Court Opinion

ID: 9532556
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:22:27.017635+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:47.108094
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE BOTTOMLY,
dissenting.
I dissent.
In this case, this court does not have before it the question of the guilt or innocence of the defendant.
*252The only question presented by this appeal is:
Did the district court abuse its discretion in refusing to grant defendant’s motion to withdraw his plea of guilty, and in lieu thereof, enter the plea of not guilty to the felony charged against him, so that he, the defendant, Leo F. Scalise, could have such charge tried by a jury?
The record discloses that on November 21, 1955, defendant, present before the court in person and by counsel, entered a plea of guilty, and the court fixed December 10, 1955, as the time for pronouncement of judgment.
December 10, 1955, and before pronouncement of judgment, defendant’s original counsel withdrew as attorneys in the action. New counsel came into the case representing defendant and made, served and filed defendant’s motion to withdraw the plea of guilty and enter a plea of not guilty. The motion was based on the affidavit of defendant, Leo F. Scalise, and the records and files in the case.
No counter-affidavits were filed. The affidavit of defendant sets forth very peculiar proceedings and circumstances from which it can be inferred that defendant had been “brainwashed” into pleading guilty. However, the trial court denied defendant’s motion to withdraw his plea.
The Constitution of Montana, art. Ill, section 23, provides, as far as pertinent hereto, that, “ The right of trial by jury shall be secured to all, and remain inviolate.” The section then makes exception as follows: “but in all civil cases and in all criminal cases not amounting to felony, upon default of appearance, or by consent of the parties expressed in such manner as the law may prescribe, a trial by jury may be waived, * * Emphasis supplied.
Again, in showing the intent of the drafters, section 23 specifically provides: “In all civil actions and in all criminal eases not amounting to felony, two-thirds in number of the jury may render a verdict, * * Emphasis supplied.
Section 2 of art. Ill of the Constitution of the United States of America, provides as far as pertinent here, that: ‘ ‘ The Trial *253of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; * * *” By the Sixth amendment, a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury is assured.
The Fourteenth amendment, as far as pertinent here, provides: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
The word “inviolate,” used in section 23 of art. Ill, of the Montana Constitution, means not to be violated, unimpaired, sacred, secure against corruption. Webster’s New International Dictionary (2d ed.). The wording of this section of article III is simple and easily understood and needs no interpretation.
This guarantees to every person charged with a felony, the right to a trial by jury when desired and requested. The state gives up nothing by allowing the change of plea. By granting such change, the court only sustains the “sacred” right of the defendant, and preserves the fundamental law of our Bill of Rights.
This court has repeatedly held that a defendant in a felony case should not be persuaded to make a plea of guilty against his will, and such plea should never be accepted when induced by fear, persuasion, promise or ignorance. See State ex rel. Foot v. District Court, 81 Mont. 495, 263 Pac. 979. On application to change a plea, all doubts should be resolved in favor of a trial on the merits. As was said in State v. McAllister, 96 Mont. 348, 353, 30 Pac. (2d) 821, 823, “Here the affidavits were not opposed by counter affidavits, and we must, therefore, assume the truth of everything contained in them.” Compare State v. Nicholas, 46 Mont. 470, 128 Pac. 543; State v. Dow, 71 Mont. 291, 229 Pac. 402; State v. Carcaras, 104 Mont. 404, 413, 66 Pac. (2d) 774; State v. McBane, 128 Mont. 369, 275 Pac. (2d) 218; 22 C.J.S., Criminal Law, section 421, pages 640, 641. The same general rule is set forth in 14 Am. Jur., Criminal Law, sections 286, 287, page 960, et seq.
*254I would reverse the judgment and order and remand the cause to the district court for a jury trial on the merits on the defendant’s plea of not guilty.