Avery v. State

835 So. 2d 125, 2003 Miss. App. LEXIS 17, 2003 WL 139588
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedJanuary 21, 2003
DocketNo. 2002-CP-00516-COA
StatusPublished

This text of 835 So. 2d 125 (Avery v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Mississippi primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Avery v. State, 835 So. 2d 125, 2003 Miss. App. LEXIS 17, 2003 WL 139588 (Mich. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

MYERS, J.,

for the Court.

¶ 1. Kenaith Demario Avery, pro se, filed a post-conviction relief motion which was denied by the trial court. On appeal, Avery asserts the following issues:

1. WHETHER THE GUILTY PLEA ENTERED BY AVERY WAS NOT VOLUNTARILY NOR INTELLIGENTLY MADE;

2. WHETHER THE INDICTMENTS WERE DEFECTIVE; AND

3. WHETHER THE DEFENDANT WAS DENIED EFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL.

STATEMENT OF THE FACTS

¶ 2. On January 12, 2000, Avery pled guilty to three indictments charging him with sale of cocaine. The sales had occurred on or about November 4 and December 17, 1998, and on or about January 28, 1999. Avery had prior convictions of aggravated assault and escape, thus resulting in the indictment’s inclusion of habitual offender status. As part of the plea agreement, the State moved to have the habitual status portion of the three indictments remanded. Avery was sentenced to twenty-eight years with five years of post-release supervision following twenty-three years of incarceration for one of the offenses. For the other two offenses the trial judge sentenced Avery to two ten-year terms to be served concurrently. The trial judge also added other minor fines and penalties to Avery’s sentence.

¶ 3. After about nineteen months of incarceration, Avery filed his motion for post-conviction relief. The motion was essentially a request to set aside his guilty plea. The motion contained a myriad of claims and requests. The trial court de[127]*127nied Avery’s motion. Upon denial, Avery perfected his appeal.

LEGAL ANALYSIS

1.WHETHER THE GUILTY PLEA ENTERED BY AVERY WAS NOT VOLUNTARILY NOR INTELLIGENTLY MADE

¶ 4. In determining whether the guilty plea was made knowingly and voluntarily, an examination of the entire record must be conducted. Weatherspoon v. State, 736 So.2d 419, 421(¶ 5) (Miss.Ct.App.1999). This Court is not persuaded that the plea of guilty entered by Avery was involuntary or not made intelligently. In order for a plea to be voluntary, the plea must be “one in which the defendant was advised about the nature of the crime charged against him and the consequences of the guilty plea.” Stovall v. State, 770 So.2d 1019, 1020-21(¶ 7) (Miss.Ct.App.2000). “A plea is deemed ‘voluntary and intelligent’ only where the defendant is advised concerning the nature of the charge against him and the consequences of the plea.” Alexander v. State, 605 So.2d 1170, 1172 (Miss.1992). “Trial judges are entitled to place great weight upon a defendant’s initial plea under oath.” Templeton v. State, 725 So.2d 764, 767(¶ 10) (Miss.1998). This Court will not set aside findings of a trial court sitting without a jury unless such findings are clearly erroneous. Stevenson v. State, 798 So.2d 599, 602(¶ 7) (Miss.Ct.App.2001).

¶ 5. Avery argues that his guilty plea was not made voluntarily nor intelligently. We reviewed the record and list the actions taken at the trial level before Avery’s plea:

1. Avery originally pled not guilty to all the charges.
2. Avery petitioned the trial court to change the not guilty plea to guilty.
3. The trial judge questioned the defense attorney whether the attorney had prepared the petition, reviewed it with Avery, and was satisfied that Avery understood the nature and consequences of such petition. The attorney responded in the affirmative.
4. Avery’s testimony was sworn under oath. The trial judge informed Avery that at any túne Avery did not understand something, that Avery should stop the proceedings and request clarification. Avery acknowledged that he understood.
5. Upon questioning from the trial judge, Avery acknowledged that he was twenty-two years old, that he had a ninth grade education, that he was able to read and write, that he had read, understood the petition, and discussed it with his counsel, that he was not under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or anything else that affected his ability to reason, and that he did not suffer from any medical or mental condition that affected his ability to reason.
6. Avery was told that a guilty plea meant the loss of certain federal and state constitutional rights. The judge informed Avery of the right to a speedy public trial, the right to a jury trial, the right to be present at the trial, the right to testify or choose not to testify without consequence, the right to cross-examine witnesses, the right to compel witnesses, the presumption of innocence, and the right to an appeal with an attorney. Avery responded that he understood the loss of these rights.
7. Avery was asked if any reward had been proposed to induce his plea. Avery responded that none had been offered.
8. Avery was asked if any threats had been made to induce his plea. Avery responded that none had been made.
[128]*1289. The trial judge went over the charges and habitual offender status with Avery, explained to Avery the penalties he was facing if convicted of the charges, and that the trial judge did not have to accept a sentence recommendation. Avery responded that he understood.
10. The trial judge asked Avery if his counsel had. explained the elements of the charges and discussed any defenses Avery may have. Avery acknowledged in the affirmative.
11. The trial judge asked if Avery had been totally satisfied with his counsel’s handling of the case. Avery acknowledged that he had been.
12. The trial judge had the prosecutor read the charges and facts that were going to be presented by the prosecution. The trial judge asked Avery if he understood and agreed with the facts and that he was pleading guilty because he was guilty. Avery acknowledge that the facts were correct and the guilty plea was being entered because he was guilty. The trial judge found that Avery was making such plea voluntarily, intelligently, and knowingly.

¶ 6. Avery pled guilty to all three of the indictments. As his basis for the argument, Avery refers to the “threat” of a ninety-year prison sentence if convicted and potentially life imprisonment based upon the habitual offender status and the need for the trial judge to further investigate Avery’s satisfaction with his counsel.

¶ 7. The “threat” is easily dealt with. There were three indictments against Avery and a conviction of any of the three could have resulted in the imposition of a ninety-year sentence or even life imprisonment under the habitual offender law. Mississippi law allows an indictment to include the habitual offender status language if applicable. This cannot be called a threat. It does not seem that Avery has taken into consideration the fact that if this Court grants his request to withdraw his plea, he could face a conviction on any of the three indictments which could result in a sentence of life imprisonment under the habitual offender status rule. As it stands, Avery has the chance to walk out of prison after the twenty-three years a free man rather than being carried out as a corpse.

¶ 8. As to the need for the trial judge to further investigate Avery’s satisfaction with his counsel, Avery was specifically asked about his satisfaction of counsel.

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Related

Strickland v. Washington
466 U.S. 668 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Stringer v. State
454 So. 2d 468 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1984)
McNeal v. State
658 So. 2d 1345 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1995)
Stevenson v. State
798 So. 2d 599 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2001)
Brandau v. State
662 So. 2d 1051 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1995)
Templeton v. State
725 So. 2d 764 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1998)
Chase v. State
699 So. 2d 521 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1997)
Alexander v. State
605 So. 2d 1170 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1992)
Walker v. State
703 So. 2d 266 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1997)
Evans v. State
742 So. 2d 1205 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 1999)
McQuarter v. State
574 So. 2d 685 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1990)
Weatherspoon v. State
736 So. 2d 419 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 1999)
Hiter v. State
660 So. 2d 961 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1995)
Voyles v. State
822 So. 2d 353 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2002)
Stovall v. State
770 So. 2d 1019 (Court of Appeals of Mississippi, 2000)

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Bluebook (online)
835 So. 2d 125, 2003 Miss. App. LEXIS 17, 2003 WL 139588, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/avery-v-state-missctapp-2003.