Court Opinion

ID: 9690028
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 18:51:59.105129+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:53.314419
License: Public Domain

TOMLJANOVICH, Justice
(dissenting).
I disagree with the majorities’ conclusion to remand this ease for yet another hearing on the “voluntariness” of the plea. What will the trial judge learn that he does not already know? He has conducted a hearing on the defendant’s motion to withdraw his plea and found the plea was voluntarily made. The majority points out that the finding is a “question of fact which will not be disturbed unless clearly erroneous. State v. Kulseth, 333 N.W.2d 635, 637 (Minn.1983).”
The majority goes to considerable pains to point out that the trial judge did everything right:
The record indicates that the trial court conducted a thorough standard Rule 15.01 inquiry. Appellant was represented by his own counsel and had adequate time to discuss the plea with his attorney. Appellant stated several times, under oath, that no promises or threats had been made to him and that he understood he was not being coerced into entering the plea. The trial court’s findings and decision on this issue appear to have been carefully considered and were thoughtfully articulated.
It appears the majority is concerned that joint plea agreements are unusual. I do not know whether joint plea agreements are all that uncommon, but even if they are, it does not seem to go to voluntariness in this case.
I do not believe anything will be accomplished by a second hearing, therefore, I respectfully dissent from that portion of the opinion ordering a remand.