Opinion ID: 1834101
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The 1987 Action

Text: This Court has consistently followed the general rule that a voluntary and intelligent plea of guilty waives a defendant's right to appeal all nonjurisdictional defects in the prior proceedings. State v. Grosh, 387 N.W.2d 503 (S.D.1986); State v. Janssen, 371 N.W.2d 353 (S.D.1985); State v. Morrison, 337 N.W.2d 825 (S.D.1983); State v. Culton, 273 N.W.2d 200 (S.D.1979); State v. Losieau, 266 N.W.2d 259 (S.D.1978); State v. Jordan, 261 N.W.2d 126 (S.D.1978). A plea is intelligent and voluntary when the accused has a full understanding of his constitutional rights and, having the understanding, waives them. Petrilli, 491 N.W.2d at 82. We have previously determined that non-compliance with the 180-day rule does not give rise to a jurisdictional defect or a legal error of constitutional dimensions. State v. Anderson, 417 N.W.2d 403, 405 (S.D.1988). Additionally, a defendant's guilty plea normally waives the statutory right to dismissal for a violation of SDCL 23A-44-5.1. Id. When a criminal defendant has solemnly admitted in open court that he is in fact guilty of the offense with which he is charged, he may not thereafter raise independent claims relating to the deprivation of constitutional rights that occurred prior to the entry of the guilty plea. He may only attack the voluntary and intelligent character of the guilty plea. State v. Crow, 504 N.W.2d 336, 339 (S.D. 1993); Grosh, 387 N.W.2d at 507 (quoting Tollett v. Henderson, 411 U.S. 258, 267, 93 S.Ct. 1602, 1608, 36 L.Ed.2d 235, 243 (1973)). Two Eagle alleges his 1989 guilty plea was neither voluntary nor knowing because his 1987 counsel was ineffective in failing to move to dismiss the charges for violation of the 180-day rule. He asserts dismissal of the 1987 aggravated assault charge was guaranteed as a matter of right due to the lapse of 180 days. The 180-day period expired on August 19, 1987, only five days before the scheduled August 24, 1987, status hearing. Although this was a prima facie case for dismissal under SDCL 23A-44-5.1, at least eight days of delay, from April 2, 1987 to April 10, 1987, were attributable to delay at the request of and attributable to Two Eagle's request for a psychological examination. [5] Subtracting those eight days means the August 24 status hearing was held three days before the statutory limit expired. Additional delay after the August 24 hearing is directly attributable to Two Eagle. He failed to appear for the scheduled hearing and the trial judge was obliged to issue a bench warrant for his arrest. See State v. Cross, 468 N.W.2d 419 (S.D.1991) (holding where defendant escaped, statute was properly tolled). When Two Eagle finally appeared, his counsel requested additional time to prepare as I haven't had time to talk to Mr. Two Eagles (sic). As an additional complication, there is evidence that Two Eagle had been engaging in additional criminal activity during the period. His attorney further stated ... they arrested Mr. Two Eagles (sic) on another felony warrant in connection with this. There are some other bench warrants involved. Although State neglected to file a motion for delay, this sparse record does not indicate any delay that can be ascribed to the State. This case reveals none of the prosecutorial abuse or ineffective scheduling practices the 180-day rule was intended to cure. See State v. Bahm, 494 N.W.2d 177, 179 (S.D. 1992); State v. Ven Osdel, 462 N.W.2d 890 (S.D.1990). Counsel in the 1987 action should have filed a motion for dismissal alleging a 180-day violation or discussed the situation with his client. However, because the delay was attributable to the defendant, the 180-day limit was tolled. State v. Kerkhove, 423 N.W.2d 160 (S.D.1988) (finding no error when statute was tolled for delays attributable to defendant's motions). Therefore, Two Eagle has failed to prove he was prejudiced by counsel's performance. The habeas court did not err in concluding Two Eagle did not receive ineffective assistance of counsel. Courts in other jurisdictions have reached similar results when defendants have alleged ineffective assistance of counsel due to counsel's failure to move for dismissal alleging violations of speedy trial rights. State v. Hanson, 138 Ariz. 296, 674 P.2d 850 (App. 1983) (counsel's failure to move for dismissal under 90-day limit was not ineffective assistance where record did not show motion would have been successful and defendant did not suffer any prejudice); People v. Hubbard, 148 Ill.App.3d 457, 102 Ill.Dec. 47, 50, 499 N.E.2d 604, 607 (1986) (Where delay could be attributed to the defendant and it is not clear that a motion for discharge would have been granted, counsel's failure to file such a motion does not itself rise to ineffective assistance.); People v. Callahan, 95 Ill. App.3d 479, 51 Ill.Dec. 373, 420 N.E.2d 787 (1981) (where delays were attributable to defendant and court could not conclude discharge under speedy trial act would have been granted, counsel was not ineffective for failing to move for discharge); Commonwealth v. Alves, 6 Mass.App.Ct. 572, 380 N.E.2d 701 (1978) (where multiple defendants were responsible for delay but none suffered material prejudice, counsel was not ineffective for failing to file motion to dismiss violation of speedy trial rights); Hindman v. State, 597 S.W.2d 264 (Mo.App.1980) (where part of delay was attributed to defendant's mental examination and medical treatment and delay was in no way prejudicial, counsel was not ineffective for failing to request speedy trial); State v. McNitt, 216 Neb. 837, 346 N.W.2d 259 (1984) (where delay attributed to defendant tolled 6-month speedy trial period, counsel was not ineffective in failing to move to dismiss charges, especially where counsel negotiated plea agreement which substantially reduced charge against defendant); People v. Williams, 151 A.D.2d 795, 543 N.Y.S.2d 125 (1989), appeal denied, 76 N.Y.2d 744, 558 N.Y.S.2d 906, 557 N.E.2d 1202 (1990) (in the absence of evidence in record that motion for speedy trial was meritorious, counsel's failure to raise speedy trial issue was not ineffective assistance so as to affect guilty plea); Commonwealth v. Lennox, 250 Pa.Super. 80, 378 A.2d 462 (1977) (counsel was not ineffective in failing to move for dismissal for violation of 180-day rule where defendant was responsible for delay, thus defendant's guilty plea was voluntary and intelligent).