Opinion ID: 1978811
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Did the identification obtained from the lineup play a substantial role in inducing the guilty plea?

Text: It does not appear that any defects in the lineup had a significant impact upon the voluntariness of petitioner's guilty plea. [1] This court has determined that an unconstitutionally obtained confession will not invalidate a conviction based on a plea of guilty unless the following two factors are present: (1) The defendant was misled as to his constitutional rights with regard to the illegally obtained confession; and (2) defendant's plea of guilty was prompted by the existence of such evidence. See, State ex rel. Drysdale v. Tahash, 278 Minn. 361, 366, 154 N.W.2d 691, 695 (1967); State ex rel. Parks v. Tahash, 284 Minn. 446, 451, 170 N.W.2d 448, 451 (1969). While those decisions are not directly in point, the principle underlying them is applicable here. Petitioner had a public defender who fully explained his legal rights to him. A charge of aggravated robbery was dropped and a maximum sentence of 20 years, rather than the possible 30 years, was imposed. There was evidence in addition to the identification of petitioner. The victim had identified the gun and slacks admittedly belonging to petitioner. Even if the lineup had been in violation of petitioner's basic rights, reversal would not be required since it was not established that the identification obtained as a result of the lineup induced the guilty plea.