Ex parte Terry Tatum.
Ex parte Terry Tatum.
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent from the Court’s decision to deny Terry Tatum’s petition for a writ of certiorari because I believe that, for purposes of reconsidering an inmate’s sentence pursuant to § 13A-5-9.1, Ala. Code 1975 (repealed effective March 13, 2014, by Act No. 2014-165, Ala. Acts 2014),
“Although an inmate’s behavior while incarcerated is a factor in determining whether he is a nonviolent offender, ‘§ 13A-5-9.1 does not require a circuit court to order, or the Department of Corrections to submit, an inmate evaluation; it merely permits the consideration by the circuit court of such an evaluation.’ ”
(Quoting Holt, 960 So.2d at 737.) I agree with Tatum that this language conflicts with Alabama law. As I explained in my dissent in a similar case, Ex parte Gill, 157 So.3d 881, 885 (Ala. 2014):
“Kirby implies that a presumption of nonviolence attaches to a motion for sentence reconsideration by holding that ‘if the DOC [Department of Corrections] does not provide the evaluation in a timely fashion, the State will have waived any input as to the inmate’s conduct while incarcerated that the sentencing judge or the presiding judge might otherwise have considered in determining whether the inmate is a nonviolent offender.’ Kirby, 899 So.2d at 975. Moreover, ‘[wjhile the information available to the trial court in the DOC’s evaluation will be helpful in making its determination,’ the Department of Corrections’ failure to submit an evaluation waives the State’s input regarding whether the inmate is a violent offender. 899 So.2d at 874. If the Department of Corrections does not submit an evaluation, then it presents no evidence to rebut an inmate’s claim that the inmate is a nonviolent convicted offender. I disagree that ‘§ 13A-5-9.1 does not require a circuit court to order, or the Department of Corrections to submit, an inmate evaluation, [and that] it merely permits the consideration by the circuit court of such an evaluation.’ Holt, 960 So.2d at 737. The circuit court is required to order the Department of Corrections to submit an inmate evaluation.”
Because § 13A-5-9.1 requires circuit courts considering a motion for sentence reconsideration to order the Department of Corrections to submit to the circuit court an evaluation of an inmate’s behavior while in prison, I believe the Court of Criminal Appeals’ unpublished memorandum contradicts Alabama law. Therefore, Tatum is entitled to certiorari review of its decision. See Rule 39, Ala. R.App. P.
. Section 13A-5-9.1 stated: “The provisions of Section 13A-5-9 shall be applied retroactively by the sentencing judge or, if the sentencing judge is no longer in office, by any circuit judge appointed by the presiding judge, for consideration of early parole of each nonviolent convicted offender based on evaluations performed by the Department of Corrections and approved by the Board of Pardons and Paroles and submitted to the court.”
. A motion for sentence reconsideration is often called a "Kirby' motion.” See Kirby v. State, 899 So.2d 968 (Ala. 2004)(explaining an inmate s eligibility for sentence reconsideration).
Opinion of the Court
WRIT DENIED. NO OPINION.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ex Parte Terry TATUM. (In Re Terry TATUM v. State of Alabama)
- Status
- Published