Case Title: Justin McKeown v. State of Arkansas

Citation: 

Docket Number: 

State: arkansas

Court: Arkansas Supreme Court

Date: 2007-09-27T00:00:00Z

Document:
For clerical purposes, the motion has been filed under the docket number assigned to the 1 direct appeal of the judgment that was lodged in the Arkansas Court of Appeals. This court decides all motions for photocopying at public expense because such motions are considered to be requests for postconviction relief. See Williams v. State, 273 Ark. 315, 619 S.W.2d 628 (1981) (per curiam). ARKANSAS SUPREME COURT No. CACR 06-987 JUSTIN McKEOWN Petitioner v. STATE OF ARKANSAS Respondent Opinion Delivered September 27, 2007 PRO SE MOTION FOR COPY OF TRANSCRIPT AND APPELLATE BRIEF AT PUBLIC EXPENSE [CIRCUIT COURT OF CRAIGHEAD COUNTY, WESTERN DISTRICT, CR 2004-928] MOTION DENIED. PER CURIAM In 2005, petitioner Justin McKeown was found guilty of residential burglary, aggravated robbery, and possession of a controlled substance. An aggregate sentence of 120 months’ imprisonment was imposed. The Arkansas Court of Appeals affirmed. McKeown v. State, CACR 06-987 (Ark. App. Apr. 11, 2007). Petitioner, who contends that he is indigent, now seeks at public expense a copy of the trial transcript lodged on appeal and a copy of the brief filed by his attorney on appeal so that he may prepare a petition for postconviction relief pursuant to Criminal Procedure Rule 37.1. Petitioner 1 argues that because he has asserted his indigence, he is entitled to photocopying at public expense. -2- We first note that indigency alone does not entitle a petitioner to free photocopying. Washington v. State, 270 Ark. 840, 606 S.W.2d 365 (1980) (per curiam). A petitioner is not entitled to a photocopy of material on file with either appellate court unless he or she demonstrates some compelling need for specific documentary evidence to support an allegation contained in a petition for postconviction relief. See Austin v. State, 287 Ark. 256, 697 S.W.2d 914 (1985) (per curiam). Petitioner here alleges without further elucidation that the transcript is needed to “show the defaults and lack of evidence” and to document trial counsel’s ineffectiveness. The only specific reason for requiring a copy of the transcript and brief offered by petitioner is that his attorney failed to make known to the jury that a certain person had pending drug-related charges. Petitioner does not demonstrate that the claim would be significant, but even if it were to be so, he has failed entirely to explain why particular documentary evidence from either the transcript or the brief is necessary for him to raise the allegation in a petition for postconviction relief. There is no requirement in our postconviction rule, Rule 37.1, that a petitioner cite page references from a trial transcript or quote exact language from a transcript in support of an allegation. As petitioner has failed to establish a compelling need for specific documentary evidence to support an allegation contained in a petition for postconviction relief, the motion is denied. It should be noted that when an appeal has been lodged in either this court or the court of appeals, the appeal transcript remains permanently on file with the clerk. Persons may review a transcript in the clerk's office and photocopy all or portions of it. An incarcerated person desiring a photocopy of a transcript may write this court, remit the photocopying fee, and request that the copy be mailed to the prison. All persons, including prisoners, must bear the cost of photocopying. -3- Moore v. State, 324 Ark. 453, 921 S.W.2d 606 (1996) (per curiam). Motion denied.