Preview:

An  unpublished  opinion  of  the  North  Carolina  Court  of  Appeals  does  not  constitute
controlling legal authority. Citation is disfavored, but may be permitted in accordance
with the provisions of Rule 30(e)(3) of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure.
NO.    COA07-1414
NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS
Filed:                                                                                          15 July  2008
IN THE MATTER OF:                                                                                                                                         Davidson County
P.L.N.                                                                                                                                                    No.  04 JB  30
Appeal by juvenile from a disposition order entered  20 March
2007 by Judge Mary F. Covington in Davidson County District Court.
Heard in the Court of Appeals  30 June  2008.
Attorney General Roy Cooper, by Assistant Attorney General Amy
L.    Funderburk, for the State.
Mary M. Reece, for Juvenile-Appellant.
CALABRIA, Judge.
P.L.N.                                                                                          (“the  juvenile”)  appeals  from  a  disposition  order
entered   upon   an   adjudication   of   delinquency   following   the
juvenile’s  admission  of  guilt  to  second  degree  kidnapping.    We
reverse and remand for a new adjudication.
On  12 March  2007, the State charged the juvenile with second
degree kidnapping, disorderly conduct, and common law robbery.   The
adjudication hearing was held on  20 March  2007 in Davidson County
District Court.    The following exchange occurred:
BY THE COURT: All right.   Mr. [N.], you’ve gone over this
form with your lawyer; is that correct?
BY THE JUVENILE: Yes, ma’am.
BY  THE  COURT:  Your  [sic]  are  [birth  date]?    You  are  13




-2-
years old; right?
BY THE JUVENILE: Yes, ma’am.
BY  THE  COURT:  In  going  over  this,  your  lawyer  has
explained  to  you  types  of  punishment  and  she’s  also
explained to you about what the Court may be doing with
your case today; is that right?
BY THE JUVENILE: Yes, ma’am.
BY THE COURT: Did she also talk with you about that the
State is going to be dismissing common law robbery---
BY THE JUVENILE: Yes, ma’am.
BY THE COURT:  -and disorderly conduct?
BY THE JUVENILE: Yes, ma’am.
BY  THE  COURT:  All  right.    Are  you  satisfied  that  Ms.
Beck has been of assistance to you in this case?
BY THE JUVENILE: Yes, ma’am.
BY  THE  COURT:  Are  you  also-have  you  been  threatened  by
any way to enter into this plea today?
BY THE JUVENILE: No, ma’am.
BY THE COURT: Do you have any questions for me about this
plea or about this form that you’ve signed today?
BY THE JUVENILE: No, ma’am.
BY THE COURT: All right.
The court then heard the prosecutor summarize the evidence against
the  juvenile,  accepted  the  juvenile’s  admission,  and  adjudicated
the juvenile as delinquent.   The court ordered that the juvenile be
committed   to   a   youth   development   center   for   an   indefinite
commitment  not  to  exceed  his  eighteenth  birthday.    The  juvenile
appeals.
The  juvenile  assigns  error  to  the  trial  court’s  failure  to
conduct the full inquiry required by N.C. Gen. Stat.  §  7B-2407 in




-3-
order  to  accept  a  juvenile’s  admission.    The  State  concedes  that
the  court  committed  error  and  agrees  that  the  matter  must  be
remanded for a new adjudication.    We agree.
N.C. Gen. Stat.  §  7B-2407 states in pertinent part:
(a)  The  court  may  accept  an  admission  from  a  juvenile
only after first addressing the juvenile personally and:
(1)   Informing  the  juvenile  that  the  juvenile  has a
right  to  remain  silent  and  that  any  statement  the
juvenile makes may be used against the juvenile;
(2)   Determining   that   the   juvenile   understands the
nature of the charge;
(3)   Informing  the  juvenile  that  the  juvenile  has  a
right to deny the allegations;
(4)   Informing  the  juvenile  that  by  the  juvenile’s
admissions the juvenile waives the juvenile’s right
to be confronted by witnesses against the juvenile;
(5)   Determining that the juvenile is satisfied with the
juvenile’s representation; and
(6)  Informing  the  juvenile  of  the  most  restrictive
disposition on the charge.
N.C.  Gen.  Stat.                                                              §  7B-2407  (2007).   “[A]ll  of  these  six  specific
steps  are  paramount  and  necessary  in  accepting  a  juvenile’s
admission  as  to  guilt  during  an  adjudicatory  hearing.”  In  re
T.E.F.,  359  N.C.                                                             570,                  574,  614  S.E.2d                  296,   298   (2005).    If  the
trial court fails to make the required inquiries, the adjudication
of  delinquency  based  on  the  admission  must  be  set  aside.    In  re
Kenyon N.,  110 N.C. App.  294, 297, 429 S.E.2d 447,  449 (1993); see
also In re A.W., 182 N.C. App. 159, 641 S.E.2d 354 (2007)(reversing
adjudication  and  disposition  of  a  juvenile  where  there  was  no
indication that the trial court informed the juvenile of his right
to remain silent, the risk that any statements may be used against
him,  and  his  right  to  deny  the  allegations,  two  of  the  six  steps
listed in N.C. Gen. Stat.  §  7B-2407(a)).




-4-
In the case sub judice, the trial court failed to personally
address the juvenile regarding his rights as required by N.C. Gen.
Stat.  §  7B-2407  (a)(1),  (3),  (4),  and  (6).    The  trial  court  (1)
failed  to  inform  the  juvenile  of  his  right  to  remain  silent;  (2)
failed to inform the juvenile of his right to deny the allegations;
(3) failed to inform the juvenile that by his admissions, he waives
the right to be confronted by witnesses against him; and (4) failed
to inform the juvenile of the most restrictive disposition.   Since
the trial court’s inquiry fell short of the statutory requirement,
the adjudication and disposition must be set aside.   In re T.E.F.,
359 N.C. at  574,  614 S.E.2d at  298.
Reversed and remanded.
Chief Judge MARTIN and Judge STROUD concur.
Report per Rule  30(e).

Download 07-1414-5.pdf

South Carolina Law