Court Opinion

ID: 5147657
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-01-02 01:39:01.951963+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:24:51.840837
License: Public Domain

[1] This is an original proceedings filed by the petitioner, Harvey E. Whiteside, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, alleging that he is confined in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary illegally; in that he was not adequately informed of his rights when he entered a plea of guilty to a charge of Murder, and that he was not represented by counsel at all stages.
[2] This cause was filed in this Court on June 6, 1966, and set for hearing on July 13, 1966. This Court ordered the District Court of Jackson County to file a response on or before September 2, 1966. Said response, along with affidavits, and copies of the court records were forwarded to this Court by the Honorable Weldon Ferris, District Judge of Jackson County, and received by the Clerk of this Court on September 2, 1966. The Response, the District Court Minute, the Affidavit from John S. Kerr, Attorney for Petitioner, and the Affidavit from Loys Criswell, County Attorney are hereby attached to this opinion and made a part thereof.
[3] From these documents, it is clear that the petitioner knew and understood his actions and the consequences of entering a plea of guilty, and that he was advised and represented by able counsel.
 "Where the record affirmatively shows that an accused knew and understood his right to counsel and competently and intelligently waived this right and entered a plea of guilty, with full knowledge of the consequences of such plea, the requirements of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States making obligatory the provisions of the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States upon the states have been fully complied with and application for Habeas Corpus will be Denied." Huggins v. State, Okla. Cr. 388 P.2d 341.
[4] The record in the instant cause speaks for itself. The Writ is accordingly denied.
[5] BUSSEY, P.J., and BRETT, J., concur. *Page 281

IN THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS
OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
HARVEY E. WHITESIDE, #70786,
 Petitioner,
vs.
A-14,013
THE DISTRICT COURT OF JACKSON
COUNTY, OKLAHOMA,
Respondent.
 RESPONSE
 This is to certify that I, Weldon Ferris, was District Judge at Altus,
Oklahoma, on September 18, 1964, and had been such District Judge since
January, 1946.
 Upon being advised that Harvey E. Whiteside was charged by Complaint in
the Justice of the Peace Court of Joe E. Hurley with the offense of
murder, I contacted John S. Kerr, a member of the Jackson County Bar, of
the firm of Kerr and Kerr, Attorneys, and told him that I was appointing
him to represent Harvey E. Whiteside in his preliminary hearing and if he
was bound over to District Court to represent him at his arraignment and
any other future hearings thereafter. I told him the County Attorney
would open his files and give him any information, including the names of
witnesses that the State knew of and for him to fully explain to the
defendant all of his legal rights before he could be arraigned in
District Court.
 Later, after John S. Kerr, Attorney, appeared with Harvey E. Whiteside
at his preliminary hearing, he, the defendant, Harvey E. Whiteside,
appeared before my Court with John S. Kerr, Attorney, with the County
Attorney, the Court Clerk, and others; the Attorney, John S. Kerr, in my
presence carefully advised him of his right to a jury trial, a right to
additional time before entering his plea if he desired, the nature of the
offense and the possible punishment that under the law the Court could
give him if he entered a plea of guilty.
 After this the Court, being certain that the defendant was competent in
the legal sense, and fully able to advise with and aid if necessary in
his defense, the Court again went over the nature of the offense with the
defendant and advised him of his right to a jury trial, a right to
additional time before entering his plea, and the defendant told me that
he waived his right to a jury trial and waived his right to additional
time in which to plead, whereupon the Court asked the defendant if he
knew in entering his plea of guilty to the offense of murder that he was
admitting he had done what the State charged him with; the Court asked
him if he further understood that if he entered a plea of guilty to this
offense that the only punishment under the law was a death sentence or a
life sentence to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary; the defendant said he
fully understood this.
 Whereupon the Information was read by the County Attorney and the
defendant, with his attorney beside him, told the Court that he was
entering his plea of guilty, and after being advised by the defendant
that he wanted no more time before sentence, the Court sentenced him to
the Oklahoma State Penitentiary to serve the remainder of his natural
life.
  (s) WELDON FERRIS
 District Judge.
 *Page 282 
IN THE DISTRICT COURT IN AND FOR JACKSON COUNTY,
OKLAHOMA
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
VS Case No. 2235
HARVEY E. WHITESIDE
 DISTRICT COURT MINUTE
September 18, 1964
Court appointed John S. Kerr attorney. Thereafter, State appeared by County
Attorney, Loys Criswell. Defendant appeared in person and by court appointed
attorney, John S. Kerr. County Attorney reads the information. Defendant
states name correct on Information. Defendant advised of all legal rights,
right of trial by jury and right of additional time to plead. Defendant
waives all rights. Defendant enters plea of guilty. Judgment and Sentence of
the Court that Harvey E. Whiteside be sentenced for the balance of his
natural life at Oklahoma State Penitentiary at McAlester, Oklahoma.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 RYAN KERR JOHN S. KERR
RESIDENCE PHONE RESIDENCE PHONE
 HU 2-3764 HU 2-0635
 LAW OFFICES
 KERR AND KERR
 ATTORNEYS AT LAW
 512 N B C BUILDING
 PHONE HU 2-3204 — P.O. BOX 698
 ALTUS, OKLAHOMA
 September 1, 1966
 *Page 283 
AFFIDAVIT
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
 ss
COUNTY OF JACKSON
 John S. Kerr, of lawful age and after being duly sworn, on oath states:
That I am a duly licensed and practicing attorney in the State of Oklahoma
and a member in good standing of the Oklahoma Bar Association; that on the
18th day of September, 1964, I was appointed by the District Court of
Jackson County, Oklahoma, to represent Harvey E. Whiteside on a charge of
murder filed by the County Attorney of Jackson County, Oklahoma; that I
counseled extensively with and advised the accused, Harvey E. Whiteside, of
all his constitutional rights and after being fully advised of the same, the
accused stated to me that he desired to enter a plea of guilty as charged;
that I read to the said Harvey E. Whiteside the confession made by him and
given to the County Attorney and was advised by the accused that all the
statements therein contained were true and correct; that I appeared with the
said Harvey E. Whiteside before the Justice of the Peace when preliminary
hearing was waived and that I appeared with the said Harvey E. Whiteside
when he entered his plea of guilty and was sentenced by the District Judge
of Jackson County, Oklahoma, to life imprisonment.
 Dated this 1st day of September, 1966.
  (s) JOHN S. KERR
 John S. Kerr
STATE OF OKLAHOMA |
 ss 2235
JACKSON COUNTY |
 AFFIDAVIT
 Loys Criswell, of lawful age, being first duly sworn, deposes and says as
follows: I am now County Attorney of Jackson County Oklahoma and was such
at 5:00 PM on the 16th day of September 1964, when Harvey E. Whiteside was
arrested by the Sheriff of Jackson County Oklahoma for the Crime of Murder.
 On the morning of September 17, 1964, Harvey E. Whiteside signed a
confession to the Murder of Sebastian Delarosa, a copy of said confession
is attached hereto and made a part of the affidavit. On the morning of
September 17, 1964, in the presence of Harvey E. Whiteside, Joe Azuna and
Lee Stalling signed statements as eye witnesses to the shooting of Delarosa
by Harvey E. Whiteside. Both statements hereto attached and made a part of
this affidavit.
 On the 18th day of September, 1964, the District Court appointed John S.
Kerr to represent Harvey E. Whiteside. The confession and statements
attached were furnished John S. Kerr and Harvey E. Whiteside and admitted
to be accurate and voluntary by Harvey E. Whiteside, John S. Kerr advised
with Harvey E. Whiteside until both announced their desire to plead before
the District Court. Preliminary Hearing was waived and Information filed in
District Court.
 Both John S. Kerr and District Judge Weldon Ferris informed the Defendant
of his constitutional rights before a plea was entered. Thereafter the
Defendant entered a plea of guilty to Murder and was thereafter duly
sentenced by the Court.
 LOYS CRISWELL
 COUNTY ATTORNEY
 *Page 284