State v. Dunham
State v. Dunham
Opinion of the Court
Defendants were charged with robbery, were arraigned and pleaded guilty on the 8th of August, 1921, and were each sentenced to the penitentiary for not less than four nor more than 'five years. The judgment was signed on the 9th, and motion to withdraw his plea of guilty .was filed by Frank McGuire on August 11th; Dunham having accepted his sentence and now being in the penitentiary. The motion was fixed for trial by order signed at the foot thereof for August 17th, but was not heard until September 9th, when testimony was taken and the motion submitted and overruled.
Defendant has appealed, assigning as error the refusal to permit the withdrawal of his plea.
Opinion. ■
The case is brought up on two bills of exception.
Bill No. 1.
Bill No. 2.
First, that McGuire was in such mental condition, from the effects of narcotics, as not to appreciate what he was doing when he pleaded guilty; and,
Second, that he was arraigned and pleaded during the vacation of the court.
Defendant was not entitled as of right to withdraw his plea, but the matter fell within the sound legal discretion of the trial court. If that discretion has not been abused, tliis court will not interfere. State v. Delahoussaye, 37 La. Ann. 551; State v. Jammerson, 49 La. Ann. 597, 21 South. 728; State v. Boutte, 119 La. 134, 43 South. 983; State v. George, 134 La. Ann. 863, 64 South. 800; 12 Oyc. 350 et seq. A review of the evidence in support of the motion has not convinced us that the lower court erred.
“The district judges shall 'have authority to try at any time misdemeanors, and, when the jury is waived by the defendant, all cases not capital or necessarily punishable at hard labor, and to receive pleas of guilty in all eases less than'capital.”
This was sufficient authority for receiving the plea in vacation, even if the defendant may be said not to have waived the question by pleading without objection.
We find no other reason to disturb the judgment and sentence, and they are accordingly affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE v. DUNHAM
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- (Syllabus by Editorial Sta(f.) 1. Criminal law t&wkey;274 — Question of. guilt not before court on motion to withdraw plea of guilty of robbery. On motion to withdraw a plea of guilty of robbery, the question of accused’s guilt was not before the court, and evidence of an alibi was properly excluded. 2. Criminal law &wkey;?274 — Motion to withdraw plea of guilty addressed to court’s legal discretion. A motion for withdrawal of a plea of guilty to a felony is addressed to the sound legal discretion of the court. 3. Criminal law By authority of Const, art. 7, § 42, the district court has power to receive a plea of guilty to felony in vacation.