Court Opinion

ID: 9595238
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:37:19.668774+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:26.659623
License: Public Domain

ROLL, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
The issue before us is whether, in a prosecution for DUI, the state may introduce evidence of driving violations which have previously been disposed of in a plea agreement. Based upon double jeopardy considerations and the recent decision of Grady v. Corbin, 495 U.S.-, 110 S.Ct. 2084, 109 L.Ed.2d 548 (1990), I believe the answer is no.
In Grady, the defendant was cited for DUI and failing to keep right of the median. He pled guilty to these charges. He was later indicted for reckless manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and third degree reckless assault. The state’s response to the defendant’s request for a bill of particulars showed that the basis for the manslaughter, homicide, and assault charges was the defendant’s drunk driving, the fact that he was left of the median, and excessive speed. A majority of the Supreme Court held that the double jeopardy clause of the fifth amendment to the constitution barred prosecution of Corbin because the same acts to which he had pled guilty constituted the basis for prosecution on the new charges. 495 U.S. at-, 110 S.Ct. at 2095, 109 L.Ed.2d at 565-566.
On March 20, 1990, Lewis was cited for driving on a suspended license, unsafe lane change, and not having a current license plate. A complaint was also filed against Lewis for felony DUI, arising from allegedly committing the offense of DUI while his license was suspended. On March 30, 1990, Lewis entered a plea of guilty to driving on a suspended license and the additional charges of unsafe lane change and not having a current license plate were dismissed. That same day, Lewis was indicted for DUI on a suspended license. The state now seeks to introduce evidence of Lewis’ unsafe lane change to prove DUI.
Clearly jeopardy attaches to criminal charges to which a defendant has pled guilty. Grady, supra; Fransaw v. Lynaugh, 810 F.2d 518, 523 (5th Cir.1987), cert. denied, 483 U.S. 1008, 107 S.Ct. 3237, 97 L.Ed.2d 742 (1987); Williams v. Superior Court, 130 Ariz. 209, 210, 635 P.2d 497, 498 (1981). The question presented here is whether jeopardy also attaches to those charges dismissed pursuant to a plea agreement. Although the majority maintains that prosecution of a defendant for charges dismissed pursuant to a plea agreement is not barred by double jeopardy considerations, the cases relied upon by the majority are inapposite to the matter presented before us. The cases relied upon by the majority all involved plea agreements which were either vacated or withdrawn. Lowery v. Estelle, 696 F.2d 333 (5th Cir.1983) (first conviction under plea agreement set aside); United States v. Barker, 681 F.2d 589 (9th Cir.1982) (plea agreement set aside); United States v. Johnson, 537 F.2d 1170 (4th Cir.1976) (plea vacated on appeal); United States v. Williams, 534 F.2d 119 (8th Cir.1976), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 894, 97 S.Ct. 255, 50 L.Ed.2d 177 (1976) (first conviction under plea agreement set aside); United States v. Myles, 430 F.Supp. 98 (D.D.C.1977), aff'd, 569 F.2d 161 (D.C.Cir.1978) (plea withdrawn); State v. Boudreaux, 402 *359So.2d 629 (La.1981) (plea vacated); Commonwealth v. Ward, 493 Pa. 115, 425 A.2d 401 (1981), cert. denied, 451 U.S. 974, 101 S.Ct. 2055, 68 L.Ed.2d 354 (1981) (plea challenged and reversed on appeal).
When a defendant moves to withdraw his guilty plea he waives the double jeopardy defense if his motion is accepted by the court. Lombrano v. Superior Court, 124 Ariz. 525, 526, 606 P.2d 15, 16 (1980). The defendant must enter a new plea agreement or proceed to trial. See Santobello v. New York, 404 U.S. 257, 263 n. 2, 92 S.Ct. 495, 499 n. 2, 30 L.Ed.2d 427, 433 n. 2 (1971). In essence, the prosecution and the defense return to their positions prior to entry of the vacated plea agreement.
This case does not involve a vacated or withdrawn plea agreement, but rather a valid agreement, accepted by the court. The state is now attempting to utilize a dismissed charge as proof of an essential element of the DUI charge. Whether this would have been permissible prior to Grady is irrelevant. I believe it is precluded by Grady.
In Williams v. Superior Court, supra, Williams pled guilty to lewd and lascivious acts in exchange for dismissal of rape and sodomy charges. He failed to appear in court for sentencing. When Williams was apprehended, although the plea agreement had previously been accepted by the trial court, the trial court set aside the plea agreement and ordered a trial on all charges. The supreme court held that the trial court’s acceptance of the plea agreement precluded the court, over Williams’ objection, from thereafter rejecting the plea agreement. The court stated that “acceptance of the plea agreement by the trial court placed the petitioner in jeopardy____” Id. 130 Ariz. at 210, 635 P.2d at 498. See Mason v. State, 302 Md. 434, 488 A.2d 955 (1985) (double jeopardy barred prosecution for charge which was the same crime dismissed pursuant to a plea agreement); but see United States v. Vaughan, 715 F.2d 1373 (9th Cir.1983) (dismissal of charges pursuant to a plea agreement no bar to subsequent prosecution of those charges because no jeopardy attached; may be breach of plea agreement).
The state seeks to prove the charge of driving under the influence by introducing evidence that Lewis made an unsafe lane change. Because the plea agreement placed Lewis in jeopardy as to that conduct, the state cannot introduce evidence of the unsafe lane change in Lewis’ prosecution for DUI.