Daren E. Ridley v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)

• Court: Indiana Court of Appeals
• Decided: March 31, 2020
• Docket: 19A-CR-2013
• Status: Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), this Memorandum Decision shall not be FILED regarded as precedent or cited before any Mar 31 2020, 11:22 am

court except for the purpose of establishing CLERK Indiana Supreme Court the defense of res judicata, collateral Court of Appeals and Tax Court estoppel, or the law of the case.

APPELLANT PRO SE ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Daren E. Ridley Curtis T. Hill, Jr. Carlisle, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana J.T. Whitehead Deputy Attorney General Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Daren E. Ridley, March 31, 2020 Appellant-Petitioner, Court of Appeals Case No. 19A-CR-2013 v. Appeal from the Marion Superior Court State of Indiana, The Honorable Lisa F. Borges, Appellee-Respondent Judge Trial Court Cause No. 49G04-9504-CF-57140

Baker, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-CR-2013 | March 31, 2020 Page 1 of 3 [1] In 1996, Ridley was convicted of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and

attempted murder. He filed a direct appeal. Our Supreme Court affirmed the

murder and conspiracy to commit murder convictions, but reversed the

conviction and sentence for attempted murder because Indiana law prohibits

convictions for both conspiracy and attempt to murder the same person. Ridley

v. State, 690 N.E.2d 177, 182 (Ind. 1997), overruled on other grounds by Whedon v.

State, 765 N.E.2d 1276 (Ind. 2002). The Court remanded with instructions to

vacate that conviction and sentence and to add language to the sentencing order

indicating that Ridley would not be imprisoned for failure to pay if indigent. Id.

[2] On June 29, 2000, the trial court entered a new sentencing order consistent with

our Supreme Court’s instructions.1 On January 21, 2002, Ridley filed a petition

for post-conviction relief; he filed an amended petition on July 20, 2004. On

April 15, 2008, the post-conviction court denied relief. Ridley appealed, and

this Court affirmed. Ridley v. State, No. 49A05-0806-PC-327 (Ind. Ct. App.,

July 29, 2009).

[3] On July 25, 2019, Ridley sought to file a belated appeal of the trial court’s June

29, 2000, sentencing order. He maintains that he was improperly resentenced

because the new sentence was ordered without his attorney (or himself) present

and that he was erroneously resentenced because of an appearance of

1 It is unclear why there was a lengthy delay between the certification of our Supreme Court’s opinion and the trial court’s entry of a new sentencing order.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-CR-2013 | March 31, 2020 Page 2 of 3 impropriety.2 On August 1, 2019, the trial court denied Ridley’s motion to file

a belated notice of appeal. Ridley now appeals.

[4] The basis of Ridley’s appeal is an incorrect assumption—that he was

resentenced. He was not resentenced. Instead, the trial court merely corrected

the prior sentencing order pursuant to our Supreme Court’s instructions—it

vacated the conviction and sentence for attempted murder and added the

language regarding Ridley’s possible future indigency. What was left of his

original sentencing order for the two surviving convictions remained identical.

Because there was no resentencing, there is nothing to appeal—either in timely

or belated fashion. Because there was no resentencing, Ridley’s right to counsel

did not attach. Therefore, the trial court did not err by denying Ridley’s motion

for a belated appeal.

[5] The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.

May, J., and Pyle, J., concur.

2 Ridley argued that the trial judge who entered the corrected sentencing order was the same attorney who acted as prosecutor during his trial. But as Ridley acknowledges, that judge recused himself from the case before the new order was entered. Additionally, that same judge—Chief Judge Cale Bradford of this Court— has recused himself from this appellate proceeding.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 19A-CR-2013 | March 31, 2020 Page 3 of 3