Opinion ID: 1253639
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Alleged Statutory Violation Error.

Text: As we already have indicated, when Polly pled in district court Iowa Code section 690.4 (since repealed) provided that if the defendant is convicted upon a plea of guilty [of murder] the court must by examination of witnesses, determine the degree. See State v. Beverlin, 263 N.W.2d 535, 537 (Iowa 1978). Here the court did not examine witnesses. The plea agreement already had determined Polly would plead guilty to, and be found to have committed, second-degree murder. It is apparent from the record that the court, with concurrence of the defense, used as evidence of the degree Dr. Loeffelholz's lengthy and detailed psychiatric evaluation report. Polly and his counsel obviously needed the opinion in the record that Polly's conduct had not been premeditated. In these circumstances, we hold trial court's failure to hear the testimony of witnesses was not error that would justify setting aside the conviction in a postconviction proceeding years after the event. The Sykes cause-prejudice standard that we apply today with respect to the constitutional omissions surely would apply to a questionable statutory violation. We find no grounds to set aside Polly's conviction. The district court decision appealed from is reversed. REVERSED.