Title: State v. Harris
Citation: 547 S.W.2d 473
Docket Number: 59720
State: Missouri
Issuer: Missouri Supreme Court
Date: March 14, 1977

547 S.W.2d 473 (1977)
STATE of Missouri, Respondent,
v.
Ronald Earl HARRIS, Appellant.
No. 59720.

Supreme Court of Missouri, en banc.
March 14, 1977.
*474 Blair K. Brazic, St. Louis, for appellant.
Philip M. Koppe, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, for respondent.
DONNELLY, Judge.
Appellant, Ronald Earl Harris, was convicted of operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent by a jury in the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis and was sentenced by the trial court, under the Habitual Criminal Act (§ 556.280, RSMo 1969), to imprisonment for a term of five years. Following rendition of judgment and imposition of sentence, an appeal was perfected to the Missouri Court of Appeals, St. Louis District, where the judgment was reversed and the cause remanded. Upon application of respondent, the cause was transferred here by order of this Court. We determine the cause "the same as on original appeal." Mo.Const. Art. V, § 10.
On March 20, 1973, a car driven by appellant crossed in front of two police officers who were stopped at a stop sign in the City of St. Louis. Because of appellant's youthful appearance, the police officers stopped appellant and arrested him. The police officers made a check on the car and learned it was stolen.
Appellant asserts the trial court erred "in denying defendant's Motion for Mistrial after the jury was informed that defendant was charged with an alleged prior conviction because this violated defendant's right to be tried for the offense with which he was charged."
The following transpired at trial:
In State v. Camper, 391 S.W.2d 926, 927, 928 (Mo.1965), this Court said:
The trial court ordered the testimony of the witness concerning the prior conviction stricken from the record and instructed the jury to disregard it. We cannot say as a matter of law that the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to declare a mistrial. Appellant's assertion of error is without merit. Cf. Evenson v. United States, 316 F.2d 94 (8 Cir. 1963); State v. Dennison, 428 S.W.2d 573 (Mo. 1968).
Appellant next asserts that the "admission of testimony of Officer Messmer that defendant was given his Miranda warnings after his arrest and that he made no statement in response thereto resulted in manifest injustice and miscarriage of justice and was plain error, * * *."
The pertinent portion of the record on appeal reads as follows:
We have reviewed the facts and circumstances in this case and have concluded that manifest injustice did not result from the alleged error. Rule 27.20(c); State v. Ellifrits, 459 S.W.2d 293, 297 (Mo. banc 1970); Cf. State v. Lovelace, 461 S.W.2d 733, 735, 736 (Mo.1971).
Finally, appellant asserts the trial court erred "in finding appellant subject to sentencing under Section 556.280, R.S.Mo.1949 [sic], the Second Offender Act, because there was insufficient evidence identifying the appellant with the alleged prior conviction."
*476 According to the record on appeal, Earl P. Harris entered a plea of guilty to the crime of operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent on October 27, 1965, was sentenced to one year in the Work-house of the City of St. Louis, and was placed on probation. However, there is nothing in the record to show that Earl P. Harris and Ronald Earl Harris are one and the same person. Appellant's assertion has merit.
Accordingly, as in State v. Hill, 371 S.W.2d 278 (Mo.1963), "the sentence herein is declared void, the judgment is reversed and the cause remanded with directions to the court to cause the defendant to be brought before it to hold a hearing on the issue of former conviction of defendant and if proved to pronounce sentence and judgment against defendant taking all proper procedural steps required therefor by law and the rules of this court but in the alternative if the issue of former conviction be found in favor of defendant to grant him a new trial on all issues."
SEILER, C. J., MORGAN, BARDGETT, HENLEY and FINCH, JJ., and TURNAGE, Special Judge, concur.
RENDLEN, J., not sitting.