THOMAS J. FREIHEIT, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Due process was afforded to the probationer because he had notice of the underlying facts of the violation, even though he was convicted of a lesser included offense than originally charged.
[1] Due process in a probation revocation hearing requires that the charging affidavit allege the basic facts concerning the alleged violation, such as the nature, time, and…
[2] The primary goal of a probation violation notice is to provide the probationer with adequate notice to prepare a defense.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAppellant's probation was revoked based on a conviction for attempted burglary, but he was initially charged with burglary. The conviction was for a l…
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DOWNEY, Judge.
Appellant seeks reversal of an order revoking his probation. His sole point on appeal is that he was denied due process in that he was charged by affidavit with violating his probation by failure to live at liberty without violating any law, in that he “did unlawfully enter or remain in a structure, to-wit: A dwelling or the curtilage thereof, located at 2509 N.W. 53rd Street, Tamarac, Florida, property of Anthony Russo, with intent to commit the offense of Burglary therein contrary to Florida Statute 819.02(3).” However, in the trial of the substantive crime he was found guilty of the lessor included offense of attempted burglary. At his probation violation hearing the state offered in evidence a certified copy of the judgment of conviction of attempted burglary and rested. Appellant moved to dismiss the charges because of the discrepancy between the charge and the crime of which he was convicted. When that was denied, appellant proffered for consideration by the court the tenuous evidence of his identification in the trial of the substantive crime.
In support of his appellate point appellant cites a number of cases in which this and other courts have held that the state cannot charge a probationer with commission of one offense and revoke his proba tion upon proof of an entirely different offense. For example, see Mack v. State, 342 So. 2d 562 (Fla. 2d DCA 1977); Hooks v. State, 207 So. 2d 459 (Fla. 2d DCA 1968). See also Crum v. State, 286 So. 2d 268 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973), where the probationer was charged only with having been arrested for a felony. Though the proof adduced would have supported a finding of burglary, this court held that due process requires that a revocation be based only on the violation alleged and there was no adequate allegation of the violation.
Crum, Frederick v. State, 339 So. 2d 251 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976), and Singletary v. State, 290 So. 2d 116 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974), have been substantially eroded by the supreme court in Hines v. State, 358 So. 2d 183 (Fla.1978). There the probationer was charged with having been arrested for a felony. Under the circumstances of that case the supreme court held due process was not denied and affirmed the district court of appeal, which in turn had affirmed the order revoking probation. The court pointed out that, although the probationer was charged only with being arrested for a felony, he knew what the felony charge was; he had in fact been arrested near the scene of the crime and confessed to the substantive crime. The court held that, while due process requires the charging affidavit to allege the basic facts concerning the alleged violation, such as the nature, time, and place of the occurrence, the same specificity required of a criminal information is not required. The primary goal is notice. “If a probationer needs additional information in order to properly prepare a defense to the charges, the various methods of discovery under our rules are available to him.” 358 So. 2d at 185, footnote omitted.
This court has relied upon the Hines holding in Evans v. State, 409 So. 2d 1078 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981), and Norris v. State, 383 So. 2d 691 (Fla. 4th DCA 1980). In Evans probation was revoked based upon the charge of burglary, whereas the court found the probationer guilty of grand larceny and aiding and abetting. Though the substantive crimes of which appellant was convicted were not even a lesser included offense of burglary, based upon Hines, this court found the probationer had notice of what he was being charged with and thus denied the due process attack.
In Norris the probationer was charged with violation of the condition requiring him to live honorably. He allegedly violated that condition by committing a battery on his wife on two occasions. The court held, relying on due process rationale of Hines, that the proof showed the probationer had violated another condition requiring the probationer to live within the law; he was not taken by surprise; he knew the facts going to make up the charge and due process was not lacking.
The events that occurred at the Tamarac residence led to two proceedings. First the state charged appellant by information with a burglary of the house of Anthony Russo. Second, an affidavit of probation violation was filed claiming appellant, by committing a burglary of Russo’s property, had violated the condition requiring him to live without violation of any law. The two proceedings are governed by different rules since a probation revocation proceeding is a sentencing function, not a criminal trial. E.g. State v. Jones, 425 So. 2d 178 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983). Appellant was convicted of attempted burglary on the burglary charge, and the judgment of conviction of attempted burglary was the evidence used to revoke his probation. The burglary and attempted burglary involved an incident at the same time and place. The conviction was of a lesser included offense of the substantive crime charged. Appellant never contended that he was prejudiced by the departure between pleading and proof. Following Hines, supra, we, therefore, hold that due process was afforded appellant.
AFFIRMED.
LETTS and WALDEN, JJ., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By
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Costanz v. State, 740 So. 2d 71 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999)…Although an affidavit of violation is not required to comply with the same specificities as an information, it must “allege the basic facts concerning the alleged violation, such as the nature, time, and place of the occurrence.” Freiheit v. State, 458 So. 2d 1172, 1173 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984). Furthermore, probation cannot be revoked on grounds not charged in the affidavit. See Joseph v. State, 615 So. 2d 833, 834 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993). Thus, the trial court erred in revoking the probation based on the May move. H…
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Darrin Vincent Edwards v. State, 807 So. 2d 762 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002)…er and ask questions of the witnesses; however, a judge may not assume the role of a prosecutor: Probation revocation proceedings have been described as informal and not requiring strict adherence to the formal rules of evidence. Freiheit v. State, 458 So. 2d 1172 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984). However, while probation revocation proceedings need not be conducted with the same formality as a criminal trial, the requirement that the factfinder be neutral and detached still applies, and requires the roles of prosecutor a…
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Merchan v. State, 495 So. 2d 855 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986)…nd, of course, the defendant is entitled to counsel for his defense, and had active counsel here. Probation revocation proceedings have been described as informal and not requiring strict adherence to the formal rules of evidence. Freiheit v. State, 458 So. 2d 1172 (Fla. 4th DCA 1984). However, while probation revocation proceedings need not be conducted with the same formality as a criminal trial, the requirement that the factfinder be neutral and detached still applies, and requires the roles of prosecutor a…
Previewing 3 of 7 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Hines v. State, 358 So. 2d 183 (Fla. 1978)
- Singletary v. State, 290 So. 2d 116 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974)
- Crum v. State, 286 So. 2d 268 (Fla. 4th DCA 1973)
- Hooks v. State, 207 So. 2d 459 (Fla. 2d DCA 1968)
- Norris v. State, 383 So. 2d 691 (Fla. 4th DCA 1980)
- Mack v. State, 342 So. 2d 562 (Fla. 2d DCA 1977)
- State v. Jones, 425 So. 2d 178 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983)
- Evans v. State, 409 So. 2d 1078 (Fla. 4th DCA 1981)
- Frederick v. State, 339 So. 2d 251 (Fla. 4th DCA 1976)