State v. White

754 N.E.2d 287, 142 Ohio App. 3d 132
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 2, 2001
DocketNo. 78562, ACCELERATED DOCKET
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 754 N.E.2d 287 (State v. White) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. White, 754 N.E.2d 287, 142 Ohio App. 3d 132 (Ohio Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

James J. Sweeney, Judge.

This appeal is before the court on the accelerated docket pursuant to App.R. 11.1 and Loc.App.R. 11.1.

DeWight White, a Jamaican citizen, appeals the judgment of the common pleas court issued August 9, 2000, denying his motion to withdraw his guilty plea to correct a manifest injustice. On appeal, White contends that the trial court erred when it denied his motion because he is not a United States citizen, and the court did not advise him of the possibility of deportation when he pled guilty. After a review of the record, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.

The record reveals that a grand jury indicted White on four counts of aggravated burglary in violation of R.C. 2911.11, seven counts of theft in violation of R.C. 2913.02, and five counts each of forgery and uttering in violation of R.C. 2913.31. Thereafter, on March 28,1996, the court conducted a hearing where the state amended two counts of aggravated burglary to burglary. Prior to accepting his plea, the court nolled the remaining counts. The court apprised White of his constitutional rights but did not advise him that he could be deported if he pled guilty. White indicated on the record that he understood the rights he planned to waive. Thereafter, White pled guilty to those two counts of burglary and three counts of theft, and the court accepted his plea. At the November 19, 1996 sentencing hearing, the record indicates that White informed the court of his *134 citizenship and its failure to apprise him of the possibility of deportation. Nevertheless, the court sentenced him to three to fifteen years incarceration for two counts of burglary and two counts theft to be served concurrently and six months on one theft count to be served consecutively to the other four counts.

On November 26, 1996, White filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea, which the court denied. Thereafter, on March 11, 1998, White filed a petition for post-conviction relief. White filed numerous delayed appeals, all of which this court has denied. Then White filed motions to correct the judgment and for reconsideration of the judgment, and the trial court denied both of these motions. On January 28, 2000, White moved the court to vacate the judgment or to permit him to withdraw his guilty plea to correct a manifest injustice.

Thereafter, the court filed findings of fact and conclusion of law in response to White’s petition for post-conviction relief where he asserted he received ineffective assistance of counsel and did not understand the ramifications of the his plea bargain. The court denied his petition and determined that White’s claims were barred by res judicata, as he failed to raise these issues on a direct appeal. Thereafter, on August 9, 2000, the court denied White’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea to correct manifest injustice. White appeals from this decision and raises six assignments of error. They will be discussed together as they pertain to R.C. 2943.031; they state:

“I. The trial court error [sic] by incorrectly denying and dismissing appellant’s motion to withdraw his plea of guilty which law and justice requires within the meaning of R.C. 2943.031(D).
“II. The trial court committed prejudicial error in denying and dismissing appellant’s motion to withdraw his plea of guilty as provided within the meaning of O.R.C. 2943.[0]31(D), from the court’s failure to provide the advisement required by O.R.C. 2943.031(A).
“HI. The trial court abuses its discretion by denying and dismissing appellant’s motion to withdraw his plea of guilty which law and justice requires within the meaning of O.R.C. 2943.031(D), (F).
“IV. The trial court committed prejudicial error and denied appellant’s due process right under the Ohio and United States Constitutions, in violation of appellant’s right under the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments, by denying and dismissing appellant’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea to correct manifest injustice, within the meaning of O.R.C. 2943.031(A), (D), (E), (F).
“V. The trial court abuses its discretion by denying and dismissing appellant’s motion to withdraw his plea of guilty without giving appellant a hearing on his motion, within the meaning of O.R.C. 2943.031(A), (D), (E), (F).
*135 “VI. The trial court erred in determining that appellant White entered a knowing, voluntary and intelligent plea when it failed to inquire whether the appellant was a citizen of the United States in violation of both the United States and Ohio Constitutions.”

White contends that he did not enter into a knowing, intelligent, and voluntary plea because the court failed to inquire as to his citizenship and explain the possibility of deportation. The state argues from a different standpoint and maintains that the court properly denied his motion because his claims are barred by res judicata, since he failed to raise these errors in a direct appeal. Thus, the issues concern whether the court correctly determined that White’s claims are barred by res judicata and whether the court erroneously failed to advise White about the ramifications of his plea bargain.

We begin by noting that R.C. 2953.21 states:

“(A)(1) Any person who has been convicted of a criminal offense * * * and who claims that there was such a denial or infringement of the person’s rights as to render the judgment void or voidable under the Ohio Constitution or the Constitution of the United States may file a petition in the court that imposed sentence, stating the grounds for relief relied upon, and asking the court to vacate or set aside the judgment or sentence or to grant other appropriate relief. * * *.
“(2) A petition under division (A)(1) of this section shall be filed no later than one hundred eighty days after the date on which the trial transcript is filed in the court of appeals in the direct appeal of the judgment of conviction or adjudication * * *."

In State v. Perry (1967), 10 Ohio St.2d 175, 39 O.O.2d 189, 226 N.E.2d 104, the court stated in its syllabus:

“7. Constitutional issues cannot be considered in postconviction proceedings under Section 2953.21 * * *, where they have already been or could have been fully litigated by the prisoner while represented by counsel, either before his judgment of conviction or on direct appeal from that judgment, and thus have been adjudicated against him.
“8. The Supreme Court of Ohio will apply the doctrine of res judicata in determining whether postconviction relief should be given under Section 2953.21 * * *.

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Related

State v. Wahba, Unpublished Decision (11-10-2004)
2004 Ohio 5978 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2004)
White v. Belcher, Unpublished Decision (11-4-2004)
2004 Ohio 5873 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2004)
State v. Suleiman, Unpublished Decision (8-26-2004)
2004 Ohio 4487 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2004)
State v. Gegia, Unpublished Decision (3-19-2004)
2004 Ohio 1441 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2004)
State ex rel. White v. Suster
101 Ohio St. 3d 212 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2004)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
754 N.E.2d 287, 142 Ohio App. 3d 132, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-white-ohioctapp-2001.