Court Opinion

ID: 9844703
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:06:57.878572+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:15:40.316646
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE ANGSTMAN:
(dissenting).
The majority opinion is rested on the single proposition that the trial judge acted arbitrarily in refusing to allow the defendant to withdraw a plea of guilty.
I do not agree that such is the case. It is true that a plea of guilty should be entirely voluntary and without any procuring cause such as duress, undue influence, fear, promise, mistake, ignorance or misapprehension and doubts should be resolved in favor of a trial on the merits. State v. Dryman, 125 Mont. 500, 241 Pac. (2d) 821; State ex rel. Foot v. District Court, 81 Mont. 495, 263 Pac. 979; State v. Casaras, 104 Mont. 404, 66 Pac. (2d) 774. But permission to withdraw a plea is not a matter of right but is within the sound discretion of the court, 22 C. J. S., Criminal Law, sec. 421, p. 638; 14 Am. Jur., Criminal Law, sec. 286, p. 961, and subject to review only where there has been an abuse of discretion, State v. Nance, 120 Mont. 152, 184 Pac. (2d) 554.
*378Iii order to determine whether the court abused its discretion in denying the motion, we must look to the proceedings and evidence before the court when the motion was ruled on. A reading of the entire record, much of which is quoted in the majority opinion, convinces me that the court was careful to point out to defendant his right to counsel and his right to defer entering his plea until after consulting counsel but that defendant repeatedly refused to have counsel appointed for him before entering his plea and counsel was actually appointed only to aid the court in gathering proper information to be considered by the court before imposing sentence.
It was developed that defendant has five children. Asked why he hadn’t taken care of them, he replied, “Sir, this is not changing my plea any — I sent money, I sent money to my wife; if she denies it, I won’t argue with her.
“The Court: How much have you sent to your wife in the last year?
“Marvin W. McBane: In the last year, sir, in dollars I couldn’t exactly say, but she received enough that she should have provided.
“The Court: Well, in round numbers, how much have you sent to her?
“Marvin W. McBane: Since May, I know for a fact, May of— this last May, I sent better than $200 a month up through September. ’ ’
Defendant had a leave of absence from his employment in Alaska and came to the States in September 1952. The court asked him if he visited his wife and children upon returning to the States and his reply was, “With the facts that I had to return to her under, I just couldn’t bring myself to meet her.”
Defendant then testified that he had spent five years in the service of the government in the Marine Corps. The court stated to him, ! 11 wish you would let me appoint a lawyer for you to see your side of this case, ’ ’ to which he replied, ‘ ‘ Sir, I plead guilty because I don’t want a lot of facts of a family nature brought up. If she won’t admit the fact I gave her money, I will take the *379punishment. ’ ’ The court thereupon stated that it did not want to pass sentence until it had all the facts and announced that it would appoint a lawyer to make an investigation and continued the hearing- to a time stated; bond was fixed at $500 and defendant was ordered to remain in Hamilton.
At the time to which the hearing had been continued, defendant’s counsel moved the court to withdraw the plea of guilty. The court indicated that it would deny the motion unless it was supported by facts showing a misunderstanding or other cause. After some discussion by counsel, hearing- on the motion to withdraw the plea was continued to a time stated. When that time arrived a further continuance was granted, subject to being called up at any time, and request was made that defendant go wherever he desired in the State of Montana in search of employment in order to care for his family. Upon consulting with the chairman of the board of county commissioners of Ravalli County, this was granted, after defendant agreed to the conditions and promised to seek employment and remain in the state and endeavor to support his family and report to the county attorney.
Further hearing was called for February 25, 1953. The county attorney requested that defendant be permitted to go to California to attend a trial wherein he was seeking to recover money from an attorney, and if successful there was a chance that his family might receive some of the money. This was allowed after defendant promised to return promptly after the trial.
The matter was called for further hearing on March 25, 1953. The California trial was concluded on March 6th and defendant’s whereabouts on March 25th were unknown. Defendant’s parents who had supplied bail petitioned the court to issue a bench warrant to have him apprehended. The warrant was issued.
On April 8,1953, written motion to withdraw the plea of guilty was made supported by affidavits. Defendant made affidavit stating that the reason why he was unduly influenced to plead guilty was out of consideration for his wife, stated as follows: “My wife had asked for and received money and aid from Ravalli Co. and other church welfare and good citizens. Of this she *380had no right. I had no knowledge of these facts until my return. I thought my wife would be guilty or thought of as accepting these funds and help without reason or need. That if I did testify to the true amount of money it would be against her character. Which would reflect on her as a mother.”
The record shows that defendant left his home in Hamilton on or about September 8, 1951, and went to Alaska where he accepted employment with the United States government doing heavy diesel mechanic work. He received take home pay of $214 for each two weeks’ work. Though leaving Hamilton with his wife’s consent, he was absent three months before contacting his family, consisting of his wife and five children. One of the children meanwhile had been hospitalized for malnutrition. The public welfare department, as well as the county attorney, found it necessary to write to defendant with respect to his failure to support his children. After thus writing to defendant, he sent $100 to his wife by money order dated December 4, 1951.
For the full year from September 1951 to September 1952, defendant received take home pay amounting to about $5,500. He contends that he sent to his family $1,725, the last payment being received by his wife about January 25, 1953. The state, contends, however, that he contributed only $1,019 instead of $1,725 during that period.
While in Alaska defendant met Joyce DeYette, became entangled in a love affair with her and in March 1953 entered into a bigamous marriage with her in Nevada.
Defendant in his affidavit, in support of his motion to withdraw his plea of guilty, states that before going to Alaska he made arrangements with his parents and his wife for food and clothing for the family until he received his wages on his new job. Affidavits by defendant’s father and mother corroborated his statement that arrangements had been made and carried out by them to provide food and pay bills for defendant’s wife while he was in Alaska and until such time as defendant received pay for his services.
The county attorney made an affidavit in opposition to the mo*381tion to change the plea, wherein he stated that defendant when released on bond had obtained funds which he did not turn over to his wife and family as he agreed; that in violation of his agreement defendant did not return to Montana after going to California to attend the trial of an action there pending, but instead went to Nevada and entered into a bigamous marriage with Joyce DeYette; that defendant and Joyce DeYette were living together as man and wife in Salt Lake City, Utah, where defendant was arrested on a bench warrant issued by the court.
Defendant testified orally on the motion stating in substance that he pleaded guilty to “shield my wife of something that she is very guilty of, and I think that if the figures could be looked at as to the amount of money she received from this county plus the facts how much I sent her, that she is guilty of a crime also; that my thought in pleading guilty to this was that I was shielding her as a mother, and I still say that she is a mother, and it’s not against the character as a wife. ’ ’
The court denied the motion and imposed sentence. I think the court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion to change the plea.
The evidence was such that the court could consider the defendant who had had two years of high school training knew what he was doing when pleading guilty. The evidence was sufficient to warrant the court in concluding that the plea was entered voluntarily without any procuring cause such as duress, undue influence, fear, promise, mistake, ignorance or misapprehension. In fact there was no claim made to the contrary. Defendant makes no claim that he did not understand what he was doing when pleading guilty. He makes no showing that he was in anywise confused as to his rights.
Defendant’s story that he wanted to shield his wife does not square with his actions in entering into a marriage with Joyce DeYette.
Defendant further contends that the record shows he did not desert his children at the time alleged in the information, to wit: September 8, 1951. It is true that the record shows that *382lie left Montana with, the consent of his wife but that he had the intent to desert his family at the very moment may be shown by circumstantial evidence. The fact that he did not send any money for their support for three months is some evidence of his intent at the time he left Hamilton. Furthermore, the precise time when the crime was committed is unimportant in view of our statute, R. C. M. 1947, sec. 94-6408, so long as the offense is committed before the filing of the information. See State v. Terry, 77 Mont. 297, 250 Pac. 612.
Defendant’s counsel argues that defendant was misinformed as to the law applicable to his case. The court read to the defendant, before accepting his plea of guilty, the statutory provisions treating of the question of deserting and abandoning children and failing to provide for their support. The court read R. C. M. 1947, sec. 94-304, which makes it a felony to desert and abandon children under fifteen years of age without providing food, care and clothing for them. After reading this section to the defendant, the court pointed out specifically as above noted that the crime involved was a felony carrying a stiff penalty not exceeding seven years imprisonment in the state prison. The court then read sections 94-301 and 94-302 which make it a misdemeanor to omit without lawful excuse to furnish necessary board, clothing, shelter or medical attention to children under the age of 16 years. Defendant in his affidavit makes no claim that he was misled by the court in reading the law to him. He makes no claim either in his affidavit or oral testimony that he was actually led to believe that he was pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge. In fact, his only claim of undue influence or procuring cause for pleading guilty, other than his actual guilt, was the tender concern for his wife’s welfare, which the court was warranted in concluding was fairly well negatived by his conduct.
As to the special concurring opinions, it is sufficient to say that any person may waive the benefit of a law enacted for his benefit. That applies to a constitutional right as well as to a statutory right.
I think the judgment appealed from should be affirmed.