State v. Wesseler, Unpublished Decision (12-17-2001)
State v. Wesseler, Unpublished Decision (12-17-2001)
Opinion of the Court
In 1996, appellant was indicted on one count each of felonious assault with a firearm specification, trafficking in marijuana, and having weapons under disability. After an unsuccessful attempt to suppress evidence seized during a search of his home, appellant entered a no contest plea, was found guilty and sentenced, and filed a direct appeal of the trial court's ruling on his motion to suppress. See State v.Wesseler (Feb. 17, 1998), Butler App. No. CA96-07-131, unreported (denial of motion to suppress affirmed), jurisdictional motion overruled,
On June 28, 2001, appellant filed a pro se motion to withdraw his no contest plea claiming that because of ineffective assistance of counsel he did not knowingly, intelligently, or voluntarily enter the plea. The trial court denied appellant's motion without a hearing and, in a timely appeal, appellant submits two assignments of error for review:
Assignment of Error No. 1:
THE TRIAL COURT COMMITED PLAIN ERROR IN DENIEING [sic] RELIEF THAT WAS REQUESTED IN APPELLANT'S 32.1 MOTION TO WITHDRAW NO CONTEST PLEA; PURSUANT TO Cr.R. [sic] 52(B).
Assignment of Error No. 2:
THE TRIAL COURT ABUSED IT'S [sic] DISCRETION IN DENIEING [sic] THE RELIEF REQUESTED; WHEREIN, THE APPELLANT SUBMITTED SUFICIENT [sic] OPPERABLE [sic] FACTS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT A MANIFEST INJUSTICE EXISTS.
The first assignment of error suggests the trial court committed plain error in denying appellant's motion to withdraw his no contest plea.
Appellant's motion was filed more than three years after his direct appeal was decided. When the accused files a motion subsequent to the direct appeal seeking to vacate or correct his sentence on the basis that his constitutional rights have been violated, the motion is one for postconviction relief as defined in R.C.
Under R.C.
Appellant simply has not satisfied the prerequisites for filing an untimely petition for postconviction relief under R.C.
Appellant's second assignment of error claims the trial court abused its discretion by denying his motion to withdraw his plea.
If, for purposes of this assignment of error, we were to treat the motion as a post-sentence motion to withdraw a guilty or no contest plea, such a motion will be granted only to correct a manifest injustice. Crim.R. 32.1. The burden of demonstrating a manifest injustice is upon the defendant, State v. Blatnik (1984),
"When a trial court reviews a motion to withdraw a * * * plea, it decides, based upon the allegations in [the] motion, whether to hold an evidentiary hearing on the motion." State v. Nathan (1995),
Appellant argues that he submitted sufficient operable facts to demonstrate that his plea was not knowingly, voluntarily, or intelligently made. These allegations are clearly refuted in the transcript of proceedings from appellant's May 28, 1996 plea hearing. Appellant acknowledged that he understood the nature of the crimes to which he was pleading, was advised of the potential penalties, and informed of the rights he would be surrendering by asserting a plea. The record clearly contradicts appellant's assertions as the colloquy between the trial court and appellant demonstrates compliance with Crim.R. 11 and reflects a knowing, voluntary and intelligent plea.
Thus, the trial court did not abuse its discretion either in refusing to conduct a hearing on appellant's motion or in denying the motion on its merits. Accordingly, appellant's second assignment of error is overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
YOUNG, P.J., and VALEN, J., concur.
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