Dobbs v. State
Dobbs v. State
Opinion
¶ 1. Dennis Dobbs, pro se, appeals the Circuit Court of Clay County's dismissal of his motion for post-conviction relief. Finding no error, we affirm.
I. WHETHER DOBBS'S GUILTY PLEA WAS ENTERED KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY.
¶ 4. Dobbs argues that it was impossible for him to knowingly and voluntarily plead guilty to a felony, as the crime with which he was charged was a misdemeanor. Dobbs asserts that he was indicted pursuant to section
Every person who, with intent to cheat or defraud another, shall designedly, by color of any false token or writing, or by another false pretense, obtain the signature of any person to any written instrument, or obtain from any person any money, personal property, or valuable thing, with a value of less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), upon conviction thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six (6) months, and by fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00).
Miss. Code Ann. §
It shall be unlawful for any person with fraudulent intent: (a) To make, draw, issue, utter or deliver any check, draft or order for the payment of money drawn on any bank, corporation, firm or person for the purpose of obtaining money, services or any article of value, or for the purpose of satisfying a preexisting debt or making a payment or payments on a past due account or accounts, knowing at the time of making, drawing, issuing, uttering or delivering said check, draft or order that the maker or drawer has not sufficient funds in or on deposit with such bank, corporation, firm or person for the payment of such check, draft or order in full, and all *Page 881 other checks, drafts or orders upon such funds then outstanding; (b) To close an account without leaving sufficient funds to cover all outstanding checks written on such account.
Miss. Code Ann. §
¶ 5. The indictment against Dobbs tracks the statutory language set forth in section,
DENNIS DOBBS . . . unlawfully, wilfully feloniously obtain[ed] merchandise, the property of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., by presenting to an employee of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., a certain check on BankFirst, Inc., well knowing at the time of issuing, signing and delivering said check, that he did not have a sufficient amount of money or funds on deposit to his credit in said bank with which to pay said check. . . .
Furthermore, at the hearing in which Dobbs pled guilty, he acknowledged that he understood the charge against him was that he passed a bad check over $100, and that he had been informed of the elements of the offense. He also stated that he understood that the maximum sentence he could receive was a sentence of up to three years of imprisonment and a fine of not more than $1,000.
¶ 6. Dobbs' assertion that he was charged with a misdemeanor and thus improperly sentenced is clearly incorrect, as shown by the indictment and plea colloquy. As this is the only ground upon which Dobbs bases his claim that his plea was not entered voluntarily and intelligently, this claim of error must fail.
II. WHETHER DOBBS RECEIVED INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL.
¶ 7. Dobbs also claims that he suffered from ineffective assistance of counsel in two respects. First, Dobbs claims that his appointed defense counsel, Thad Buck, served as an assistant district attorney in prior criminal proceedings against him for uttering bad checks. Secondly, Dobbs claims that defense counsel misled him into entering a plea agreement in the present case.
¶ 8. The test for ineffective assistance of counsel is stated in Strickland v. Washington,
¶ 9. Other than the purported conflict of interest, Dobbs fails to specifically identify how his attorney's performance was deficient; furthermore, the record does not reflect deficient performance on the part of Dobbs's counsel. As to the alleged conflict of interest, Dobbs has not shown that an actual conflict existed, that his attorney actively represented other interests, or that the conflict (if any) adversely affected his attorney's performance. Dobbs has not met his burden of proof on this claim of error, and thus this issue is without merit.
III. WHETHER DOBBS WAS EXPOSED TO DOUBLE JEOPARDY.
¶ 10. Dobbs claims that his failure to pay restitution pursuant to a prior felony conviction for uttering bad checks was used as the reason to revoke his term of post-release supervision in the present case, and that this impermissibly exposed him to double jeopardy. In dismissing Dobbs's motion for post-conviction relief, the circuit court found that Dobbs's post-release supervision was revoked due to an alcohol violation. As there is nothing in the record to contradict the circuit court's finding, we cannot rule that this finding was clearly erroneous. Accordingly, we find this issue to be without merit.
¶ 11. THE JUDGMENT OF THE CLAY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT DISMISSINGTHE MOTION FOR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF IS AFFIRMED. ALL COSTS OFTHIS APPEAL ARE ASSESSED TO CLAY COUNTY.
KING, C.J., LEE AND MYERS, P.JJ., SOUTHWICK, IRVING, CHANDLER, GRIFFIS, ISHEE AND ROBERTS, JJ., CONCUR.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Dennis Dobbs v. State of Mississippi
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published