Opinion ID: 1096366
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the lower court erred in dismissing with prejudice alexander's motion for post-conviction relief?

Text: Alexander, in both his petition to the circuit court and his direct appeal to this Court, argues that his parole was unlawfully revoked due to the fact that the county court ultimately dismissed the charges which originally resulted in the justice court conviction. Alexander questions the validity of the justice court conviction and further argues that the county court's subsequent action of dismissing the charges serves to nullify the earlier justice court conviction. This argument focuses on the fact that the county court conducts a de novo review. In part Alexander relies on §§ 11-51-81 through 11-51-91 of the Mississippi Code of 1972. These sections provide the framework for appeals in and from the lower courts. However, nothing in these statutes specifically supports Alexander's assertions and arguments. In addition, Alexander cites Moore v. Ruth, 556 So.2d 1059, 1062 (Miss. 1990), for the proposition that where a parolee is subsequently acquitted or found not guilty of a felony for which parole has been revoked, this State must prove facts and circumstances, apart from an arrest, charge or conviction, which warrant revocation of parole. The State counters this argument by relying on the fact that Alexander failed to sustain his requisite burden of factually showing that the revocation of his parole was predicated exclusively on his justice court conviction. Moore v. State, 587 So.2d 1193, 1197 (Miss. 1991). This Court's holdings in the Moore v. State and Moore v. Ruth cases are applicable to the case sub judice. In Moore v. Ruth, 556 So.2d 1059 (Miss. 1990), this Court discussed the applicable standard for revocation of parole: Moore has been granted parole, and the heart of his complaint is that the State impermissibly revoked his parole. On revocation, the State's authority is much narrower, for before one released on parole may be returned to custody, it must be shown that he has violated the terms and conditions of parole. Miss. Code Ann. § 47-7-27 (Supp. 1989). Obviously, commission of a felony while on parole is grounds for revocation, [citation omitted], nor is it necessary that parole authorities await the principal trial before commencing proceedings to have the parole revoked. None of this carries us far where, as here, the parolee is found not guilty of the principal charge which formed the basis of the order of revocation. 556 So.2d at 1061 [emphasis in original]. From the record it appears that the Parole Board hearing, conducted to determine whether to revoke Alexander's parole, focused on both the justice court conviction and whether Alexander ceased taking his prescribed medication. The substance of Alexander's responses during the parole revocation hearing support the actual violation of condition five of his parole agreement. We find such evidence to comport with the law set forth in Moore v. Ruth , which requires a showing that he has violated the terms and conditions of his parole. Id. at 1061. Condition five required that Alexander live and remain at liberty without violating the law. Whether or not Alexander's parole was lawfully revoked turns on whether there was a sufficient showing that Alexander violated this condition. We find that the complete record of the parole revocation hearing supports the notion that the revocation was proper as it pertained to the conviction obtained in justice court and later appealed to and dismissed by the county court. We further find based on the record through supplemental documents, filings, and the State's Petition for Rehearing that the Board did not rely solely on Alexander's justice court conviction as a violation of condition five of the parole agreement. We have before us now a clear and unambiguous admission by Alexander that he was found guilty of simple assault and that he understood the nature of these charges. In Moore v. Ruth , 556 So.2d at 1062, this Court said: [t]he acquittal on the criminal charge means at the very least that, before the accused's parole may be revoked, the State must offer actual proof that he committed an act violating the terms and conditions of his parole, and the mere fact that he was arrested and charged with rape may hardly suffice. Further, in Moore v. State, 587 So.2d 1193, 1196 (Miss. 1991), we stated that [b]efore one released on parole may be returned to custody, it must be shown that he has violated the terms and conditions of parole. Miss. Code Ann. § 47-7-27 (Supp. 1989). Id. at 1196. In the case sub judice, the record of the hearing along with Alexander's admission points to the conviction in justice court as a valid basis for the revocation of Alexander's parole. There was a conviction at the justice court level, which distinguishes it from the acquittal category set forth in Moore. This Court finds persuasive, Alexander's comments made during the hearing. Such amounts to actual proof that Alexander violated the terms and conditions of his parole. This in addition to the justice court conviction supports the circuit court's ruling. Accordingly, we affirm the lower court's denial of Alexander's petition for post-conviction relief.