State v. Valdez-Mendoza
Annotate this CaseDefendant Hector Valdez-Mendoza pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault. After the district court granted Defendant's request for new counsel, Defendant filed a motion to withdraw plea of guilty, asserting in part that he had good cause to withdraw his guilty plea because his previous defense counsel convinced him he could not get a fair trial. The district court denied Valdez-Mendoza's motion. The Supreme Court reversed Defendant's conviction, holding that Defendant had good cause to withdraw his guilty plea because his previous defense counsel shared her belief with Defendant that he could not get a fair trial and made no attempt to assuage Defendant's fear of an unfair trial. Remanded.
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