Opinion ID: 1882379
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Reduction of Armed Robbery Plea

Text: Stephens pled guilty to armed robbery of Derrick Dixon. At trial Derrick Dixon testified that Stephens searched his pockets but nothing was taken from him. Based on this testimony, Stephens argues the trial court erred in denying his motion to withdraw his guilty plea and amend the charge to attempted armed robbery. The motion to withdraw the plea [5] was made at the close of the State's case. Because Stephens was not on trial for this robbery, the trial judge indicated withdrawal of the plea could not be addressed at that point in time. Thereafter, during the defendant's case, Stephens testified to the following facts concerning the robbery of Dixon: A ... Derrick Dixon gave me $20 in denominations of two tens. Q Now, you heard Derrick Dixon testify that nothing was taken from him? A (laughing) Q But you took money from him, too, didn't you? A Yes, I did. Stephens thereafter used the fact that he had entered pleas to convince the jury that he admitted all of the crimes he committed and that he only denied those he did not commit. Additionally, during the jury instruction conference, the trial court noted the fact that a judgment of acquittal had been granted the codefendant on the armed robbery charge and indicated that Stephens' counsel would be filing a motion to withdraw his plea on that particular count. No further motion on this issue was ever made by the defense. Since no further motion was made, the trial court did not err in failing to rule on the nonexistent motion to withdraw the plea. Contrary to Stephens' assertion, the trial court in this instance did not deny a motion to withdraw plea; he simply told the defendant to file his motion at a more appropriate time.