Opinion ID: 2442841
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: State v. Dolan

Text: A grand jury indicted defendant William T. Dolan on October 29, 2008, with two counts of third-degree burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2, eight counts of third-degree attempted burglary, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1 and N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2, three counts of third-degree theft by unlawful taking or disposition, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3, and one count of fourth-degree resisting arrest, N.J.S.A. 2C:29-2(a). The evidence revealed that on October 14, 2008, the Watchung Police Department responded to the area of Hillcrest Road for a report of a suspicious male with a backpack asking for directions. When the police approached the man, later identified as Dolan, he fled. A short while later, Dolan was observed entering a car. When the owner of the car confronted him, Dolan fled on foot. The police ultimately apprehended Dolan. At the police station, Dolan waived his Miranda [1] rights and admitted his involvement in multiple burglaries throughout the past year. On November 24, 2008, Dolan applied for admission into the Somerset County Drug Court. Prior to the completion of a substance abuse evaluation, the prosecutor wrote to the Drug Court judge objecting to defendant's admission into the Drug Court program because he was a threat to the community. The prosecutor listed Dolan's criminal history, which consisted of three convictions for burglary and other crimes in 1993, convictions for burglary in 1995, 1999, and 2007, and a conviction for credit card fraud in 2008. The prosecutor noted that an evaluation of the aggravating and mitigating factors demonstrated that Dolan was not eligible for a probationary sentence, and that instead he was eligible for an extended term sentence. On January 8, 2009, Dolan filed an appeal in response to the prosecutor's rejection letter. He argued that his burglary charges were typical convictions for drug addicted people and did not support a finding that he was a danger to the community under the second track for entry into Drug Court. Dolan argued that a prior Monmouth County drug evaluation had recommended that he undergo in-patient drug treatment and that a current Somerset County substance abuse evaluation should be conducted. Meanwhile, the substance abuse evaluator interviewed Dolan on February 4, 2009. In her report rendered on March 3, 2009, the evaluator noted that Dolan revealed that he had used cocaine and heroin every day during the thirty days preceding his incarceration and that his previous efforts to overcome his addiction failed. The evaluator recommended a Level III.5 Clinically Managed High-Intensity Residential Treatment (long-term) program for Dolan. A hearing on Dolan's appeal was held on April 6, 2009. The next day the Drug Court judge rendered his written decision denying relief. Although the judge mentioned Dolan's previous Monmouth County drug evaluation, he made no reference to the Somerset County substance abuse evaluation that was completed on March 3, 2009. After reviewing the criteria for admission into the Drug Court program, the judge found that the prosecutor's objection based on Dolan's perceived threat to the community was not a gross and patent abuse of discretion. Further, the judge found that Dolan was ineligible under the second track because a danger to the community would result if he were placed on probation. The judge weighed the relevant aggravating and mitigating factors to conclude that a probationary sentence would not be appropriate for Dolan. Dolan sought leave to appeal. The Appellate Division entered a temporary remand order similar to the one issued in Clark's case. Additionally, the panel directed the Drug Court judge to consider whether Dolan's history of residential and car burglaries disqualified him under principles applicable to the second track. We granted the State's motion for leave to appeal. 200 N.J. 204, 976 A. 2d 382 (2009). We also granted the Attorney General's motion to appear as amicus curiae.