Opinion

Frias v. State

  • 722 P.2d 135
  • 1986 Wyo. LEXIS 578
Court
Wyoming Supreme Court
Filed
Jun 26, 1986
Status
Published
Author
Urbigkit
On the bench
Thomas, Brown, Cardine, Urbigkit, MacY
Cited by
118 cases

overturning a trial court ruling, noting there were threats, accusations and browbeating as well as a defendant who had only limited understanding of the English language and his rights under the American justice system

How later courts described this case

  • overturning a trial court ruling, noting there were threats, accusations and browbeating as well as a defendant who had only limited understanding of the English language and his rights under the American justice system
  • confession was involuntary where accused was coerced by threats, accusations, browbeating and frightening police tactics
  • accused’s statements were ruled the product of police coercion
  • "Waiver also occurs when a party voluntarily inserts the issue of his physical condition into the litigation."

Written by the judges who cited it.

The opinion

URBIGKIT, Justice,

concurring.

I concur. Additionally, pursuant to Art. 1, § 6 of the Wyoming Constitution, relating to rights of a defendant to be distinguished from responsibilities for representation by counsel when derived from any diligent inquiry, I would hold that the motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence should have been granted by the trial court. Plain error and violation of basic constitutional protection should not be eclectically distinguished in application of undenied rights for a fair trial or the availability of fundamental justice.

Sometimes the pathway to that constitutionally provided opportunity for justice can be more clearly perceived in retrospective contemplation, and consequently the inadequacy of desired signal lamps should not be chargeable primarily to the accused.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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