Pеtitioner seeks habeas corpus because of the failure of the trial court to advise petitioner, an indigent person, of his right to counsel or to furnish counsel at a hearing held seeking revocation of a suspended sentence.
Was there a denial of due process in the proceeding wherein thе sentence previously imposed and suspended was invoked?
On February 22, 1960, petitioner entered a plea of guilty to the crime of unlawful possession of a narcotic drug, and was sentenced to a term of nоt less than two years nor more than ten years in the penitentiary. The sentence was suspended during petitiоner’s good behavior. At his arraignment and sentence, petitioner was represented by counsel.
On Deсember 16, 1960, a motion was made by the district attorney that the suspension be revoked. After hearing, at which petitioner was not represented by counsel or advised of any rights in connection therewith, the court cоntinued petitioner under the suspended sentence on an additional condition that he obtain treatment at the Federal Narcotics Center in Fort Worth, Texas, and upon release to be on probatiоn.
Again, on December 1, 1961, the district attorney moved for the revocation of the suspended sentence and the commitment of petitioner to the penitentiary. At the hearing, petitioner was not represеnted by counsel,, Neither was he advised of his right to.'.be represented by counsel. He was indigent,- 'and did- not intelligently wаive his right to .-counsel.
As long ago as 1917, in Ex parte Lucero,
'“Upon principle it would seem that due process of law would require notice and opportunity to be heard before a defendant can be committed under suspended sentence. The suspension of the execution of the sentence gives to the dеfendant a valuable right. It gives to him the -right of personal liberty, which is one' of the highest rights of citizenship. This 'fight cannot bе taken from him without notice‘and opportunity to be heard without invading his constitutional rights.”
More recently, in State v. Peoples,
“Thеre is no room to doubt that due process was effectively denied the appellant. The mere сriminal charge was not evidence and afforded no legal basis for the action taken by the court. She was entitled to be heard on the question whether she had violated the conditions upon which- the sentenсe against her had been suspended. She was also entitled to a trial by jury on the question of identity.”
Aside from -the right guaranteed in the Sixth Amendment to the Federal Constitution to be represented by counsel at all critical stages of a criminal proceeding, which has been held to be applicable likewise in state prosecutions by virtue of the Fourteenth Amendment, Gideon v. Wainwright,
As already noted in the quotation from Ex parte Lucero, supra, the taking from а man of his right to liberty being enjoyed under a suspended sentence amounts to the denying to him of one of his highest rights. This mаy not be done ex parte and without notice and hearing. We see in the proceeding for revoсation of a suspension the same critical or crucial elements present as in other hearings wherein the right to counsel is guaranteed, such as the preliminary hearing, arraignment and trial. The need for and right to be represented by counsel, unless intelligently and knowingly waived, is as much a requisite in a hearing seeking revoсation of a suspended sentence as in the other mentioned stages of the proceedings. Comрare United States v. Behrans,
It is clearly shown on the record that petitioner was not represented by counsel nor was his right to counsel explained to him, nor did he intelligently waive the same when he appeared before the co,urt and the. sus.pended sentence was revoked. '"This wás a denial of his constitutional rights_ and 'requires that the writ of habeas corpus be made permanent. It is so ordered.