State v. Whiteshield

No. 14963
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA
1979

STATE OF MONTANA,
Plaintiff and Appellant,

RUDY WHITESHIELD and
PAUL SCOTT SORENSEN,
Defendants and Respondents.

Appeal from: District Court of the Third Judicial District,
Honorable John B. McClernan, Judge presiding.
Counsel of Record:
For Appellant:

Hon. Mike Greely, Attorney General, Helena, Montana
Ted Mizner, County Attorney, Deer Lodge, Montana
For Respondents:
Byron W. Boggs, Anaconda, Montana

- - --

Submitted on briefs: Dec. 28, 1979
Decided :
Mr. J u s t i c e J o h n Conway H a r r i s o n d e l i v e r e d t h e O p i n i o n o f
t h e Court.

T h i s i s a n a p p e a l by t h e S t a t e o f Montana from a n o r d e r

o f t h e P o w e l l County D i s t r i c t C o u r t , t h e Honorable John B.

McClernan p r e s i d i n g , d i s m i s s i n g c h a r g e s o f a f e l o n y e s c a p e

which had been f i l e d a g a i n s t t h e d e f e n d a n t s .

D e f e n d a n t s were i n m a t e s i n t h e Montana S t a t e P r i s o n and

b o t h w e r e p a r t i c i p a n t s i n a p r i s o n e r f u r l o u g h program.

D e f e n d a n t W h i t e s h i e l d walked away from h i s f u r l o u g h i n

B u t t e , Montana, was a r r e s t e d i n L i n c o l n , Nebraska and was

r e t u r n e d t o t h e S t a t e o f Montana. The d e f e n d a n t S o r e n s o n

walked away from h i s f u r l o u g h i n M i s s o u l a , Montana, was

a r r e s t e d i n San Diego, C a l i f o r n i a and r e t u r n e d t o t h e S t a t e

o f Montana. Both had t h e i r f u r l o u g h s r e v o k e d and were

c h a r g e d w i t h a f e l o n y e s c a p e u n d e r s e c t i o n 45-7-306, MCA.

The D i s t r i c t C o u r t d i s m i s s e d t h e c h a r g e s on t h e b a s i s t h a t

w a l k i n g away from a f u r l o u g h i s n o t a f e l o n y e s c a p e u n d e r

the statute.

The s o l e i s s u e i s w h e t h e r l e a v i n g a f u r l o u g h i s a

felony escape.

S e c t i o n 45-7-306, MCA r e a d s i n whole a s f o l l o w s :

"ESCAPE. (1) " O f f i c i a l d e t e n t i o n " means
i m p r i s o n m e n t which r e s u l t e d from a c o n v i c -
t i o n f o r a n o f f e n s e , confinement f o r an
o f f e n s e , confinement of a person charged
w i t h a n o f f e n s e , d e t e n t i o n by a p e a c e o f -
f i c e r pursuant t o a r r e s t , detention f o r
e x t r a d i t i o n o r d e p o r t a t i o n , o r any l a w f u l
d e t e n t i o n f o r t h e purpose of t h e p r o t e c t i o n
of t h e welfare of t h e person detained o r
f o r the protection of society. 'Official
d e t e n t i o n ' does n o t include supervision
of probation o r p a r o l e , c o n s t r a i n t i n c i -
d e n t a l t o r e l e a s e on b a i l , o r a n u n l a w f u l
a r r e s t u n l e s s t h e p e r s o n a r r e s t e d employed
p h y s i c a l f o r c e , ,a t h r e a t o f p h y s i c a l f o r c e ,
o r a weapon t o e s c a p e .
 " ( 2 ) A person s u b j e c t t o o f f i c i a l d e t e n t i o n
commits t h e o f f e n s e of e s c a p e i f he knowingly
o r p u r p o s e l y removes h i m s e l f from o f f i c i a l
d e t e n t i o n o r f a i l s t o r e t u r n t o o f f i c i a l de-
t e n t i o n f o l l o w i n g temporary l e a v e g r a n t e d f o r
a s p e c i f i c purpose o f l i m i t e d t i m e .

" ( 3 ) A p e r s o n c o n v i c t e d of t h e o f f e s e o f
e s c a p e s h a l l be:

" ( a ) imprisoned iii t h e s t a t e p r i s o n f o r a
t e r m n o t t o exceed twenty ( 2 0 ) y e a r s i f he
e s c a p e s from a s t a t e p r i s o n , c o u n t y j a i l ,
o r c i t y j a i l by t h e u s e o r t h r e a t of f o r c e ,
p h y s i c a l v i o l e n c e , weapon, o r s i m u l a t e d wea-
pon;

" ( b ) imprisoned i n t h e s t a t e p r i s o n f o r
a term n o t t o exceed t e n ( 1 0 ) y e a r s i f he:

" ( i ) e s c a p e s from a s t a t e p r i s o n , c o u n t y
jail, or city jail; or

" ( i i ) e s c a p e s from a n o t h e r o f f i c i a l d e t e n -
t i o n by t h e u s e o r t h r e a t of f o r c e , p h y s i c a l
v i o l e n c e , weapon, o r s i m u l a t e d weapon; o r

" ( c ) f i n e d n o t t o exceed f i v e hundred d o l -
l a r s ($500) o r i m p r i s o n e d i n t h e c o u n t y
j a i l f o r a term n o t t o exceed 6 months,
o r b o t h , i f he commits e s c a p e under c i r -
cumstances o t h e r t h a n ( a ) and ( b ) of
t h i s subsection."

The f i r s t two p a r a g r a p h s of t h i s s t a t u t e d e f i n e t h e

crime of escape. The t h i r d p a r a g r a p h , which i s c o n t r o l l i n g ,

d e f i n e s t h e punishment f o r t h e c r i m e of e s c a p e and d e l i n -

e a t e s f e l o n y e s c a p e from misdemeanor e s c a p e .

The r e s p o n d e n t s h e r e i n do n o t a r g u e t h a t s e c t i o n 45-7-

306, MCA d o e s n o t a p p l y t o them. Both of them admit walking

away from a f u r l o u g h s i t u a t i o n , however t h e y a r g u e t h a t t h e

s t a t u t e c a n o n l y be a p p l i e d t o them on t h e b a s i s of a m i s -

demeanor c h a r g e . The r e s p o n d e n t s do n o t c o n t e s t t h e S t a t e ' s

argument t h a t t h e y were s u b j e c t t o t h e o f f i c i a l d e t e n t i o n

under p a r a g r a p h 1 o r t h a t t h e y committed t h e o f f e n s e of

e s c a p e under p a r a g r a p h 2 o f t h e s t a t u t e .

Respondents' argument i s t h a t t h e y d i d n o t commit a n

o f f e n s e by t h e u s e o f f o r c e and t h e r e f o r e t h e y a r e n o t
punishable under paragraph 3 ( a ) o r 3 ( b ) ( i i ) of t h e s t a t u t e

and t h e y d i d n o t e s c a p e from t h e s t a t e p r i s o n , a c o u n t y
jail, a c i t y j a i l , and a r e t h e r e f o r e n o t p u n i s h a b l e u n d e r

3 ( b ) ( i )o f t h e s t a t u t e .

The S t a t e d o e s n o t c o n t e s t r e s p o n d e n t s ' argument t h a t
t h e e s c a p e w a s n o t by means o f f o r c e . The a p p e l l a n t S t a t e

d o e s c o n t e s t t h a t t h e e s c a p e was n o t from t h e s t a t e p r i s o n .
The S t a t e a r g u e s r e s p o n d e n t s a c t u a l l y e s c a p e d from t h e s t a t e

p r i s o n , r e l y i n g on s e c t i o n 46-23-402, MCA. I n analyzing

t h i s argument, w e f i r s t f i n d t h a t it f l i e s i n t h e f a c e of

common s e n s e . The f a c t i s , S o r e n s o n e s c a p e d w h i l e he w a s on

f u r l o u g h i n t h e C i t y o f M i s s o u l a w i t h freedom t o walk t h e

streets of t h a t c i t y . Likewise, Whiteshield escaped while

on f u r l o u g h i n t h e C i t y o f B u t t e w i t h freedom t o move a b o u t

that city. To s a y t h a t t h e y w e r e i n a s t a t e p r i s o n j u s t i s

n o t t r u e , and i n o u r o p i n i o n i t would amount t o f i c t i o n

i n a d e q u a t e t o form t h e b a s i s f o r a f e l o n y c o n v i c t i o n .

Second, s e c t i o n 46-23-402, MCA r e l i e d on by t h e a p p e l -

l a n t S t a t e d o e s n o t h i n g t o answer t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h i s c a s e .

That s e c t i o n does say t h a t a furlough " s h a l l s e r v e t o extend

t h e l i m i t s of confinement f o r treatment a s w e l l a s f o r

j u r i s d i c t i o n a l purposes." But, t h a t language does n o t

answer w h e t h e r l e a v i n g f u r l o u g h i s a f e l o n y o r a misdemeanor

escape. Only t h e l a n g u a g e o f t h e e s c a p e s t a t u t e i t s e l f c a n

answer t h i s q u e s t i o n . S e c t i o n 46-23-402, MCA o n l y p r o v i d e s

t h e b a s i s f o r making l e a v i n g f u r l o u g h a c r i m e . I f a fur-

l o u g h e e was n o t u n d e r t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f a p r i s o n , l e a v i n g

f u r l o u g h would n o t b e a n e s c a p e a t a l l .

Third, we agree with respondents' contention t h a t t h e
S t a t e ' s argument i g n o r e s t h e purposes expressed i n paragraph
3 of t h e escape s t a t u t e . That paragraph c l a s s i f i e s t h e

escape according t o t h e r i s k t h a t i s created. E s c a p i n g from
t h e s t a t e p r i s o n c r e a t e s a s e r i o u s r i s k d e s e r v i n g of a

f e l o n y punishment b e c a u s e t h e p r i s o n i s m a i n t a i n e d by g u a r d s

who have a d u t y t o p r e v e n t e s c a p e s and t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s a r e

such t h a t attempts t o escape c r e a t e t h e r i s k of violence.

The r i s k o f v i o l e n c e i s i n c r e a s e d where t h e e s c a p e e u s e s

force. Thus u n d e r p a r a g r a p h 3 ( a ) , a f o r c e f u l e s c a p e from

t h e p r i s o n may b e p u n i s h e d by up t o t w e n t y ( 2 0 ) y e a r s i n

p r i s o n ; and u n d e r 3 ( b ) a n e s c a p e from a p r i s o n i s p u n i s h a b l e

w i t h up t o t e n ( 1 0 ) y e a r s . Leaving t h e l o c a t i o n o f o n e ' s

f u r l o u g h d o e s n o t create a r i s k . And t h e f a c t t h a t t h e i r

escape does n o t c r e a t e a r i s k i s t h e b a s i s f o r t r e a t i n g

t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s a s a misdemeanor u n d e r p a r a g r a p h 2 .

W e n o t e t h a t t h e o f f i c i a l commission comment on s e c t i o n

45-7-306, MCA i n t h e f i r s t p a r a g r a p h r e a d s a s f o l l o w s :

"The s e c t i o n c l a s s i f i e s e s c a p e s a c c o r d i n g t o
t h e r i s k they c r e a t e . Punishment i s more se-
v e r e f o r t h e o f f e n s e when committed by u s e o f
o r t h r e a t o f f o r c e , p h y s i c a l v i o l e n c e , weapon
o r s i m u l a t e d weapon. The g r a d i n g o f t h e o f f e n s e
by r e l y i n g on t h e p r i s o n e r ' s u s e o f f o r c e i s
a c t u a l l y a r e t u r n t o t h e common law, s i n c e e a r l y
common law c l e a r l y d i s t i n q u i s h e d between e s c a p e s
w i t h and w i t h o u t t h e u s e o f f o r c e . The g r a d i n g
scheme i m p l i c i t i n t h e o l d c o d e by which p u n i s h -
ment i s p r o v i d e d i n r e f e r e n c e t o t h e t y p e o f
c o n f i n e m e n t , i s n o t e n t i r e l y abandoned i n s e c t i o n
94-7-306. (Now S 45-7-306, MCA.) F o r example,
u s e o f f o r c e i n e s c a p i n g from a n o n i n s t i t u t i o n a l
d e t e n t i o n c a l l s f o r a lesser punishment t h a n
e s c a p e from t h e p r i s o n , c o u n t y o r c i t y j a i l .
F u r t h e r , a n e s c a p e w i t h o u t u s e o f f o r c e from a
noncustodial d e t e n t i o n a s provided i n subsection
3 ( c ) removes t h e o f f e n s e from t h e f e l o n y c a t e -
gory a l t o g e t h e r . "

T h i s commission comment makes c l e a r t h a t u n d e r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s

i n t h i s c a s e t h e r e s p o n d e n t s w e r e p u n i s h a b l e o n l y under t h e

misdemeanor s e c t i o n o f t h e e s c a p e s t a t u t e . Therefore, we

a f f i r m t h e D i s t r i c t C o u r t ' s d i s m i s s a l of t h e felony charge.
W e concur:

Chief J u s t i c e