Dotson v. State
Dotson v. State
Opinion of the Court
Appellant was convicted by a jury of the offense of buying, receiving or aiding in the concealment of stolen goods. We reverse.
Pending trial appellant had been examined by doctors prior to a determination of his motion suggesting his incompetence to stand trial. The motion was denied. Thereafter, on the morning of trial, appellant made another motion, an oral one, for leave to change his previously entered plea of Not Guilty to one of Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity. This motion was also denied and the ensuing trial resulted in the conviction herein. It is the denial of this latter motion which forms the basis of our reversal.
At the outset, it is conceded that appellant did not comply with the provisions of Rule 3.210(b) and (c), 33 F.S.A., relating to the defense of insanity at the time of the alleged offense. However, it is unnecessary, we think, to determine whether the trial court abused its discretion in denying the motion for this reason. For a critical fact is, as admitted by the state at the oral argument before us, that on another charge against this appellant which was tried before another judge the week prior to the instant case, appellant was permitted to amend his plea to Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity and was indeed found by the jury
In any case, it appears that CrPR 3.210, supra, which, like all rules of procedure, is designed to expedite the administration of justice may well have been used to frustrate it here. In fairness to the trial judge, we reiterate that he was completely unaware of the verdict in the prior case; and since each of counsel was equally at fault in failing to inform the court thereof, we say now that neither can rely on the other’s dereliction in the premises.
Under the peculiar facts of this case the interests of justice require that appellant be awarded a new trial in which the issue of insanity at the time of the alleged offense might be fully tried.
Reversed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.