Avery v. State

102 So. 3d 1178, 2012 WL 1674288
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedMay 15, 2012
DocketNo. 2011-CP-00664-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 102 So. 3d 1178 (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, 102 So. 3d 1178, 2012 WL 1674288 (Mich. Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

CARLTON, J„

for the Court:

¶ 1. William Avery appeals the order of the Lauderdale County Circuit Court dismissing his motion for post-conviction relief (PCR) as time-barred under Mississippi Code Annotated section 99-89-5(2) (Supp.2011). Avery raises the following assignments of error: whether (1) he received an illegal sentence in violation of his double-jeopardy rights; (2) he was denied effective assistance of counsel; and (3) his guilty plea was entered unknowingly, involuntarily, and unintelligently. Finding no error, we affirm.

FACTS

¶ 2. In November 2002, a grand jury before the Lauderdale County Circuit Court indicted Avery for a drug offense under Mississippi Code Annotated section 41-29-139 (Supp.2011), with the sentencing enhancement for violations of the Uniform Controlled Substances Law while in possession of a firearm pursuant to Mississippi Code Annotated section 41-29-152 (Supp.2011).1 On May 20, 2003, Avery signed a petition to enter a guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine (41.5 grams). See Miss.Code Ann. § 41-29-139(c)(1)(e). Then, on June 20, 2003, the trial court sentenced Avery to fifteen years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), with five years to serve, ten years suspended, and five years of reporting probation under the supervision of the MDOC. Subsequently, Avery was released on parole in 2004.2 Avery’s suspended sentence and probation were later revoked by the trial court in 2010, and he was ordered to serve the remainder of his ten-year sentence.

¶ 3. On March 31, 2011, Avery filed a PCR motion, which the trial court dismissed as time-barred. Avery appeals.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 4. The standard for reviewing a circuit court’s summary dismissal of a PCR motion is well established. Mississippi Code Annotated section 99-39-11(2) (Supp.2011) states: “If it plainly appears from the face of the motion, any annexed exhibits and the prior proceedings in the case that the movant is not entitled to any relief, the judge may make an order for its dismissal and cause the petitioner to be notified.” “Pursuant to this section, the Mississippi Supreme Court has held that ‘a trial court may summarily dismiss a petition for PCR, without having held an evidentiary hearing, when it is clear that the petitioner is not entitled to relief under the Uniform Post-Conviction Collateral Relief Act.’ ” Parker v. State, 71 So.3d 620, 623 (¶ 6) (Miss.Ct.App.2011) (quoting State v. Santiago, 773 So.2d 921, 923-24 (¶11) (Miss.2000)). “This Court has established that dismissal of a PCR motion is proper where ‘it appears beyond a doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief.’” Id.

[1180]*1180DISCUSSION

¶ 5. The trial court found that Avery filed his PCR motion outside of the three-year statute of limitations as set forth in Mississippi Code Annotated section 99-39-5(2); therefore, the PCR motion was time-barred. We agree. Section 99-39-5(2) provides that a PCR motion following a guilty, plea shall be made “within three (3) years after entry of the judgment of conviction.” In this case, Avery signed a petition to enter a guilty plea to possession of methamphetamine under section 41-29-139(c)(l)(e) on May 20, 2003. The trial court then entered a sentencing order on June 20, 2003. Avery filed his PCR motion on March 31, 2011—well past the three-year statute of limitations. Therefore, on its face, Avery’s PCR motion was untimely filed.

¶ 6. In Chandler v. State, 44 So.3d 442, 443 (¶ 6) (Miss.Ct.App.2010), this Court stated as follows:

Section 99-39-5(2) provides for some exceptions to the statute of limitations, such as those cases where there has been an intervening state or federal supreme court decision that would adversely affect the outcome of the conviction, new evidence not reasonably available at the time of trial which would cause a different result in conviction, or an expired sentence.

Here, the trial court determined that no such exceptions apply, and we agree.

¶7. Avery, however, argues that the filing of his PCR motion is excepted from the time bar because his fundamental constitutional rights are at stake. Specifically, Avery claims the trial court imposed a sentence exceeding that set forth in his guilty-plea petition in violation of his constitutional protection against double jeopardy. Thus, Avery contends that when his parole was revoked in 2010, he was subjected to an illegal sentence. In making this argument in his brief, Avery states as follows:

The [petitioner was sentenced under [Mississippi Code Annotated section] 41-29-139, to serve a term of fifteen (15) years in the custody of the [MDOC] with ten (10) years of such sentence suspended, five (5) years to serve[,] and five (5) years [of] reporting probation under the supervision of the [MDOC]. After the defendant has completed the service of five (5) years in the custody of the [MDOC] and is honorably discharged therefrom, the defendant is remanded to the supervision of the [MDOC] to complete the probationary portion of this sentence under the jurisdiction of court[.] Myers v. State, 583 So.2d 174 (Miss.1991)[.] Avery was assured by his counsel and the prosecutor[,] that he would receive (5) years [i]f he excepted [sic] the plea of guilty ... for the amended charge of simple possession of methamphetamine. This was only double jeopardy. Rowland v. State, 42 So.3d 503 [ (Miss.2010) ].
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The [petitioner should only receive ... five (5) years[,] because a cap was put on the guilty plea[,] and any time further then [sic] five (5) years would be an illegal sentence[.] [T]hat would violate a person [sic] fundamental right, and a fundamental right ... would be excepted from procedural bars.

Avery also argues that: (1) his counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to object to the trial court’s imposition of his “illegal” sentence; and (2) he entered an unknowing, unintelligent, and involuntary guilty plea.

¶ 8. While it is true that the statute of limitations does not apply to errors affecting fundamental constitutional rights, we recognize that “the mere assertion of a [1181]*1181constitutional^] right violation is not sufficient to overcome the time bar.” Chandler, 44 So.3d at 444 (¶ 8) (citation omitted). “There must at least appear to be some basis for the truth of the claim before the limitation period will be waived.” Id.; see also Rowland, 42 So.3d at 508 (¶ 14) (“[A]s the protection against double jeopardy is a fundamental right, we will not apply a procedural bar[.]”).

¶ 9. We find no merit to Avery’s claim that he received an illegal sentence violating his double-jeopardy rights. “The Double Jeopardy Clause ‘prevents a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal, [protects] against a second prosecution for the same offense after conviction, and [protects] against multiple punishments for the same offense.’” Ewing v. State, 34 So.3d 612, 616 (¶ 14) (Miss.Ct.App.2009).

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Bluebook (online)
102 So. 3d 1178, 2012 WL 1674288, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/avery-v-state-missctapp-2012.