Case Name: The STATE, Respondent v. Rodney Lee RITCH, Appellant
Court: Supreme Court of South Carolina
Jurisdiction: South Carolina
Decision Date: 1987-04-13
Citations: 292 S.C. 75
Docket Number: 22706
Parties: The STATE, Respondent v. Rodney Lee RITCH, Appellant.
Judges: Chandler, J., not participating.
Reporter: South Carolina Reports
Volume: 292
Pages: 75–76

Head Matter:
22706
The STATE, Respondent v. Rodney Lee RITCH, Appellant.
(354 S. E. (2d) 909)
Supreme Court
Asst. Appellate Defender Tara D. Shurling, of S. C. Office of Appellate Defense, Columbia, for appellant.
Atty. Gen. T. Travis Medlock, Asst. Atty. Gen. Harold M. Coombs, Jr., Columbia, and Sol. Holman C. Gossett, Spartan-burg, for respondent.
Submitted Dec. 17, 1986.
Decided April 13, 1987.

Opinion:
Per Curiam:
Appellant contends that the trial judge erred in proceeding with his trial in absentia. We agree.
The trial judge failed to find that appellant had received notice of his right to be present at trial and a warning that he would be tried in his absence should he fail to attend, as required by Criminal Practice Rule 3. This was an error. State v. Jackson, 288 S. C. 94, 341 S. E. (2d) 375 (1986); State v. Fleming, 287 S. C. 268, 335 S. E. (2d) 814 (Ct. App. 1985). Accordingly, we reverse and remand for a new trial.
Reversed and remanded.
Chandler, J., not participating.