Opinion ID: 177015
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The state criminal proceedings

Text: On October 18, 2002, a grand jury in Bernalillo County, New Mexico indicted Tovar for first degree kidnaping, second degree criminal sexual penetration (CSP), and aggravated battery against a household member. Id. at 444-45. Tovar was initially represented by attorney Matthew Torres. Tovar, however, became unhappy with Mr. Torres' [sic] representation and, upon [Tovar's] request, his family hired Anthony Ayala. Id. at 445. Ayala entered his appearance on February 25, 2003. Id. The first communication that Tovar had with ... Ayala was on the telephone while [Tovar] was incarcerated. Id. at 453. During this five or six minute telephone conversation, ... Ayala explained [that] Tovar['s] ... sister had hired him, that he had special influence to call the jail, that he was friends with [the state district judge presiding over the case], and that he had [previously] made deals with [that judge]. Id. On March 13, 2003, the deputy district attorney sent a plea offer letter to Ayala. Less than two weeks later, on March 25, 2003, the parties appeared before the state district court for a plea hearing. Immediately prior to that hearing, Tovar met Ayala in person for the first time in a small room next to the courtroom. Id. Tovar's sister and mother were present at this meeting. Id. During the meeting, Ayala again explained to Tovar that he was friends with [the judge] and that, because of his influence with the judge, he was the only attorney that could meet in the room adjacent to the courtroom. Id. Ayala further explained to Tovar that [the judge] was in agreement with a three-year sentence. Id. At the ensuing plea hearing, Ayala repeatedly attempted on behalf of Tovar to enter a plea of no contest to the pending charges. [T]he assistant district attorney, however, was not prepared to go forward with a no contest plea without first consulting with his supervisor and the alleged victim. Id. at 445. On April 4, 2003, Tovar met in person with Ayala immediately prior to the second plea hearing. The meeting occurred in the courtroom, with Tovar sitting in the jury box. Ayala gave Tovar a copy of the proposed plea agreement, which was in English, and instructed him to sign it for a three-year sentence. Id. at 453. Tovar, a native Spanish speaker, cannot read English and, thus, was unable to read the plea agreement. Ayala did not translate the plea agreement into Spanish nor did he explain to Tovar the significance of the plea agreement. On April 11, 2003, an information was filed in the same state criminal proceeding charging Tovar with an additional count of second degree CSP. This charge related to an incident involving Tovar and Lilia that allegedly occurred on September 4, 2002. Id. at 446. According to Lilia, she went to the hospital on the evening of September 4, 2002, and reported being raped by [Tovar] earlier that day. Id. at 452. Lilia was interviewed by hospital staff and a Sexual Assault Nurse's Examination was conducted. Id. The medical records do not indicate any type of trauma or injury to Lilia. Id. Lilia was advised to contact law enforcement if the crime was to be investigated. Id. No police report was ever filed regarding the September incident. Id. Although it is unclear from the record when Lilia reported the September incident to prosecutors, it was sometime before the March 13, 2003 plea offer letter to Mr. Ayala, and, presumably, after the October 18, 2002 grand jury proceedings. Id. On April 14, 2003, the state district court held a third plea hearing, during which Tovar signed a Repeat Offender Plea and Disposition Agreement. Id. at 445. Under the terms of that agreement, Tovar pled no contest to all of the pending charges, id., and faced a potential incarceration of up to thirty years, id. at 446. At the hearing, the state district judge reiterated the terms of the plea agreement, telling Tovar, the bottom line is, I can sentence you anywhere from 0 to 30 years in prison. Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). Through an interpreter, Tovar stated under oath that he understood [the potential sentencing range], that no one had promised him anything that was not contained in the plea agreement, that the plea agreement had been interpreted for him, that no one had forced him to enter the plea, that he was entering the plea under his own free will, and that he was satisfied that the agreement was in his best interest. Id. Notably, however, Ayala stood beside Tovar [throughout the hearing] and instructed [Tovar] as to how to respond to each of [the judge's] questions. Id. at 453-54. Further, when the state district judge asked the assistant district attorney to outline the factual basis for the plea, Ayala stated, We'll stipulate that there is a factual basis, Your Honor. Id. at 446 n. 4. The presentence report that was subsequently prepared for Tovar noted, in pertinent part: In the present offense, the defendant states that he did not kidnap or sexually penetrate the victim. He claims that the victim lied; he stated, `she knows what happened.' State ROA, Doc. 37, Exh. 6 at 3. Tovar appeared for sentencing on July 1, 2003. During the sentencing hearing, Lilia testified that on the evening of October 8, 2002, Tovar battered her and took her, against her will, to an area near the river where he raped her in the back seat of her car. Id. at 446-47. Tovar attempted to deny these allegations, telling the state district court, This time I didn't do anything. ROA, Vol. 1 at 447. The state district court rejected Tovar's assertions and sentenced Tovar to a term of imprisonment of twenty-five years, to be followed by five years of supervised probation. Because the terms of his plea agreement expressly precluded him from doing so, Tovar did not file a direct appeal.