Opinion ID: 1212835
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the baskins cases

Text: William Floyd Baskins was indicted by the grand jury during the April 1969 term of the Court of General Sessions for Richland County upon a bill of indictment charging him with having committed the offense of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. That indictment was subsequently transferred to the Richland County Court (apparently pursuant to South Carolina Code § 15-678 [1962]). Baskins was convicted by a jury of the offense alleged in the indictment and, on November 18, 1969, was sentenced by Judge John A. Mason to serve a three-year term of imprisonment. On December 29, 1969, after the term of court had ended, Judge Mason amended Baskins' sentence so as to provide that he be released from confinement and placed on probation for a period of three years. While Baskins was on probation, he was, at the December 1970 term of the Court of General Sessions for Richland County, indicted again by the grand jury. This time he was charged with housebreaking. This indictment was transferred to the Richland County Court for disposition. He entered a plea of guilty to the offense and was sentenced by Judge Mason on December 16, 1970, to serve three years' imprisonment. On the same day, he was also sentenced to serve a three year concurrent sentence for a separate offense of breaking with intent to steal. On the same day, Judge Mason revoked the suspended probationary sentence of December 29, 1969, referred to hereinabove, and directed that it also run concurrently with the other two sentences. On October 11, 1971, Judge Mason amended Baskins' sentences so as to suspend them after the service of two years, to run from December 16, 1970. After this proceeding was commenced in this Court, Judge Mason, on September 20, 1973, revoked the amended sentences of December 29, 1969, and October 11, 1971, and reinstated the original sentences of November 18, 1969, and of December 16, 1970, allowing Baskins credit for time served on each. This action was taken upon motion of the Solicitor of the Fifth Judicial Circuit and with the consent of Baskins and his counsel. Baskins submits that all issues as relate to him are now moot. The State takes the position that any effort on the part of the judge of the county court to deal with the case was improper inasmuch as jurisdiction for dealing with the case was at the time in the Supreme Court. While it is true generally that a lower court may not continue to issue orders in a case while it is being considered by the Supreme Court, we think that the State, having sought the relief through one of its prosecuting officers, is not in a position to deny that the issues are moot. The sentences have been invoked and are apparently being served. The State can ask no more. We do not hold that the amended sentences were proper; we merely say that the issues as relate to Baskins are moot in the sense that no more can be demanded of him.