On Point blog, page 3 of 5
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentencing – Procedure – Shackled, Deaf Defendant: Must Show Actual Interference with Effective Signing
State v. Jeremy D. Russ, 2006 WI App 9
For Russ: Martha K. Askins, SPD, Madison Appellate
Issue/Holding: A deaf defendant who had been shackled when he entered a guilty plea and was sentenced must show actual inability to communicate effectively in order to meet his burden of showing a violation of rights. Thus, even though the defendant adduced expert proof at the postconviction hearing “that communication would be limited and difficult if a deaf person who used sign language were handcuffed,” he did not meet his burden of proof:
¶10 As the trial court observed,
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentencing — Procedure — Pleading Requirements
State v. Andrae D. Howell, 2006 WI App 182, PFR filed 9/25/06 (reconsideration of previously issued but subsequently withdrawn opinion)
For Howell: Ellen Henak, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding1: A conclusory allegation suffices to obtain a hearing on a Bangert claim (involving a defect in the plea colloquy), ¶14; however, more is required for a non-Bangert claim, ¶¶21-29.
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentencing — Procedure — Pleading Requirements, Generally: Bangert and Hampton, Compared
State v. Timothy J. Goyette, 2006 WI App 178
For Goyette: E.J. Hunt, Kathleen M. Quinn
Issue/Holding:
¶17 The purpose of filing a Bangert plea withdrawal motion is to obtain an evidentiary hearing at which the State bears the burden of producing evidence showing that, despite a defective plea colloquy, the defendant’s plea was nonetheless knowing and voluntary. State v.
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentencing — Procedure — Pleading Requirements, Generally
State v. Donnell Basley, 2006 WI App 253
For Basley: Randall E. Paulson, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding1: The postconviction court erroneously denied without evidentiary hearing Basley’s motion for plea-withdrawal (on Nelson/Bentley rather than Bangert grounds):
¶8 Accompanying Basley’s motion is an affidavit from his postconviction counsel averring that the motion “summarizes … Basley’s expected testimony.” Counsel also acknowledges in the affidavit that Basley’s trial counsel will likely dispute that he threatened to withdraw unless Basley accepted the proffered plea bargain.
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentencing — Procedure — Pleading Requirements, Dual Bangert and Nelson/Bentley Motion
State v. Andrae D. Howell, 2007 WI 75, reversing 2006 WI App 182
For Howell: Ellen Henak, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding:
¶74 The Bangert and Nelson/Bentley motions, however, are applicable to different factual circumstances. [47] A defendant invokes Bangert when the plea colloquy is defective; a defendant invokes Nelson/Bentley when the defendant alleges that some factor extrinsic to the plea colloquy,
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentence — Procedure: Prima Facie Showing, Relative to Rights Waived – Illiterate Defendant, Perfunctory Colloquy
State v. James E. Brown, 2006 WI 100, reversing summary order
For Brown: Richard D. Martin, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding: On the particular facts (illiterate defendant, no written questionnaire, perfunctory colloquy) the defendant was entitled to a Bangert hearing on whether the understood the nature of the rights waived by his guilty plea.
With respect to waiver of right to jury trial,
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentence — Procedure: Prima Facie Showing, Relative to Knowledge of Charge – Illiterate Defendant, Perfunctory Colloquy
State v. James E. Brown, 2006 WI 100, reversing summary order
For Brown: Richard D. Martin, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding: The defendant demonstrated a prima facie showing that his guilty plea was inadequate, where he was illiterate (such that a plea questionnaire wasn’t even prepared) and the trial court’s colloquy was superficial, ¶¶53-58.
The facts are sufficiently extreme that recurrence is highly unlikely and they therefore won’t be detailed in this summary;
Plea-Withdrawal, Post-sentencing — Procedure — Pleading Requirements for Evidentiary Hearing on Bangert Motion Relative to Nature of Charge
State v. James E. Brown, 2006 WI 100, reversing summary order
For Brown: Richard D. Martin, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding:
¶59 To earn a Bangert evidentiary hearing, a defendant must satisfy a second obligation. In addition to making a prima facie case that the circuit court erred in the plea colloquy, a defendant must allege he did not enter a knowing,
Evidentiary Hearing – IAC Claim – Trial Court Discretion to Deny
State v. David J. Roberson, 2005 WI App 195
For Roberson: Richard D. Martin, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding:
¶11 A circuit court acts within its discretion in denying without a Machnerhearing a postconviction motion based on ineffective assistance of counsel when: (1) the defendant has failed to allege sufficient facts in the motion to raise a question of fact; (2) the defendant has presented only conclusory allegations;
Sealed File
State v. John Doe, 2005 WI App 68
For John Doe: Amelia L. Bizzaro (the court file has been ordered sealed, and the caption amended “to shield the defendant’s identity”)
Issue/Holding:
¶11. We next address the defendant’s allegation that the trial court erroneously exercised its discretion when it denied his request to file his sentence modification motion under seal. “Documents are presented under seal precisely so that their secrecy might be preserved and disclosure to the public might be prevented.”