Opinion ID: 2192648
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: guilty plea proceeding

Text: Bennett entered his guilty plea on February 7, 1995, before Judge Harold L. Cushenberry, Jr. The case had been scheduled for trial the day before, [1] however, trial did not begin because of the unavailability of a defense witness. The trial court did consider pre-trial motions, during the course of which the possibility of a guilty plea was discussed. [2] However, when asked by the trial judge what he had decided with respect to the plea agreement, Bennett cried and said, I don't know nothing about that case. He also said, I'm not trying to plead guilty to nothing. [3] Later that day, government counsel stated that the plea offer was good until 10:00 a.m. the next morning, when it would be withdrawn. The next morning, after the trial court determined that the trial would have to be continued due to the unavailability of the defense witness, who was hospitalized, Bennett's counsel (plea attorney or plea counsel) stated that he believe[d] [his client was] prepared to accept the plea offer. The trial court then conducted the proceeding resulting in the acceptance of a guilty plea. The government proffered that on September 8, 1993, at approximately 4:30 a.m., a group of three people which included the murder victim, Sean Gleason, went to an apartment building in Southeast Washington for the purpose of purchasing crack cocaine. They spoke with Tony Fairwell, the occupant of an apartment in the building, who told them he would take them to someone he knew who could provide them with what they were seeking to buy. Meanwhile, three acquaintances of Fairwell, one of whom was Bennett, decided to rob the prospective buyers after they returned with Fairwell from making their purchase. Bennett and his two companions, Lewis Curtis and Ricky Walker, confronted the three buyers outside the apartment building. One of the three in Bennett's group was armed with a loaded and operable handgun and the government proffered that some of the evidence tended to show that Bennett had the gun, while other evidence tended to show that Walker had the gun. [4] Bennett, Curtis, and Walker permitted Fairwell to proceed into the apartment building and told the other three to hand over any money or drugs they had. After the victims denied having money or drugs, Gleason was shot in the head. He fell to the ground and all the others fled the scene; Gleason died as a result of the bullet wound. Walker and Curtis subsequently were apprehended, pleaded guilty to offenses arising out of the incident, and agreed to testify against Bennett. Following the government's proffer and the trial judge's recitation of the elements of second degree murder while armed and the government's burden of proof, the trial judge asked Bennett, Is the government's statement correct? Under oath, Bennett replied, Yes, sir. The judge then asked, Mr. Bennett, how do you wish to plead to the charge of murder in the second degree while armed? Are you guilty or not guilty? Still under oath, Bennett answered, I'm guilty. Bennett's answers to the questions asked by the trial judge to determine whether Bennett understood the consequences of his plea were brief but responsive. [5] However, when the trial judge asked Bennett if he had had enough time to think about his decision to plead guilty, Bennett said, No, sir. When pressed on the point, Bennett stated, I haven't had enough time to really think about this, the plea bargain. Because the prosecution had indicated that the plea offer would be withdrawn if no plea was entered that day, the trial judge reminded Bennett that he had to make the decision at that time. Bennett responded, The only thing I want to say, it's hard to say if it's  in one day to let me know if I want to go to trial or not, because I only had one day to decide this. So it's hard to tell  to say if I can go to trial or not because . The trial judge again indicated that the government offer would be withdrawn, stating, It's either today or it's never. Bennett then said he admitted his guilt. [6]