Court Opinion

ID: 9659660
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 21:51:52.812655+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:10.539627
License: Public Domain

MASON, Justice
(dissenting).
I dissent for those reasons stated in the first two paragraphs of Justice McCormick’s special concurring opinion and for the further reason that the minimum requirements of due process set forth in Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471, 92 S.Ct. 2593, 2604, 33 L.Ed.2d 484, were not complied with. Those minimum requirements are: “(a) written notice of the claimed violations of parole.; (b) disclosure to the parolee of evidence against him; (c) opportunity to be heard in person and to present witnesses and documentary evidence; (d) the right to confront and cross-examine adverse witnesses (unless the hearing officer specifically finds good cause for not allowing confrontation) ; (e) *564a 'neutral and detached' hearing body such as a traditional parole board, members of which need not be judicial officers or lawyers; and (f) a written statement by the factfinders as to the evidence relied on and reasons for revoking parole. * * (Emphasis supplied).
The following statement appears in division I of the majority’s opinion:
“The findings of a court revoking probation must of course show the factual basis for the revocation. See Morrissey v. Brewer, supra. The findings of the trial court in the record here do state the factual basis — defendant’s participation in the robbery at the Super Valu store.”
Omitting the recitation of the appearance of the parties and their counsel we set out the balance of the court’s order:
“The court having reviewed evidence and information offered on such issue, finds as a fact that defendant has violated the terms of his probation and that revocation is recommended by the Bureau of Adult Corrections Services and the office of Polk County Attorney.
“Accordingly, it is ordered that probation granted to the defendant on December 5, 1969 is revoked and defendant shall forthwith serve the sentence of imprisonment passed on him that date.”
In my opinion the order not only fails to comply with requirement (f) set out, supra, it also fails to specifically find good cause for not allowing defendant the right to confront and cross-examine witnesses compiling the report referred to in division III of the majority opinion or those witnesses relating what they saw to the police officer witness.
Evidence was received over a timely objection that it was hearsay. That such evidence was subject to such objection cannot be doubted. Yet, the majority says that it has been held when hearsay is admitted revocation does not constitute an abuse of discretion if the fact of violation is established by evidence which is competent. There is no showing in this order that the objectionable evidence was excluded by the court in reaching its conclusion. See Bellew v. Iowa State Highway Commission, 171 N.W.2d 284, 291-293, (Iowa 1969). If the court rejected this hearsay properly challenged by objection from consideration, its order should have so stated.
I would reverse and remand for a hearing conducted in accordance with the requirements of due process.
RAWLINGS, J., joins in the dissent.