Remington v. State, 12994

Decision Date10 June 1983
Docket NumberNo. 12994,12994
Citation654 S.W.2d 280
PartiesRodinald Lee REMINGTON, Movant, v. STATE of Missouri, Respondent.
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals

Rodinald Lee Remington, movant, pro se.

John Ashcroft, Atty. Gen., John M. Morris, Asst. Atty. Gen., of Jefferson City, for respondent.

MAUS, Presiding Judge.

On May 21, 1981, the movant pled guilty to having committed sodomy on July 3, 1980. He was sentenced to imprisonment for ten years. By his motion under Rule 27.26, he seeks to set aside that plea and conviction. He alleges he was denied the effective assistance of counsel. In summary, he asserts this is so because counsel did not inform him of the Criminal Sexual Psychopath Act, RSMo 1969, §§ 202.700 to 202.770, and that had he known of those provisions he would not have entered the plea of guilty.

After the movant's pro se motion was filed, counsel was appointed for him. Through counsel an amended motion was filed. Movant filed an additional pro se amendment. Thereafter, without notice to or appearance by movant or the state, the trial court took up the amended motion. After finding that the sexual psychopath provisions were repealed before the movant's conviction, it determined that an evidentiary hearing was not necessary and dismissed the amended motion. The sexual psychopath provisions were repealed effective August 13, 1980.

The movant claims this was error because those provisions were in force at the time of the offense. Therefore, he argues they were applicable to the disposition of the instant offense. In support of that argument he cites § 1.160, RSMo 1976, and cases such as State v. Fellows, 629 S.W.2d 613 (Mo.App.1981); State v. Crow, 600 S.W.2d 162 (Mo.App.1980); Meeks v. State, 512 S.W.2d 215 (Mo.App.1974).

However, for the disposition of this appeal it may be assumed this court would find no evidentiary hearing was required. Nonetheless, the judgment of dismissal must be reversed and the cause remanded. "The procedure adopted here is directly contrary to the rule announced in Wheatley v. State, 559 S.W.2d 526 (Mo. banc 1977). After appointment of counsel, the court must notify counsel and give an opportunity to be heard before summarily dismissing a motion under Rule 27.26." Dawson v. State, 640 S.W.2d 165, 166 (Mo.App.1982).

The state argues that the requirement announced in Wheatley v. State, 559 S.W.2d 526 (Mo. banc 1977), was satisfied when movant's counsel appeared by the filing of an amended motion. This court does not accept that argument. The issue posed in Wheatley was stated in the opening sentence. "This case presents the question of whether, after counsel has been appointed for a petitioner who files pro se a motion for postconviction relief under rule 27.26, the trial court may, without giving counsel notice or an opportunity to be heard, summarily deny the motion." Wheatley v. State, supra, at p. 526. The holding in Wheatley has been summarized. "The trial court did precisely what was required by Wheatley in that, after appointing counsel for movant and before dismissing the 27.26 motion by sustaining the state's motion to dismiss, the trial court afforded movant's counsel the opportunity to be...

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5 cases
  • Johnson v. State, 16043
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • June 30, 1989
    ...526 (Mo. banc 1977), Mills v. State, 723 S.W.2d 71 (Mo.App.1986), Riley v. State, 680 S.W.2d 956 (Mo.App.1984), and Remington v. State, 654 S.W.2d 280 (Mo.App.1983). The precise question presented here was answered in Chatman v. State, 766 S.W.2d 724 (Mo.App.1989). There the court noted tha......
  • Duggar v. State, 13964
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • August 8, 1985
    ...trial court dismisses a 27.26 motion for failure to state a claim.); Wheatley v. State, 559 S.W.2d 526 (Mo. banc 1977); Remington v. State, 654 S.W.2d 280 (Mo.App.1983); Dawson v. State, 640 S.W.2d 165 (Mo.App.1982); Lang v. State, 596 S.W.2d 739 Notice and an opportunity to be heard on a 2......
  • Wintjen v. State, 15660
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • September 27, 1988
    ...done here." Duggar v. State, 697 S.W.2d 309, 310 (Mo.App.1985). Also see Riley v. State, 680 S.W.2d 956 (Mo.App.1984); Remington v. State, 654 S.W.2d 280 (Mo.App.1983); Dawson v. State, 640 S.W.2d 165 (Mo.App.1982). Where counsel was given notice and an opportunity to be heard it was not er......
  • Riley v. State
    • United States
    • Missouri Court of Appeals
    • November 13, 1984
    ...stated that the notice would have allowed the record to have been developed to permit review on the merits. See also Remington v. State, 654 S.W.2d 280 (Mo.App.1983). In Lang v. State, 596 S.W.2d 739, 741 (Mo.App.1980), this court stated: "We will not extend the notice rule of Wheatley to r......
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