Opinion ID: 2135554
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: did smith violate the conditions of his suspended sentence?

Text: State also contends that the circuit court erred in determining that, because nonconsumption of alcoholic beverages was not a condition of Smith's suspended sentence, his violation of that condition of his parole agreement would not support revocation of his suspended sentence. In response, Smith argues that the revocation of his suspended sentence for his consumption of alcohol violated his rights to due process of law. Smith asserts he was not given proper notice that his alcohol consumption could lead to the loss of his suspended sentence and that he had no notice prior to the revocation hearing that his alcohol violation had placed both his suspended sentence and his parole in jeopardy. Smith relies substantially on United States v. Dane, 570 F.2d 840 (9th Cir.1977) as authority for his arguments and state acknowledges the applicability of the due process principles set forth in the decision: It is an essential component of due process that individuals be given fair warning of those acts which may lead to a loss of liberty. This is no less true whether the loss of liberty arises from a criminal conviction or the revocation of probation. As a general matter, formal conditions of probation serve the purpose of giving notice of proscribed activities. But a formal condition is not essential for purposes of notice. Courts have sustained the revocation of probation for criminal activity committed prior to the effective date of the conditions, or where the defendant was not aware of the conditions. In such a case, knowledge of the criminal law is imputed to the probationer, as is an understanding that violation of the law will lead to the revocation of probation. On the other hand, where the proscribed acts are not criminal, due process mandates that the petitioner cannot be subjected to a forfeiture of his liberty for those acts unless he is given prior fair warning. Of course, where the warning is not contained in a formal condition, the record must be closely scrutinized to determine whether the defendant did, in fact, receive the requisite warning. Dane, 570 F.2d at 843-44 (citations and footnote omitted). Here, there is no allegation that Smith's act, i.e., the consumption of alcohol, constituted criminal activity. Thus, unless Smith received prior fair warning that that act could lead to revocation of his suspended sentence, the Board of Pardons and Paroles' decision to revoke violated the requirements of due process. See, Dane, supra . While the judgment suspending Smith's sentence contained no explicit prohibition on his consumption of alcohol, State contends that Smith did receive prior fair warning that such consumption could lead to the revocation of his suspended sentence. In that regard, State points to the condition of the suspended sentence requiring Smith to, successfully complete in-patient treatment and aftercare. State argues that common sense dictates abstinence from alcohol is implicit in alcohol treatment and, therefore, Smith's contention of lack of fair warning is specious. In support of its argument, State cites State v. Sullivan, 197 Mont. 395, 642 P.2d 1008 (1982). In Sullivan, a defendant was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the latter five years suspended. The defendant was paroled and, while on parole, had his suspended sentence revoked for violation of a condition mandating alcohol counseling. On appeal, the defendant contended that the condition of his supervision providing that, `on parole you must have regular alcohol counseling,' applied only to his parole and not his probation. Sullivan, 642 P.2d at 1011. The Montana court did reject the argument as specious. Id. However, Montana law recognizes that, in the absence of conditions ordered by the sentencing court, the conditions of parole imposed by the Board of Pardons are the conditions of a suspended sentence. Sullivan, 642 P.2d at 1011. Moreover, the sentencing court had expressly made the defendant's probation subject to any supervisory conditions imposed by the Board of Pardons. Unlike Montana, South Dakota law does not recognize that, conditions of parole apply also to suspensions of sentence[.] Sullivan, 642 P.2d at 1011. Therefore, unlike Sullivan, the operation of law in the instant case did not automatically translate the conditions of Smith's parole into the conditions of his suspended sentence. That is certainly within the power of the Board of Pardons and Paroles and could have been easily accomplished. In Turo, supra, this Court recognized that the Board of Pardons and Paroles may impose conditions on a defendant's suspended sentence in addition to those imposed by the sentencing court so long as the additional conditions are reasonable and not inconsistent with those mandated by the court. However, in Turo, the notice requirements concerning the conditions of the suspended sentence were clearly met by the fact that the defendant's parole agent specifically explained that the conditions of the suspended sentence would be the same as for parole and by the defendant's execution of a contract enumerating the conditions of both the parole and suspended sentence. There is no similar record in the instant case. As State suggests, the condition of Smith's suspended sentence that he obtain alcohol treatment might have given Smith some warning that nonconsumption of alcohol was a condition of his suspended sentence. Nevertheless, the lack of explicit notice of the condition clearly led to confusion and misunderstanding by both the Board and Smith in the notice, hearing and decision leading to the revocation of Smith's suspended sentence. The parole agent's violation report recommended only that Smith's,  parole status be revoke[d]. (emphasis added). The notice of the revocation hearing advised that the hearing would be in regard to a violation of condition 13-A (i.e., nonconsumption of alcohol) of the parole agreement. At the beginning of the revocation hearing, Smith was advised that the maximum consequence of the hearing was the revocation of his parole and loss of good time. The advisement was then changed and Smith was instructed that he could lose his parole status and that his suspended sentence could be imposed. Smith immediately indicated his misunderstanding concerning the loss of his suspended sentence and told the Board that his parole agent had only discussed the loss of his parole. Nearly six pages of the hearing transcript are then devoted to an attempt by both the Board and Smith to ascertain the maximum consequences of the revocation proceeding. Ultimately, when Smith was asked if he understood the consequences of the hearing, he responded, Yeah, I guess so. Confusion continued into the Board's order which revoked both Smith's parole and his suspended sentence but found only that Smith had violated the terms of his parole. One of the minimum due process requirements of parole or probation revocation proceedings is written notice of the claimed violations. The purpose of the requirement that written notice be given prior to such proceedings is to insure that the parolee or probationer is able to sufficiently prepare his case, both against the allegations of violations and against the contention that the violations, if proven, demonstrate that parole or probation is no longer an effective rehabilitative tool and should be revoked. In other words, the requirement bears directly upon the ability to contest revocation proceedings. State v. McCormick, 385 N.W.2d 121, 123 (S.D.1986) (citations and footnote omitted). In this instance, there was a lack of clarity concerning the conditions of Smith's suspended sentence that led to confusion in the parole violation report, inaccuracy in the notice of hearing and misunderstanding by both the Board and Smith during the revocation hearing. Simply stated, if the Board was not sure of the consequences of the revocation hearing, it is difficult to see how Smith could have been and how the notice of hearing was sufficient to enable Smith to contest the revocation proceedings. The fact Smith was offered a continuance and wanted to proceed is also unpersuasive support for State's argument that he waived his rights to sufficient notice of his probation violation. [A] waiver must be made voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently, with sufficient awareness of the relevant circumstances and likely consequences. The waiver of a constitutional right must be positively established, and the burden is on the party alleging waiver as courts closely scrutinize such allegations, indulging every reasonable presumption against waiver. When determining whether a constitutional right has been waived, this court looks to the totality of the circumstances. McCormick, 385 N.W.2d at 123-24 (citations omitted). In McCormick, supra, this court declined to construe the probationer's refusal of a continuance of the revocation proceedings as a waiver of his notice rights as there was nothing to show that he had ever been advised by the court or counsel that his refusal could be construed as a waiver. Here, Smith was not even represented by counsel and, again, there is nothing to show that he was advised that his rejection of a continuance could be construed as a waiver of his right to notice of the condition of his suspended sentence he allegedly violated. Based upon the above reasoning, we find no error in the circuit court's reversal of the revocation of Smith's suspended sentence and affirm. MILLER, C.J., and WUEST, J., concur. HENDERSON, J., concurs in result. AMUNDSON, J., disqualified. HENDERSON, J. (concurring in result).