State v. Salentine

Brian J. Salentine has a developmental disability and an IQ of 69. The trial court nonetheless concluded that he competently submitted an Alford 1 plea to charges that he sexually assaulted his six-year-old niece. In this appeal, Salentine argues that the trial court should have permitted him to withdraw his plea.

Salentine raises four specific claims. First, he contends that the plea proceedings were invalid as a matter of law because he only stated that he was offering an Alford plea, which is not one of the enumerated pleas that a trial court may accept under §§ 971.06 and 972.13(1), STATS.…