Opinion ID: 2499595
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Ragusa's Appeal and Remand

Text: In April 2006, Ragusa was sentenced to fifteen years of incarceration, plus five years of mandatory parole and restitution. In June 2006, the Colorado State Public Defenders' Office filed an appeal on behalf of Ragusa, requesting reversal of Ragusa's conviction and arguing that her Sixth Amendment rights to have conflict-free counsel, to be present at trial, and to have the counsel of her choice were violated. Ragusa testified that she only became aware of the two in camera proceedings after her conviction, when she was able to review the record in connection with her appeal. Ragusa testified that she did not specifically recall her attorneys leaving the courtroom and going into chambers during the trial without her present. She did recall a series of bench conferences to which she was not privy. She remembers asking Respondent what he and Grossman had talked to the judge about during the bench conferences, and remembers Respondent stating that things were going well for them and not to worry; we are winning. On September 3, 2009, the Colorado Court of Appeals reversed Ragusa's 2006 conviction and remanded the matter for a new trial. [24] This decision was premised on the two in camera proceedings at which Ragusa was not present. The court of appeals held that Ragusa was denied her rights to meaningfully exercise her choice of counsel, to be present at all critical stages of the proceedings, to make an intelligent and informed choice of whether to continue with counsel when a conflict appeared, and to receive zealous and loyal representation. [25] The court of appeals also concluded that Respondent and Grossman breached their duty to [Ragusa] by revealing [privileged] communications to the prosecution and to the court before and during the trial. This breach of duty is but one factor which evidences an actual conflict of interest between defendant and her counsel and the adverse effect the conflict had on their performance. [26] In 2009, Respondent and Ragusa participated in legal fee arbitration. Respondent was ordered to, and did, reimburse Ragusa $1,500.00 of his total legal fees. [27] On February 18, 2010, after the court of appeals' remand, Judge Russell held a hearing on a motion to disqualify her as the judge in Ragusa's second trial. At the hearing, Judge Russell stated, I hope that people who read the case will note the fact that both times that counsel came back to see me, it was under pretext, they lied to me, then [sic] I would have never allowed them to come back had they told me the truth. [28] Judge Russell's testimony at the disciplinary hearing differed somewhat from her statements at the motions hearing on remand. At the disciplinary hearing, she testified that although she believed that counsel did ask for both in camera hearings under a pretext, her use of the term lie was too strong and she regretted using this term. After reviewing the transcripts of the in camera proceedings, she could not say that Respondent explicitly lied to her, but rather that he should have been more forthcoming. She further testified that after a few moments she realized the in camera discussions were not a Schultheis hearing, even though Respondent used that term, and she allowed Respondent to make his record and then proceeded with trial. Following the motions hearing on remand, Ragusa pled guilty in November 2010 to one count of theft, a class four felony. In December 2010, Ragusa was sentenced to seven years in the custody of the Department of Corrections plus the mandatory parole period.