Court Opinion

ID: 9551058
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:47:08.462923+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:22:58.711535
License: Public Domain

Durham, J.
(dissenting) — I agree with Justice Goodloe's dissent. However, one portion of the majority opinion deserves further comment. At page 568, the majority states:
While his guilt is not to be contested and we do not cast doubt on the federal RICO conviction, we do not know with precision the extent to which Walgren was involved in the criminal enterprise. Our inability to comprehend the exact role of Gordon Walgren in this enterprise certainly does not exonerate his breach of the public trust. It does, however, constitute a mitigating circumstance which bears on the question of whether sufficient time has elapsed for rehabilitation. See In re Krogh [93 Wn.2d 504, 610 P.2d 1319 (1980)] at 506-07; In re Cohen [83 Ill. 2d 521, 416 N.E.2d 256 (1981)] at 526-27.
Neither the trial judge nor jury shared the majority's puzzlement. The Ninth Circuit expressed no confusion when it *580found substantial evidence to support the verdict. United States v. Bagnariol, 665 F.2d 877 (9th Cir. 1981). Although every nuance of the crime may not be known, Walgren's agreement to sell his vote for 6 percent of the profits is painfully clear.
But the majority's myopia is not the main problem. Far more troubling is the holding that, because the majority cannot comprehend Walgren's precise involvement, he is entitled to mitigation regarding the period of his rehabilitation. That is a remarkable conclusion and one which is not borne out by any authority, including the two cases referred to by the majority. In re Cohen, 83 Ill. 2d 521, 416 N.E.2d 256 (1981) does not even address the majority's conclusion, let alone support it. In re Krogh, 93 Wn.2d 504, 610 P.2d 1319 (1980) noted specific mitigating factors of Krogh's involvement which indicated that "the weaknesses which led to the commission of the offense were correctable." Krogh, at 507. The facts of Krogh's involvement were clear.
It seems to me that one could more persuasively argue that not fully understanding a petitioner's criminal involvement would mitigate against leniency for fear of exculpating the guilty. Nonetheless, according to the majority, what we don't know, doesn't hurt Mr. Walgren.
Goodloe, J., concurs with Durham, J.