R. v. Le (S.H.), (2013) 344 B.C.A.C. 255 (CA)

JudgeHall, Chiasson and Harris, JJ.A.
CourtCourt of Appeal (British Columbia)
Case DateOctober 23, 2013
JurisdictionBritish Columbia
Citations(2013), 344 B.C.A.C. 255 (CA);2013 BCCA 455

R. v. Le (S.H.) (2013), 344 B.C.A.C. 255 (CA);

    587 W.A.C. 255

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2013] B.C.A.C. TBEd. OC.054

Regina (respondent) v. Son Hai Le (appellant)

(CA038351; 2013 BCCA 455)

Indexed As: R. v. Le (S.H.)

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Hall, Chiasson and Harris, JJ.A.

October 23, 2013.

Summary:

Le pled guilty to the offence of marijuana production involving a 1,730 plant indoor grow operation located in the crawlspace of a residential property. He was sentenced to a 15-month jail term. He now appealed his conviction seeking to set aside his guilty plea on the basis that it was not taken properly and he was not guilty of the offence. Le contended that to allow the conviction to stand would give rise to a "miscarriage of justice" under s. 686(1)(a)(iii) of the Criminal Code for two principal reasons. First, his plea was not voluntary as he did not appreciate its consequences. Specifically, he did not appreciate that he was at risk of facing a jail term, if he pled guilty. As he understood it, and as matters were translated to him by a family member, at most he stood in jeopardy of a probation order. Secondly, his counsel was in a conflict of interest that led to a miscarriage of justice in representing both him and his common law partner, Mai, in the proceedings which led to a negotiated plea on his part and a stay of proceedings against Mai.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. Le had neither discharged his burden to demonstrate that he did not understand the consequences of his guilty plea nor that his counsel represented him in the face of an irreconcilable conflict of interest.

Barristers and Solicitors - Topic 1604.1

Relationship with client - Conflict of interest or duties - Acting for jointly or separately charged or tried co-accused - See paragraphs 36 to 38.

Criminal Law - Topic 4220.1

Procedure - Pleas - Whether voluntary - See paragraphs 17 to 35.

Criminal Law - Topic 4233

Procedure - Pleas - Guilty plea - Expungement or setting aside - See paragraphs 17 to 35.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Duong (T.) (2006), 228 B.C.A.C. 183; 376 W.A.C. 183; 2006 BCCA 325, refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Staples (J.T.) (2007), 249 B.C.A.C. 213; 414 W.A.C. 213; 2007 BCCA 616, refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Kim (C.H.) (2007), 235 B.C.A.C. 191; 388 W.A.C. 191; 2007 BCCA 25, dist. [para. 36].

R. v. W.W. and I.W. (1995), 84 O.A.C. 241;100 C.C.C.(3d) 225; 25 O.R.(3d) 161 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 36].

R. v. Stork and Toews (1975), 24 C.C.C.(2d) 210 (B.C.C.A.), dist. [para. 38].

Counsel:

H.M. Patey and B.R. Anderson, for the appellant;

W.P. Riley, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard at Vancouver, B.C., before Hall, Chiasson and Harris, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. The following judgment of the Court of Appeal was delivered by Harris, J.A., on October 23, 2013.

To continue reading

Request your trial
8 practice notes
  • Conflict of Interest
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Ethics and Criminal Law. Second Edition
    • June 19, 2015
    ...626 at para 116 [ Whitebear ]; Glasser v United States , 315 US 60 at 92 (1942). 69 See WW , above note 21 at 235 [para 24]; R v Le , 2013 BCCA 455 at para 36 [ Le ]; Cocks , above note 40 at para 10(2); Whitebear , above note 68 at para 113; Caines , above note 40 at para 334. 70 Separate ......
  • Plea Discussions
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Ethics and Criminal Law. Second Edition
    • June 19, 2015
    ...(2d) 477 at 514 (SCC) [ Gardiner ]; R v Parris , 2013 ONCA 515 at para 121; R v Eizenga , 2011 ONCA 113 at para 43 [ Eizenga ]; R v Le , 2013 BCCA 455 at para 18; R v Duong , 2006 BCCA 325 at paras 9–10 [ Duong ]. 7 See R v RP , 2013 ONCA 53 at para 39, leave to appeal to SCC refused, [2013......
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Ethics and Criminal Law. Second Edition
    • June 19, 2015
    ...322 R v Le, 2011 MBCA 83 .........................................................................................217 R v Le, 2013 BCCA 455 ........................................................................278, 429, 575 R v Leask (1996), 140 DLR (4th) 176, 1 CR (5th) 132, [1996] MJ No......
  • R. v. Irwin (D.W.), [2013] B.C.T.C. Uned. 2100
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • November 20, 2013
    ...to the order appealed from, I am satisfied that these affidavits are properly admissible as evidence on the appeal: see R. v. Le , 2013 BCCA 455 at para. 14; R. v. Dunbar , 2003 BCCA 667. [18] In addition to those two affidavits, Mr. Irwin sent an email to the Court on October 29, 2013 alon......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
5 cases
  • R. v. Irwin (D.W.), [2013] B.C.T.C. Uned. 2100
    • Canada
    • Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
    • November 20, 2013
    ...to the order appealed from, I am satisfied that these affidavits are properly admissible as evidence on the appeal: see R. v. Le , 2013 BCCA 455 at para. 14; R. v. Dunbar , 2003 BCCA 667. [18] In addition to those two affidavits, Mr. Irwin sent an email to the Court on October 29, 2013 alon......
  • R. v. Hobbs, 2018 BCCA 250
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • June 22, 2018
    ...para. 3. [12] The general principles to be applied on an appeal which seeks to strike a guilty plea were succinctly set out in R. v. Le, 2013 BCCA 455 at para. [18] Before turning to detail, it may be helpful to reiterate some basic propositions. First, a guilty plea involves an unequivocal......
  • R v Glade, 2020 ABQB 410
    • Canada
    • Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
    • July 16, 2020
    ...v Hoang, 2003 ABCA 251 R v McKinnon, 2007 ABQB 432 R v Raynor, 2014 ABQB 449 R v C (LAJ), 2005 ABPC 151 R v Carty, 2010 ONCA 237 R v Le, 2013 BCCA 455 R v Moser, 2002 CarswellOnt 487 By the Defence: R v Sugule, [2015] AJ No 1490 (ABQB); R v Gillis, [2003] AJ No 1048 (ABQB; and R v Adgey, 19......
  • R. v. Walsh (R.J.), (2014) 360 B.C.A.C. 136 (CA)
    • Canada
    • British Columbia Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
    • May 5, 2014
    ...25, refd to. [para. 44]. R. v. W.W. and L.W. (1995), 84 O.A.C. 241; 100 C.C.C.(3d) 225 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 45]. R. v. Le (S.H.) (2013), 344 B.C.A.C. 255; 587 W.A.C. 255; 2013 BCCA 455, refd to. [para. R. v. Barbeau (1996), 110 C.C.C.(3d) 69 (Que. C.A.), refd to. [para. 45]. R. v. Prokof......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
3 books & journal articles
  • Table of cases
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Ethics and Criminal Law. Second Edition
    • June 19, 2015
    ...322 R v Le, 2011 MBCA 83 .........................................................................................217 R v Le, 2013 BCCA 455 ........................................................................278, 429, 575 R v Leask (1996), 140 DLR (4th) 176, 1 CR (5th) 132, [1996] MJ No......
  • Conflict of Interest
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Ethics and Criminal Law. Second Edition
    • June 19, 2015
    ...626 at para 116 [ Whitebear ]; Glasser v United States , 315 US 60 at 92 (1942). 69 See WW , above note 21 at 235 [para 24]; R v Le , 2013 BCCA 455 at para 36 [ Le ]; Cocks , above note 40 at para 10(2); Whitebear , above note 68 at para 113; Caines , above note 40 at para 334. 70 Separate ......
  • Plea Discussions
    • Canada
    • Irwin Books Ethics and Criminal Law. Second Edition
    • June 19, 2015
    ...(2d) 477 at 514 (SCC) [ Gardiner ]; R v Parris , 2013 ONCA 515 at para 121; R v Eizenga , 2011 ONCA 113 at para 43 [ Eizenga ]; R v Le , 2013 BCCA 455 at para 18; R v Duong , 2006 BCCA 325 at paras 9–10 [ Duong ]. 7 See R v RP , 2013 ONCA 53 at para 39, leave to appeal to SCC refused, [2013......

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT