Payton v. State

845 So. 2d 713, 2003 WL 21005035
CourtCourt of Appeals of Mississippi
DecidedMay 6, 2003
Docket2002-CP-00347-COA
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 845 So. 2d 713 (Payton 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
Payton v. State, 845 So. 2d 713, 2003 WL 21005035 (Mich. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

845 So.2d 713 (2003)

Gregory Paxton PAYTON, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2002-CP-00347-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

May 6, 2003.

*715 Gregory Paxton Payton (pro se), attorney for appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Charles W. Maris, attorney for appellee.

Before McMILLIN, C.J., BRIDGES and GRIFFIS, JJ.

GRIFFIS, J., for the court.

¶ 1. Gregory Paxton Payton petitioned the Harrison County Circuit Court for post-conviction relief. The circuit court denied the petition, and Payton appealed asserting several assignments of error. We find no error and affirm.

¶ 2. Payton was indicted for rape in June of 1989. After a trial on the merits, Payton was convicted and sentenced to serve a term of thirty-five years. On appeal, the Mississippi Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence imposed. Payton v. State, 610 So.2d 389 (Miss.1992).

¶ 3. Payton then filed his petition for post-conviction relief. The circuit court denied the petition, and he appealed. The supreme court reversed the decision on the grounds that Payton's attorney rendered ineffective assistance of counsel by failing to investigate the facts and circumstances of the case. Payton v. State, 708 So.2d 559, 560(¶ 1) (Miss.1998). Payton's conviction and sentence were vacated, and the case was remanded for a new trial. Id.

¶ 4. After remand, Payton pled guilty and the State recommended that he receive a sentence of thirty-five years' imprisonment, with fifteen years suspended and five years' probation. The circuit court accepted the plea and the State's sentencing recommendation. Payton was subsequently released on probation.

¶ 5. In 2001, Payton was convicted of two counts of indecent exposure. On June 4, 2001, the circuit court held a revocation hearing. Payton admitted that he had been convicted of indecent exposure, and the court addressed the fact that Payton had failed to register as a sex offender. The circuit court revoked Payton's probation based on the two convictions of indecent exposure, instead of the failure to register as a sex offender. The court held that the convictions proved, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Payton had violated the terms of his probation, which required him to refrain from committing any crime. Payton's probation was revoked.

¶ 6. On September 24, 2001, Payton filed another petition for post-conviction relief. He asked the court to vacate his guilty plea on the crime of rape and the thirty-five year sentence. The petition was denied, resulting in this appeal.

Legal Analysis

I. Whether Payton's guilty plea was made voluntarily and knowingly.

¶ 7. A plea is considered "voluntary and intelligent" if the defendant is advised about the nature of the charge against him and the consequences of the entry of the plea. Alexander v. State, 605 So.2d 1170, 1172 (Miss.1992). The defendant must be instructed that a guilty plea waives his rights to a jury trial, to confront *716 adverse witnesses, and to protection against self-incrimination. Id.

¶ 8. To succeed in his petition, the defendant bears the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that he is entitled to post-conviction relief. McClendon v. State, 539 So.2d 1375, 1377 (Miss. 1989). "Once the trial judge has determined at a preliminary hearing that a confession is admissible, the defendant/appellant has a heavy burden in attempting to reverse that decision on appeal." Sills v. State, 634 So.2d 124, 126 (Miss.1994) (quoting Frost v. State, 483 So.2d 1345, 1350 (Miss.1986)). "Such findings are treated as findings of fact made by a trial judge sitting without a jury as in any other context. As long as the trial judge applied the correct legal standards, his decision will not be reversed on appeal unless it is manifestly in error, or is contrary to the overwhelming weight of the evidence." Foster v. State, 639 So.2d 1263, 1281 (Miss. 1994).

¶ 9. Payton claims that the only reason he pled guilty was because his attorney erroneously advised him to do so. Payton argues that because his attorney failed to tell him that the State was going to give him a thirty-five year sentence, with fifteen years suspended, twenty years to serve and five years on probation, this amounted to an involuntary guilty plea.

¶ 10. We find no merit in this argument. Indeed, the argument contradicts the lengthy and explicit record of the guilty plea. First, in his petition to enter a plea of guilty, Payton set forth that: (1) his attorney had counseled and advised him on the nature of the charge, on any and all lesser-included charges, and on all possible defenses; (2) he understood his constitutional rights, and he understood that if he pled guilty he would waive his constitutional rights as enumerated; (3) he understood the range of sentences he could receive if he pled guilty; (4) he knew that the sentence was in the discretion of the court, but that the district attorney would recommend a sentence of thirty-five years, with all but twenty years suspended and five years' probation; and (5) that he believed his lawyer had done all that anyone could do to assist him and that he was satisfied with his lawyer.

¶ 11. Second, the circuit judge gave a very careful and detailed explanation to Payton about what exactly was involved if he pled guilty to rape. The court asked Payton if he had read and signed the petition to enter a guilty plea. Payton replied that he had and acknowledged that it was true and correct. Payton acknowledged that he fully understood all of his constitutional rights. Payton stated that his attorney had reviewed the petition with him and had explained his rights to him, to his satisfaction. Payton told the court he could read and write. Payton acknowledged that his plea was offered freely and voluntarily without any threat or promise having been made to him. Payton acknowledged that he understood that the court could sentence him to a maximum term of imprisonment of one day less than life and a fine of $10,000. Payton understood that, although a sentencing recommendation would be made, the court was not bound to follow the recommendation. Payton then explained the circumstances surrounding the crime, apologized and asked the court to follow the State's sentencing recommendation. The prosecutor then made the agreed upon recommendation and told Payton that if his probation were revoked, he would be required to serve the remainder of the thirty-five year sentence. Payton acknowledged his understanding.

¶ 12. Finally, the circuit judge was astonished that Payton would enter a plea after he had received a successful determination *717 on his appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court. The judge made a determined effort to ensure Payton's plea was voluntarily and knowingly made. Indeed, the following exchange occurred between the judge and Payton:

THE COURT: I'm really surprised you're entering this plea of guilty. I was really surprised last week when I found out this motion was being put back on the docket. Why are you entering this plea? Are you entering the plea simply because you feel like the time you already have in the system you'll be getting out soon, and that is the only reason?
PAYTON: Yes, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Do you understand—I mean, I'll accept your plea for whatever reason you want to do it.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
845 So. 2d 713, 2003 WL 21005035, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/payton-v-state-missctapp-2003.