Opinion ID: 1917869
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Guilty Pleas Entered to Charges of Armed Robbery and Theft.

Text: Defendant contends his plea of guilty entered through counsel to the charges of armed robbery and theft were not intelligently and understandingly made. This is largely predicated upon the fact that the trial court addressed no inquiries to defendant to ascertain whether he had intelligently and understandingly entered these pleas. This court has not held that such inquiries are necessary where defendant is represented by counsel at time of arraignment. [2] Courts have the right to assume in such a situation that counsel has fulfilled his duty of proper representation by fully explaining to the accused the nature of the offense charged, the range of penalties, and possible defenses thereto, and satisfying himself that the accused understands such explanations, before permitting the accused to authorize the entry of a plea of guilty. There is no allegation in defendant's motion that this was not done. We deem it inadvisable to lay down a rule that trial courts must, in every case, where an accused is represented by counsel at time of entering a plea, before accepting the plea interrogate defendant to make sure that the defendant has understandingly and intelligently entered the plea. However, we recommend that such practice be adopted. Defendant relies on a colloquy which occurred between him and the court at time of sentencing to establish that defendant did not understandingly and intelligently enter the plea of guilty to the armed-robbery count. Defendant stated to the court that he thought the crime committed was a strong arm robbery and not an armed robbery and that he had no intention of hurting anyone. The court reminded defendant that the woman he had robbed was a sixty-three-year-old woman and that the brick [rock] with which he threatened her was a dangerous weapon within the meaning of the statute. We do not deem that this colloquy demonstrates that defendant did not understandingly and intelligently enter his plea. At no time has defendant claimed that he did not commit the robbery or that at the time he did not have the rock in his hand. Defendant also complains of the fact that at the time of entry of the plea the information had not as yet been drafted and filed. This fact was made known to defendant and his counsel by the assistant district attorney. The information was drafted and filed that same day and later amended to correct a mistake in date. Knowing this defendant's counsel expressly waived the reading of the information and entered the plea of guilty to both counts, one charging armed robbery and the other theft. We determine that this waiver is binding upon defendant and precludes him from now raising this issue.