Opinion ID: 1592156
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: use of prior offenses for enhancement

Text: If one has been convicted in the previous 10 years of operating or being in actual physical control of any motor vehicle while under the influence of alcoholic liquor or drugs or of refusal to submit to a chemical test of his blood, breath, or urine for a determination of alcohol content, the convictions may be used to enhance the penalty for a current conviction for either of those offenses. §§ 39-669.07 and 39-669.08. Relying on 1980, 1984, and 1987 convictions, the State sought to enhance each of Green's current convictions to third offense. At an enhancement hearing held on July 10, 1989, the State offered the Platte County Court files from case No. 84-261 and case No. 86-640. The county court required the State to make copies of the files and to substitute them for the originals. The copies of the files were received in evidence. In case No. 84-261, a jury in the county court for Platte County, on September 27, 1984, found Green guilty of driving while under the influence of alcoholic liquor and refusal to submit to a chemical test of blood, breath, or urine to determine alcohol content. A journal entry from that case discloses that at his arraignment, Green was informed of his right to counsel and right to court-appointed counsel if a possible penalty was imprisonment and if he was indigent. That entry further reflects that Green would secure his own counsel. Green stated at the enhancement hearing in the present case that he became dissatisfied with his attorney and decided to represent himself in case No. 84-261. Included in the file in case No. 84-261 was the file from case No. 79-3526. The file reveals that on January 22, 1980, Green pled, and the county court for Saunders County found him, guilty of driving while intoxicated. A journal entry from that file reflects that Green was informed of his rights and that Green stated that he did not wish to be represented by an attorney. The journal entry does specify the rights of which Green was informed. In case No. 86-640, a Platte County Court jury found Green guilty on January 28, 1987, of refusal to submit to a chemical test. A journal entry discloses that at his arraignment, Green appeared pro se and was advised of his right to an attorney and his right to have one appointed if he was indigent. The journal entry provided spaces wherein the court could indicate whether a defendant was asked if he or she wanted an attorney, had an attorney, had funds to hire an attorney, and was requesting court-appointed counsel. The spaces were left blank. Green requested a jury trial and chose to represent himself in that case. See State v. Green, 229 Neb. 493, 427 N.W.2d 304 (1988). [I]n order to prove a prior driving while under the influence of alcohol conviction for enhancement purposes, the State need show only that at the time of the prior conviction the defendant had counsel or knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently waived the right to counsel. [Citations omitted.] State v. Vanderkuur, 235 Neb. 566, 567, 456 N.W.2d 473, 474 (1990). [T]he State establishes a prima facie case for proving a prior, counseled conviction by producing appropriate record evidence of a conviction which discloses that at a critical point in the proceedings arraignment, trial, conviction, or sentencingthe defendant had either intelligently and voluntarily waived counsel or in fact was represented by counsel at one of those times. The defendant then has the burden of coming forward with evidence that in fact his prior conviction was uncounseled. [Citation omitted.] State v. Dyke, 231 Neb. 621, 623, 437 N.W.2d 164, 166 (1989). Green contends that because there was not a valid waiver of counsel in any of the proceedings in which he was previously convicted, the prior convictions cannot be used for enhancement purposes. As a threshold matter, we first must determine whether we can reach the merits of Green's argument. If a defendant fails to object to the admission in evidence of records of his or her prior convictions, error claimed with respect to the admission of that evidence is not preserved for appellate review. State v. Tonge, 217 Neb. 747, 350 N.W.2d 571 (1984); State v. Penas, 200 Neb. 387, 263 N.W.2d 835 (1978). Absent plain error, when an issue is raised for the first time in the Supreme Court, it will be disregarded, as the court whose judgment is being reviewed cannot commit error regarding an issue never presented and submitted for disposition. State v. Dixon, 237 Neb. 630, 467 N.W.2d 397 (1991). However, the Supreme Court always reserves the right to note plain error which was not complained of at trial or on appeal but is plainly evident from the record, and which is of such nature that to leave it uncorrected would cause a miscarriage of justice or result in damage to the integrity, reputation, or fairness of the judicial process. In re Interest of G.G., 237 Neb. 306, 465 N.W.2d 752 (1991). Only with respect to the 1984 conviction can it be said that Green raised the issue of waiver of counsel before the trial court. Nonetheless, it would constitute a miscarriage of justice to allow Green's penalty to be enhanced on the basis of prior, unconstitutional convictions. We find that the trial court committed plain error when it relied upon Green's 1980 and 1987 convictions to enhance the penalties in this case. With respect to the 1980 conviction in Saunders County Court, it cannot be said that Green's waiver of counsel was knowing and intelligent. The record from that conviction fails to show that Green was even advised of his right to counsel or that an attorney would be appointed if he could not afford one. If one is unaware of his or her right to counsel, it follows that one cannot knowingly and intelligently waive that right. The 1987 conviction suffers from a similar infirmity. Although Green was advised in that case of his right to counsel, including court-appointed counsel, there is nothing to show that his waiver of counsel was knowingly and intelligently made. The State's position seems to be that if one is informed of his or her right to counsel, a knowing and intelligent waiver may be inferred if he or she then appears pro se at trial. We reject that contention and reiterate that at a minimum, a sufficiently complete checklist or other docket entry may be used to establish a valid waiver of counsel as to prior convictions for enhancement purposes. State v. Thompson, 224 Neb. 922, 402 N.W.2d 271 (1987) (a checklist signed by a trial judge, which reflected that the defendant was advised of his right to counsel and waived that right, satisfied the State's burden of proving conviction in question was a valid one for enhancement purposes). Accord State v. Foster, 224 Neb. 267, 398 N.W.2d 101 (1986). The spaces provided for on the docket entry for waiver of counsel were left blank. Thus, the docket entry fails to show that there was any waiver of counsel. The 1984 convictions of driving while under the influence of alcoholic liquor and refusal to submit to a chemical test to determine alcoholic content present a different case. After being informed of his right to counsel, Green advised the court that he would secure his own counsel. At his enhancement hearing in this case, Green testified: [W]hen [name] was my attorney in 84-261, I ... approached the Court and declared that [he] was incompetent. Judge Gerald Rouse said that my findings had no merit and he on his own considered [the lawyer] a very competent attorney. I had no recourse but toBecause of my financial status at the time, I was not going to be allowed another court appointed attorney, so I had no choice but to go pro se. From this, it is clear that Green was aware that he had the right to a court-appointed attorney, that another lawyer would not be appointed to represent him, and that he made a conscious decision to forgo the aid of court-appointed counsel. The record sufficiently demonstrates a knowing and intelligent waiver of counsel in the 1984 proceeding. Accordingly, only the 1984 conviction may be used for enhancement purposes.