Case Title: Raymond Sanders v. State of Arkansas

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: arkansas

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Date: 1997-07-07T00:00:00Z

Document:
Raymond SANDERS v. STATE of Arkansas

CR 97-679                                          ___ S.W.2d ___

                    Supreme Court of Arkansas
                 Opinion delivered July 7, 1997


1.   Appeal & error -- postconviction relief -- original attorney obligated to
     continue representation and to lodge record. -- Had petitioner had
     been proceeding pro se throughout his A.R.Cr.P. Rule 37
     proceeding, or had the record reflected that the attorney who
     filed the original Rule 37 petition had been relieved as
     counsel, the supreme court would not have hesitated to find
     that petitioner, who did not tender the Rule 37 record in a
     timely manner, had failed to exercise diligence in pursuing
     the appeal; because, however, he was not proceeding pro se
     orginally, his attorney was obligated to obtain a ruling on
     the Rule 37 petition and remain as petitioner's attorney until
     relieved by the trial court or the supreme court; even though
     petitioner filed an pro se amended petition and a pro se
     notice of appeal, his attorney had not been relieved and was
     thus obligated to continue representing him, which included
     lodging the Rule 37 record.  

2.   Appeal & error -- postconviction relief -- appeal of order denying --
     appellate rule providing for continued representation of counsel
     applicable. -- Rule 16 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure--
     Criminal, which provides that counsel, whether retained or
     court-appointed, shall continue to represent a convicted
     defendant throughout any appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court,
     unless permitted by the trial court or the supreme court to
     withdraw, applies to appeals of orders denying postconviction
     relief.

3.   Appeal & error -- motion for rule on clerk granted. -- Where another
     attorney had undertaken to represent petitioner pro bono, the
     supreme court accepted his appearance as counsel, relieved the
     attorney who filed the original Rule 37 petition, and granted
     the motion for rule on clerk.


     Pro Se Motion for Rule on the Clerk; granted.
     Petitioner, pro se.
     No response.

     Per Curiam. 
     Raymond Sanders was found guilty of capital felony murder in
the death of Frederick LaSalle and sentenced to life imprisonment
without parole.  We affirmed the judgment.  Sanders v. State, 310
Ark. 510,