Court Opinion

ID: 9862234
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 01:04:33.774912+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:24:35.444252
License: Public Domain

GIVAN, Chief Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion in this case.
It is my position that the written plea agreement adequately advised the appellants of their rights on their plea bargain agreement. The entire matter of informing defendants of their constitutional rights should be used as a safeguard to see that persons are not misled or tricked into entering pleas of guilty without full knowledge of the circumstances.
I do not think the system should be perverted to the extent that a person who is demonstrably fully informed must be granted a new trial simply because the trial judge did not engage in redundancy concerning the warnings to the defendants. In the case at bar, it would appear the warnings were complete and adequate, and initialed by appellants.
I would, therefore, hold that the warnings complied with constitutional requirements, and the case should be affirmed on that basis.
As far as the second question, which is not dealt with in the majority opinion because of the disposition of the first question, I do not think there is adequate showing in this case for this Court to require reversal on the basis that trial counsel was not competent. I would fall back on the large number of cases decided by this Court to the effect that a defendant is not entitled to a perfect trial, and if the trial does not result in a sham or miscarriage of justice, the conviction should be affirmed so far as a charge of competency of counsel is concerned.
I would, therefore, affirm the trial court in all respects.
PIVARNIK, J., concurs.