Camp v. State
Camp v. State
Opinion
This is an appeal from a guilty plea to an indictment charging the unlawful possession for other than personal use of seven hundred marijuana plants. The trial court fixed sentence at seven years' imprisonment.
The appellant contends that his conviction is due to be reversed because the indictment was improper in that the indictment (1) did not state the date of the alleged offense, (2) was returned thirteen months after the appellant had been arrested and posted bond on a charge of possession of marijuana, (3) does not reflect that the appellant was ever served with a copy of the indictment, (4) contains no execution by the sheriff and does not reflect that the appellant was ever arrested and charged, (5) because the appellant was improperly arrested without a warrant or indictment, and (6) because the appellant was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial.
The record before this court reflects that on August 13, 1976, the appellant obtained an "Appearance Bond In Felony Cases where Defendant arrested before Indictment". On September 28, 1977, the appellant was arraigned in open court in his own person and with his employed attorney. The indictment was read to the appellant and a plea of not guilty was entered. Trial was set and continued without objection. On the day of trial, November 28, 1977, the appellant withdrew his plea of not guilty and pled guilty to the offense of possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) for other than personal use.
The entry of the guilty plea is in compliance with Boykin v.Alabama,
The record also reveals that an agreement regarding punishment existed and the appellant stated that this agreement was in his best interest. The recommendation by the state was that the appellant "be given a seven-year penitentiary sentence in this case and that the remaining cases on the docket be nol prossed and any cases up to this time that are known of by the state will not be prosecuted".
No other plea was filed to the indictment and the record contains no objection of any type to any matter.
A plea of guilty, if voluntarily and understandingly made, is conclusive as to the guilt of the defendant, admits all facts charged, and waives all nonjurisdictional defects and questions in the prior proceedings against the defendant. Knowles v.State,
An indictment need not state the date of the alleged offense.Boswell v. State,
It is no objection to an indictment that it was returned after the accused was arrested. An indictment is not subject to abatement because another charge is pending against the defendant for the same offense. Tolbert v. State,
It is also no objection to an indictment that it does not reflect service of a copy upon the defendant or execution by the sheriff. No demand was ever made for a copy of the indictment. At the appellant's arraignment the indictment was read to him. Before accepting the appellant's plea of guilty which was received on the date of trial, the indictment was again read to the appellant. The failure to make demand for a copy of the indictment in this case was an effective waiver of the right to such. Shaffer v. State,
Moreover, by pleading guilty to the indictment the appellant waived the objections he now attempts to raise to the indictment. We have previously held that a guilty plea, if voluntarily and understandingly made, waives all nonjurisdictional questions including the legality of an arrest, Vann v. State,
We have found no error in this record that injuriously affected the substantial rights of the appellant. There is nothing to indicate that the guilty plea was not voluntarily and understandingly made. Therefore the judgment of conviction is affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All Judges concur.
*Page 148
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Tommy Camp v. State.
- Cited By
- 14 cases
- Status
- Published