State v. Beckstead

NEHRING, Justice:

¶ 1 In this case, we define the scope of a sentencing judge’s duty to assure himself that a defendant’s guilty plea is knowing and voluntary when the judge discovers that the defendant has been drinking before appearing to enter his plea. We conclude that a sentencing judge has substantial latitude in selecting the method he uses to supplement the elements of a plea colloquy as required by rule 11 of the Utah Rules of Criminal Procedure in order to assure that a plea is knowing and voluntary. We expressly decline to mandate the use of particular questions or procedures by a…