Title: Smith v. State

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
MARTIN H.  SMITH,
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No.  476, 2001
Defendant Below,
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Appellant,
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Court Below—Superior Court
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of the State of Delaware, in
v.
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and for Sussex County 
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Cr.A. No. PS99-10-0255.
STATE OF DELAWARE,
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Plaintiff Below,
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Appellee.
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Def.  ID No.  9910007159
Submitted: October 16, 2001
Decided:
December 12, 2001
Before VEASEY, Chief Justice, WALSH and HOLLAND, Justices.
O R D E R
This 12th  day of November 2001, upon consideration of the appellant’s
opening brief and the State of Delaware’s motion to affirm pursuant to
Supreme Court Rule 25(a), it appears to the Court that:
(1)
The appellant, Martin H.  Smith, filed an appeal from an order
of the Superior Court denying his third motion for modification of sentence.
We find no merit to the appeal.  Accordingly, we AFFIRM.
(2)
On June 22, 2000, Smith pleaded guilty, pursuant to Superior
Court Criminal Rule 11(e)(1)(c), to the following Class A misdemeanors:  (i)
1Smith’s sentence was enhanced on the basis of a prior drug conviction.  16 Del.
C. § 4753; 16 Del. C. § 4763.
211 Del. C. § 4204(k)(1) provides that “the court may direct as a condition to a
sentence of imprisonment to be served at Level V or otherwise that all or a specified
portion of said sentence shall be served without benefit of any form of early release, good
time, furlough, work release, supervised custody or any other form of reduction or
diminution of sentence.”
2
Possession of Cocaine; (ii) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; and (iii)
Resisting Arrest.  Smith also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy in the Second
Degree, which is a Class G Felony.  Smith was immediately sentenced, in
accordance with the plea agreement, to a total of seven years at Level V.  For
the misdemeanor convictions, Smith was sentenced to three years at Level V
for Possession of Cocaine,1 one year at Level V for Possession of Drug
Paraphernalia, and one year at Level V for Resisting Arrest.  The plea
agreement specifically provided that the entire sentence was mandatory at
Level V pursuant to 11 Del.  C. § 4204(k).2   
(3)
Smith did not file a direct appeal from his conviction and
sentence.  He did, however, file two motions for postconviction relief, which
the Superior Court denied in October and December 2000.  Smith also filed
two  motions for modification of sentence, which the Superior Court denied
in August and October 2000.
3Super.  Ct.  Crim.  R.  35(b). 
4Somerville v.  State, Del.  Supr., 703 A.2d 629, 632 (1997).
3
(4)
On August 21, 2001, Smith filed his third motion for modification
of sentence.  Smith requested that the Superior Court remove the 4204(k)
provision from that part of his June 2000 sentence that was imposed for
Smith’s misdemeanor convictions.  By order dated September 7, 2001, the
Superior Court denied Smith’s motion.  This appeal followed.
(5)
It is manifest on the face of Smith’s opening brief that this appeal
is without merit.  As a procedural matter, Smith’s motion for modification of
sentence was untimely.  Smith submitted the motion to the Superior Court
well after the 90 day time limit, and Smith has not shown “extraordinary
circumstances” to overcome the time bar.3  Moreover, the Superior Court’s
imposition of a total of five years in prison pursuant to 4204(k) for Smith’s
misdemeanor convictions is consistent with the parties’ plea agreement, to
which Smith is bound,4 and with the law.  Smith may not now revise his plea
agreement simply because he would prefer that a portion of the sentence not
be subject to 4204(k).   
4
NOW, THEREFORE IT IS ORDERED that the State’s motion to
affirm is GRANTED.  The judgment of the Superior Court is AFFIRMED.
BY THE COURT:
/s/ E. Norman Veasey
Chief Justice