Court Opinion

ID: 9586963
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:16:55.525819+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:32:57.817490
License: Public Domain

YOLLACK, Justice,
concurring in part and dissenting in part:
I agree with the majority’s finding that the defendant has made a prima facie showing of the constitutional invalidity of his 1976 guilty plea. I write separately, *10however, because I disagree with the majority’s conclusion that Lacy made a prima facie showing that he lacked an understanding of the nature and critical elements of second degree assault when he entered a guilty plea in 1980. I therefore dissent to Part III.A., and concur in the remainder of the majority opinion.
Lacy was represented by counsel at the providency hearing. The majority notes that Lacy’s counsel had been provided with a copy of the information. The information charged Lacy with the “knowing assault” of his victim “with intent to commit the felony of Second Degree Rape.” See Noel v. Idaho, 113 Idaho 92, 94, 741 P.2d 728, 730 (Idaho App.1987) (“A defendant must be informed of the intent element before a guilty plea can be regarded as voluntary. This requirement may be met when the information, referring to the intent element, is read to the defendant.”) The trial court said to Lacy: “You are appearing here with your attorney, ... you have talked to him about this; you understand the charge?” Lacy responded in the affirmative. It is true that the court did not specify that the charge to which Lacy was pleading guilty was second degree assault “with intent to commit the felony of second degree rape.” There was, however, a discussion on the record and in the presence of Lacy and his counsel regarding the disposition of the case and the filing of a “Sexual Psychopathy Petition.” 1 The parties agreed that a petition in sexual psychopathy would be filed and that Lacy would be sent for the 90-day evaluation.
Most significantly, the prosecuting attorney entered a detailed account of the assault that included the information that Lacy had pulled the victim into his car “and she struggled and ... he then choked her with his hands around her neck, and she lost consciousness.” When the victim regained consciousness she awoke to find her assailant sitting in the car masturbating; he again attempted to attack her and she again struggled. “Threats were made that she should comply with his demands or she would be killed, and she then stopped struggling and he was able to partially remove her blouse by unzipping it, and, again, to take her pants down to her ankles.”
Normally the record contains either an explanation of the charge by the trial judge, or at least a representation by defense counsel that the nature of the offense has been explained to the accused. Moreover, even without such an express representation, it may be appropriate to presume that in most cases defense counsel routinely explain the nature of the offense in sufficient detail to give the accused notice of what he is being asked to admit.
Henderson v. Morgan, 426 U.S. 637, 647, 96 S.Ct. 2253, 2258, 49 L.Ed.2d 108 (1976), quoted in Marshall v. Lonberger, 459 U.S. 422, 436, 103 S.Ct. 843, 852, 74 L.Ed.2d 646 (1982).
Considering the record as a whole, I would conclude that the defendant sufficiently understood the mental state element of the charge — that he intended to commit rape when he assaulted Annette Muse. The prosecutor’s presentation of the factual basis for the charge established the sexual nature of the assault in detail.2 “Upon hearing this information, the defendant did not protest or attempt to withdraw his earlier guilty plea.” People v. Adrian, *11701 P.2d 45, 48 (Colo.1985). We came to a similar conclusion in People v. Scheer, 184 Colo. 15, 518 P.2d 833 (1974), where we held:
The record in this case indicates that after the court accepted the guilty pleas the prosecution proceeded to state to the court and the jury a summary of the prosecution’s evidence in the case, which included a full statement about the attempted holdup and shooting. Defendant Scheer and his counsel were present in the courtroom for this recitation and no objection was made.... We find that there was a factual basis in the record for the plea in this case and that defendant understanding^ made his plea.
Id. at 21, 518 P.2d at 835-36. In addition, the defendant was present for discussions on the record with his attorney concerning the filing of a petition for his sexual psychopathy evaluation. Again, he did not protest. Based on this, I cannot conclude that the defendant did not understand the sexual nature of the assault charge. We have noted that “a factual basis may be established by the record as a whole” in concluding that reports by two psychiatrists plus the affidavit accompanying the information were sufficient to establish the factual basis for a plea. Wilson v. People, 708 P.2d 792, 798-99 (Colo.1985). I would find that the defendant was sufficiently aware of the nature of the charge to enter a knowing and voluntary plea of guilty.
The effect of the majority’s holding is to create a “form over substance” application of Crim.P. 11 as it applies to specific intent crimes. Lacy conceded that he assaulted the victim, thus establishing the first element of the crime. I believe that the intent element — intent to commit second degree rape — was understandable from a reading of the information and from the totality of the proceedings in the record. The trial court is not required to follow a “formal ritual.” People v. Wade, 708 P.2d 1366, 1368 (Colo.1985). The defendant conceded that he had spoken with his attorney and that he understood the charge. I therefore concur in part and dissent in part.
I am authorized to say that Justice RO-VIRA and Justice MULLARKEY join in this concurrence and dissent.

. A Washington statute provides that if a court finds reasonable grounds to believe that a defendant is a sexual psychopath, "the court shall order said defendant confined at the nearest state hospital for observation as to the existence of sexual psychopathy" for a period not to exceed 90 days. Wash.Rev.Code § 71.06.040 (1987); see In re Knapp, 102 Wash.2d 466, 468, 687 P.2d 1145, 1148 (1984); State v. Wilmoth, 22 Wash.App. 419, 421, 589 P.2d 1270, 1271 (1979).

. [T]he record of the providency hearing shows that the Florida court neither advised defendant of the elements of the offenses nor read the information to him. However, the testimony of the defendant and the statements of defendant’s counsel clearly reveal that the defendant knew and understood the elements of the charge.
The record of the providency hearing is sufficient to show that defendant understood the critical elements of the offenses to which he pled guilty.
People v. Henderson, 745 P.2d 265, 267 (Colo.App.1987), cert. denied, (Oct. 5, 1987).