enhance defendant's punishment in Arizona. Defendant, however, cites an opinion of the Attorney General, No. 72-16-L, for the proposition that a narcotics conviction may not be alleged in order to enhance punishment for crimes coming under A.R.S. Title 13. We do not agree with the defendant's interpretation of the Attorney General's opinion, nor are opinions of the Attorney General binding upon this court. State v. Deddens, 112 Ariz. 425, 542 P.2d 1124 (1975). We find no error. THE SENTENCE It is the defendant's position that his sentence is excessive because it is greater than what was recommended in the presentence report. The sentencing court, however, is not bound by recommendations in the presentence report. State v. Patton, 120 Ariz. 386, 586 P.2d 635 (1978). The sentence imposed was within the limits of both the plea agreement and A.R.S. §§ 13-1649 and 1650. In addition, the judge conducted an adequate investigation of the facts before sentencing. Id., 586 P.2d 635. We find no abuse of discretion by the trial judge in the sentence imposed. We affirm. STRUCKMEYER, V.C.J., and HAYS, HOLOHAN and GORDON, JJ., concur. [*] Arizona's revised criminal code took effect on 1 October 1978. All references to criminal statutes in this opinion are to those provisions effective prior to that date.