Court Opinion

ID: 9716338
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 06:34:39.988838+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:44.068612
License: Public Domain

JUSTICE HAASE, specially concurring: Although I agree and concur in the decision reached by the court in this case, the result is very unfortunate and troubling to me. This case started out as two counts of residential burglary and two counts of misdemeanor theft. It was subsequently plea bargained for a plea to the two counts of misdemeanor theft in return for a dismissal of the two felony charges. In addition, it was agreed by the parties that the defendant, who had no prior record, would serve a one-year term of probation, serve six months in the county jail and make restitution in an amount to be agreed upon by the parties within 30 days. The State conceded that it did not have any proof that the defendant actually entered the residences in question in the two residential burglaries. After the partially negotiated plea, when the parties could not agree on the amount of restitution, a restitution hearing was held in which the trial judge determined that the victims of the residential burglaries had a combined loss of property valued at $4,500. It appears from a review of the record and briefs in this case that it was contemplated that the defendant would pay more in restitution than the minimum amount of stolen property found in her possession at the time of her arrest. However, the failure of the prosecutor and defense lawyer to have an agreement at the time of the plea created the situation that we have before us. It seems to this writer that the better procedure would have been for the prosecutor and the defense lawyer to have a complete agreement on all issues prior to the time of the plea. At the very least, there should have been an agreement by the parties that some portion of the burglary proceeds were to be paid as restitution in a subsequent proceeding. Likewise, it is this writer’s opinion that the trial judge should not have accepted the plea without a clearer understanding by all parties with regards to the restitution. The net result of the procedure followed here is that a defendant pleads down two residential burglaries to misdemeanor theft with an understanding that she will pay restitution, when in fact she will pay no restitution other than amounts in her possession at the time of her arrest. Finally, it would seem that if the prosecution has no proof of the felony, they should not use the plea process to obtain restitution for it. While the result is unfortunate, the court’s opinion is correct on the law and I concur in it.