Court Opinion

ID: 9623728
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 06:42:06.668817+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:53:01.519005
License: Public Domain

Dolliver, J.
(dissenting) — The issue in this case is not whether the constitutional rights to a trial by jury and counsel can be waived by a silent record. They cannot. Seattle v. Crumrine, 98 Wn.2d 62, 653 P.2d 605 (1982). The issue is whether there is a silent record. There is not. The majority cites State v. Wicke, 91 Wn.2d 638, 591 P.2d 452 (1979) and Seattle v. Crumrine, supra, as being indistinguishable. They are not. The other recent case cited as controlling is Seattle v. Williams, 101 Wn.2d 445, 680 P.2d 1051 (1984). It is distinguishable. Furthermore the "Faretta" test (Faretta v. California, 422 U.S. 806, 45 L. Ed. 2d 562, 95 S. Ct. 2525 (1975)) cited by the majority is dicta and has no relevance to this case.
The "Statement of Rights of Accused Persons" form which was read to defendants at the time of arraignment and was signed by them stated:
As a result of being accused of a criminal or traffic offense, and pleading Not Guilty, you are entitled to the following protective rights:
*2132. A trial before a judge, or, in selected cases, before a jury.
6. The right to be represented by a lawyer of your own choosing and at your own expense at any stage of the proceedings. If you cannot afford a lawyer, a public defender can be appointed, without charge to you, to assist in your defense.
Note Concerning Public Defender: If you believe that you qualify to be represented by the Public Defender due to your being unemployed or without money to hire and pay for your own lawyer, you should immediately contact:
Office of Public Defense 1914 Smith Tower Seattle, Washington 98104 Phone: 344-3462
Note Concerning Right to and Request for Jury Trial: You have a right to a jury trial if charged with any offense by the State of Washington, or by a city or municipality with a Gross Misdemeanor or other offense which will result, upon a judgment of guilty, in the suspension or revocation of your driver's license or privilege to drive. A jury trial must be timely requested in writing prior to your trial date.
There was not a statement of rights of accused persons which was read to defendants and then signed by them in either Wicke or Crumrine. In Williams the record did not show whether defendants had their rights read to them or whether they had been advised in writing of their constitutional rights to a jury and to counsel. Neither of those conditions was in any doubt here. The rights were read to the defendants. They were given the statement of rights which they both signed.
In Faretta the defendant was forced to accept, against his will, a state appointed public defender. The Supreme Court held this deprived him of his constitutional right to conduct his own defense. The material quoted by the court from Faretta is to reinforce the position of defendant that *214he had known what he was doing and the choice was "made with eyes open". Faretta, at 835.
What does the record show here? (1) In open court the judge read defendants their statement of rights, which included right to a jury and right to counsel. (2) The court asked the defendants, separately and on the record, if they understood their rights. (3) On the record each defendant answered yes. (4) The judge asked the defendants, separately and on the record, if they had any questions about their rights. (5) Both defendants, on the record, answered no. (6) Both defendants signed the statement of rights. (7) The statement of rights is written in clear, explicit, and easily comprehended language. (8) No claim is made defendants are illiterate, could not speak or understand the English language, or were otherwise somehow unable to comprehend the statement of rights. This is hardly a silent record.
Defendants were advised of their rights. They were informed as to what had to be done to secure their rights. By any reasonable standard, they knew about, ignored and in fact waived their rights. Now, having lost their case on the merits at every court level, they call upon the appellate courts to hold they had not made a knowing and intelligent waiver of their rights. The record contradicts this assertion; the constitution should not be mocked. I dissent.
Dimmick, J., concurs with Dolliver, J.