State v. Gahner, Cr. N

• Decision Date: 29 September 1987
• Docket Number: Cr. N
• Parties: STATE of North Dakota, Plaintiff and Appellee, v. Steven D. GAHNER, Defendant and Appellant. o. 870048.
• Court: North Dakota Supreme Court

Page 359

413 N.W.2d 359

STATE of North Dakota, Plaintiff and Appellee, v. Steven D. GAHNER, Defendant and Appellant.

Cr. No. 870048.

Supreme Court of North Dakota.

Sept. 29, 1987.

Jerome L. Renner, State's Atty., Steele, for plaintiff and appellee.

Hjellum, Weiss, Nerison, Jukkala, Wright & Paulson, Jamestown, for defendant and appellant; argued by James A. Wright.

MESCHKE, Justice.

Steven Gahner was convicted of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor (DUI) ¹ and sentenced for a class A misdemeanor as a third-time offender. On this appeal, Gahner claims that he did not receive notice of the State's proposed use of his prior convictions to increase the charge and enhance his sentence. We agree. Therefore, we vacate his sentence and remand for resentencing.

Gahner was charged with driving "while under the influence of alcoholic beverage and or with a BAC above .10% All in violation of Sec 39-08-01 of the N.D. Century Code ..." by a uniform traffic complaint and summons. See NDCC 29-05-31. At a bench trial on stipulated facts, the trial court found Gahner guilty. Presenting records of two other DUI convictions of Gahner within five years, the prosecuting attorney urged that Gahner be sentenced for a class A misdemeanor and as a third-time offender under NDCC 39-08-01(3) and (5)(c). Gahner objected, pointing out that prior convictions were not mentioned in the complaint. Nevertheless, the Court sentenced Gahner for a class A misdemeanor as a third-time offender. Gahner was fined $1,000 and sentenced to imprisonment for one year, with all but sixty days suspended upon conditions.

Gahner's attorney agrees that he advised Gahner about all provisions of NDCC 39-08-01 prior to trial. After the trial, but before sentencing, the trial court asked whether Gahner was advised of the statutory provisions and his attorney answered affirmatively. Gahner contends that this generalized knowledge is insufficient and that the State must notify a defendant of the seriousness of the charge by stating prior DUI convictions in the complaint.

Gahner cites State v. Edinger, 331 N.W.2d 553 (N.D.1983), as requiring the State to allege prior convictions. Edinger was charged with DUI, a class A misdemeanor, by a complaint which alleged a prior DUI conviction. ² On appeal, he claimed that it was prejudicial error to let the jury hear evidence of the prior conviction. The State argued that the prior conviction was an essential element of the upgraded offense. This court agreed with the State:

"It would appear that because the enhancement from class B to class A does not apply unless there has been a prior conviction, proof of the prior conviction is an element of the class A misdemeanor.

"Section 39-08-01(2), however, also provides that the court may take judicial notice that 'such conviction would be the second or subsequent violation' if the complaint fails to so state. Edinger argues that this permissive language indicates that a prior conviction is not an essential element of the class A misdemeanor.

"...

"Many ... courts reason that because the purpose of a complaint or information is to inform the defendant 'exactly what he is accused of and [enable him to] prepare his defense,' the prior conviction must be alleged.... [Citation omitted.] Thus, although there is no constitutional requirement that prior offenses be placed in an indictment or information before trial, Oyler v. Boles, 368 U.S. 448, 82 S.Ct. 501, 7 L.Ed.2d 446 (1962), fairness suggests that the defendant be notified so that he can meet the allegation of prior convictions....

"...

"Rule 7(c), NDRCrimP, comports with this view. An indictment or information must name the defendant and contain a 'plain, concise, and definite written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged.' Rule 7(c), NDRCrimP. As the explanatory note to Rule 7(c) notes, '[t]he purpose of the indictment or information is to inform the defendant of the precise offense of which he is accused so that he may prepare his defense and further that a judgment thereon will safeguard him from subsequent prosecution for the same offense.'

"Similarly, this court has held that unless a provision in the statute provides a procedure 'dispensing with the allegation and proof of the prior conviction,' the prior conviction resulting in an enhanced penalty for subsequent convictions of operating a vehicle after suspension of a driver's license must be alleged in the information. State v. Ruble, 77 N.D. 79, 92, 40 N.W.2d 794, 801 (1950). Merely because a court may take judicial notice of prior convictions does not mean that the defendant should forfeit the right to be informed of the exact nature of the charge against him. We therefore conclude that the prior conviction should be alleged in the complaint or information." Id. at 554-555 (emphasis added).

Justice VandeWalle wrote separately in Edinger:

"I agree that it was not error to allege in the complaint that Edinger had been previously convicted of having driven while under the influence. The trial court gave a proper cautionary instruction as to the effect of the evidence of the previous conviction and I also agree, therefore, that the judgment should be affirmed.

"Insofar as the majority opinion may imply that it is necessarily error not to include such an allegation in the information or complaint, I do not agree. Although Section 39-08-01(2) uses the term 'judicial notice,' it obviously requires proof of the previous conviction, either through the records of the highway department or by other evidence. If a defendant has knowledge that he is charged with the greater offense, as for example being charged with a Class A rather than a Class B misdemeanor, and if the previous conviction is proved as provided by the statute, I do not concede that it would be error if the previous conviction were not specifically alleged in the information or complaint. Section 39-08-01(2) obviously implies that such an allegation is not necessary. That section is concerned with matters of pleading rather than matters of proof. Nor do I believe this court's decision in State v. Ruble, 77 N.D. 79, 40 N.W.2d 794 (1950), requires such an allegation. The Ruble court suggested that some statutory changes dispensing with the necessity of pleading the fact of prior conviction and providing for the determination thereof by the court after conviction of the charge on trial would be justified. I believe our Legislature has done that by permitting the previous conviction to be specifically alleged or, if the defendant is charged with a Class A misdemeanor, the previous conviction may be proved even though it is not specifically alleged. I leave for another day (and another specific factual situation) the issue of whether or not such a procedure is adequate as to a defendant who has no notice that he is being charged with a Class A misdemeanor." Id. at 556 (emphasis added.)

Another day and another set of facts are here. This time, the defendant was not charged with a class A misdemeanor, nor were the prior convictions specifically alleged in the complaint.

Edinger dealt with a prior conviction that increased the seriousness of the charge from a class B to a class A misdemeanor. A minimum sentence for a prior conviction, within the same class of offense, was not then required. A prior conviction that enhances the sentence, but not the seriousness of the offense, is not always regarded as an element of the offense. See State v. Ruble, 77 N.D. 79, 40 N.W.2d at 800 ("[T]he provision authorizing a more severe penalty for a second or subsequent offense is no part of the crime and pertains only to the punishment which the court may impose, ..."). See also United States v. Kearney, 750 F.2d 787, 790 (9th Cir.1984) (since imposition of greater penalty did not change offense, prior conviction was not element of offense and did not need to be alleged in information). So, at times, we may differentiate an offense-enhancing prior conviction from a sentence-enhancing prior conviction, although "a defendant must receive reasonable notice and an opportunity to be heard" even as to a sentence-enhancing prior conviction. Oyler v. Boles, 368 U.S. 448, 452, 82 S.Ct. 501, 503, 7 L.Ed.2d 446 (1962).

As Justice VandeWalle recognized in Edinger, when a defendant is charged with the more serious offense, an offense-enhancing prior conviction need not be set out in the complaint, even though an element of the offense. A defendant knows from the more serious charge that the State intends to use any prior conviction. Thus, the complaint serves its purpose--"to inform the defendant of the precise offense of which he is accused...." Explanatory Note to NDRCrimP 7(c), North Dakota Court Rules (West Publishing Co.; 1986) at 246. But Gahner was not informed of the precise offense for which he was sentenced.

The complaint against Gahner did not indicate a class A misdemeanor and did not set out prior convictions. While NDCC 39-08-01 may not require the State to allege prior convictions, the complaint must fulfill the purpose of NDRCrimP 7(c). See NDRCrimP Rule 59(b). While this complaint is not deficient for the exact reason given by Gahner, failing to allege prior convictions, it is nonetheless incomplete. A complaint, or an amendment to it, under NDCC 39-08-01, must either charge the class A misdemeanor,...