Harris v. State

944 So. 2d 900, 2006 WL 2255951
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedAugust 8, 2006
Docket2005-CP-01325-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 944 So. 2d 900 (Harris 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
Harris v. State, 944 So. 2d 900, 2006 WL 2255951 (Mich. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

944 So.2d 900 (2006)

Derrick Cordell HARRIS, Appellant
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2005-CP-01325-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

August 8, 2006.
Rehearing Denied December 12, 2006.

*902 Derrick Cordell Harris (Pro Se), attorney for appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Billy L. Gore, attorney for appellee.

Before MYERS, P.J., SOUTHWICK and BARNES, JJ.

BARNES, J., for the Court.

¶ 1. Originally indicted for capital murder, Derrick Cordell Harris pled guilty in the Circuit Court of Wayne County to a charge of simple murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Harris filed a motion for post-conviction relief which was denied by the circuit court, and from that denial he appeals. Finding no error, we affirm.

SUMMARY OF FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶ 2. The grand jury indicted Harris for capital murder under Mississippi Code Annotated section 97-3-19(2)(e) (Supp.2005) finding that Harris killed Isaih Blanks, Sr.[1] of the Buckatunna Community while in the act of robbing him. After a finding of indigent status, the circuit court ordered the appointment of Tommy Dickerson of Waynesboro and Leslie Roussell of Laurel as counsel. Harris's defense counsel filed a series of motions, including a motion for a mental evaluation which was granted on April 11, 2003. The evaluation found that Harris was competent to stand trial and that he did not suffer from any degree of retardation.

¶ 3. On August 29, 2003, after plea bargaining, Harris filed a petition to enter a guilty plea to a charge of simple murder under Mississippi Code Annotated section 97-3-19(1)(a) (Rev.2005) with an agreed sentence of life imprisonment and court costs of $250.[2] The circuit court then conducted the plea qualification hearing to determine if the entry of the guilty plea was a voluntary and intelligent act by Harris. The court found Harris's plea to be freely, voluntarily and intelligently entered. Harris admitted killing Blanks with a shotgun which allegedly went off while he was struggling with Blanks. After Harris recounted this version of accidental shooting, the court questioned his attorneys as to whether they had explored the defense of accident. Defense counsel Roussell explained that Harris had given three versions of the shooting: a videotaped statement in which Harris first said that when he came out of Blanks' bathroom, Blanks pointed a gun at him and that as they struggled over the gun, it went off killing Blanks; a second statement in which Harris changed his story stating that the shooting occurred in the *903 living room instead of the bedroom as previously stated; and a third version in which Harris said that he had killed Blanks with a shotgun, not necessarily as an accident or in self-defense. Roussell also informed the judge that a witness would testify that Harris brought him the shotgun and told him to hide it. The district attorney advised the judge that if the case went to trial, the prosecution was prepared to show that when taken into custody, Harris had two rings, a pocket knife and another personal item which were identified by Blanks' daughter as belonging to her father. Roussell told the court that after the district attorney offered the plea agreement of simple murder with a life sentence instead of capital murder with a possible death sentence, he discussed the deal with Harris, and they agreed that it would be the best option. The court asked Harris if that was how he understood the facts and the agreement, and Harris responded yes. After further questioning, the court accepted the guilty plea and sentenced Harris to life in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. On July 21, 2004, Harris pro se filed a post-conviction relief petition. Then on September 2, 2004, he filed a document styled, "Amended Petition," which the trial court also treated as a petition for post-conviction relief.

¶ 4. Harris's post-conviction petition alleged (1) ineffective assistance of counsel; (2) involuntary plea; (3) defective indictment; (4) excessive sentence; and (5) prosecutorial misconduct. In a twenty-five-page opinion, the circuit court denied Harris's claims for post-conviction relief. From that denial, Harris appeals to this Court.

¶ 5. On appeal Harris raises four issues which we quote verbatim:

(1) Whether the court erred by not granting an evidentiary hearing on plaintiff's post-conviction motion upon the merits of his claim that his attorney advised him wrong regarding his sentence under the plea agreement?
(2) Whether the court erred in allowing plaintiff to plead to the plea bargain when the records "clearly" show plaintiff's confusion, and not advising him of the minimum/maximum sentence plaintiff would receive from the charge against him?
(3) Whether the court erred by not determining whether or not plaintiff received effective assistance of counsel?
(4) Whether the court erred in not determining whether or not plaintiff's indictment was defective?

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 6. In reviewing a trial court's decision to deny a petition for post-conviction, this Court will not reverse such a denial absent a finding that the trial court's decision was clearly erroneous. Kirksey v. State, 728 So.2d 565, 566(¶ 8) (Miss.1999). However, where questions of law are raised, the standard of review is de novo. Rice v. State, 910 So.2d 1163, 1164-65(¶ 4) (Miss.Ct.App.2005). The trial court's obligation is to review the original motion and all files, records, transcriptions and correspondence relating to the judgment under attack so that the allegations may be resolved upon the merits. Miss. Code Ann. § 99-39-11(1) (Rev.2000). The burden is upon Harris to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he is entitled to the requested post-conviction relief. See Miss.Code Ann. § 99-39-23(7) (Rev. 2000).

(1) Evidentiary Hearing

¶ 7. Harris's first argument is that the trial court erred when it failed to conduct an evidentiary hearing before dismissing his petition. The State counters that the *904 judge's actions were correct because the pleadings and the transcript of the plea hearing show that Harris was not entitled to relief.

¶ 8. A trial court is not required to conduct an evidentiary hearing when there is no genuine issue of material fact. Miss. Code Ann. § 99-39-19 (Rev.2002). A summary disposition of the motion is warranted when "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." Id.

¶ 9. Below we will review the alleged errors which Harris claims should have entitled him to a hearing at which he claims he would have prevailed.

(2) The Plea Hearing

¶ 10. Harris argues that his guilty plea was not knowingly and intelligently entered because he was "confused" about the plea and that had he understood, he would not have agreed to plead guilty. He asserts that he was not informed of the maximum and minimum sentences for the crime to which he pled.

¶ 11.

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Bluebook (online)
944 So. 2d 900, 2006 WL 2255951, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harris-v-state-missctapp-2006.