Opinion ID: 2037407
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the trial court abused its discretion in denying mitchell's motion for a new trial for failure to formally arraign him.

Text: Mitchell argues that he is entitled to a new trial because he was never formally arraigned on the information. Mitchell was charged by criminal complaint. Thereafter, he was arrested and made his first appearance. Mitchell was then given a court-appointed attorney. He later appeared before a law-trained magistrate who advised him of his constitutional and statutory rights. Later, a Part I Information was filed charging Mitchell with the six counts of second-degree rape and a Part II Information (habitual criminal) was also filed. The next day, the trial court held a motions hearing. After the hearing, Mitchell's counsel requested that the arraignment be delayed until a future omnibus hearing was to be held. A formal arraignment was never held. SDCL 23A-7-1 provides: An arraignment shall be conducted in open court, except that an arraignment for a Class 2 misdemeanor may be conducted in chambers, and shall consist of reading the indictment, information or complaint, as is applicable, to the defendant or stating to him the substance of the charge and calling on him to plead thereto. A defendant must be informed that if the name in the indictment, information or complaint is not his true name, he must then declare his true name or be proceeded against by the name given in the indictment, information or complaint. If he gives no other name, the court may proceed accordingly. If he alleges that another name is his true name, he shall be proceeded against pursuant to § 23A-6-20. He shall be given a copy of the indictment, information or complaint, as is applicable, before he is called upon to plead. This court has stated that while the failure to arraign is a gross oversight, it is not a per se constitutional violation. State v. Winters, 414 N.W.2d 1, 2 (S.D.1987). Due process of law, this court has held, does not require the state to adopt any particular form of procedure, so long as it appears that the accused has had sufficient notice of the accusation and an adequate opportunity to defend himself in the prosecution. Id. (quoting Garland v. Washington, 232 U.S. 642, 645, 34 S.Ct. 456, 457, 58 L.Ed. 772, 775 (1914)) (emphasis added). We believe Mitchell had sufficient notice of the accusation and a sufficient opportunity to defend himself. In fact, Mitchell was advised of his constitutional and statutory rights by the magistrate judge. At various times during the prosecution, he was represented by three experienced criminal trial attorneys; he was advised of the maximum sentences he could receive; he was present with counsel at the preliminary hearing where State's witness was cross-examined by counsel; he was present with counsel at four motions hearings; he was given a speedy public trial by an impartial jury; at trial his counsel cross-examined State's witnesses, subpoenaed and called eight witnesses on his behalf and he chose to exercise his right to remain silent until surrebuttal, at which time he took the stand. As the United States Supreme Court stated in Garland: Tried by this test it cannot for a moment be maintained that the want of formal arraignment deprived the accused of any substantial right, or in any wise changed the course of trial to his disadvantage. 232 U.S. at 645, 34 S.Ct. at 457, 58 L.Ed. at 775 (quoted with approval in Winters, 414 N.W.2d at 2). Likewise, from this record, it is clear that Mitchell was not deprived of any substantial right nor was he disadvantaged in any way.