Opinion ID: 1158101
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether Defendant Was Precluded From Arguing For a New Trial

Text: The court of appeals held that  [a] defendant who participates in or contributes to error cannot later complain of it. Mem. dec. at 4 (citing State v. Islas, 132 Ariz. 590, 647 P.2d 1188 (App. 1982) (emphasis added). The court found that the defendant's failure to challenge Callahan's participation at trial waived his claim for post-conviction relief. Id. Arizona Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(a) states: [a] defendant shall be precluded from relief under this rule based upon any ground: ..... (3) That has been waived at trial, on appeal, or in any previous collateral proceeding. However, preclusion can be found only if the state pleads and proves it before the trial court by a preponderance of the evidence. Rule 32.2(c); see also State v. Rockerfeller, 117 Ariz. 151, 152-53, 571 P.2d 297, 298-99 (App. 1977); State v. Perez, 26 Ariz. App. 500, 502, 549 P.2d 595, 597 (1976), vacated on other grounds, 115 Ariz. 30, 563 P.2d 285 (1977). Obviously, in light of its forthright confession of error, the state did not plead preclusion in the trial court, let alone prove it. Therefore, the court of appeals should have reached the merits of the case.