Opinion ID: 1834950
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 22

Heading: did the trial court err in sentencing wilson as an habitual offender?

Text: Wilson argues that because there was no showing on the faces of the sentencing orders of his two prior felony convictions that he made a knowing and intelligent plea of guilty, those two convictions may not be used to enhance his punishment. Phillips v. State, 421 So.2d 476, 481 (Miss. 1982). Wilson also argues that our law does not recognize attempted criminal assault as a crime. Therefore, one of the prior claims alleged by the State does not exist and Wilson would have only one prior felony conviction. The indictment alleged that Wilson had been previously convicted of the crime of attempted criminal assault on June 7, 1971, in the Circuit Court of Hinds County, First Judicial District, Cause Number 20,337, and of the crime of robbery in the same court, Cause Number 20,338. It was further alleged that these convictions were based on charges separately brought and that they arose from separate incidents. Wilson's attorneys stipulated that he was convicted of those crimes. The record indicates that prior to the sentencing hearing on the habitual offender indictment, Wilson stipulated that these convictions were free of constitutional defect. On this basis alone, Wilson's assignment of error is without merit. Bandy v. State, 495 So.2d 486, 491 (Miss. 1986). As to Wilson's allegation that the attempted criminal assault conviction was invalid, Phillips requires that in determining a defendant's status as an habitual offender, the trial court: ... is not required to go beyond the face of the prior convictions sought to be used in establishing the defendant's status as an habitual offender. If, on its face, the conviction makes a proper showing that a defendant's prior plea of guilty was both knowing and voluntary, that conviction may be used for the enhancement of the defendant's punishment under the Mississippi habitual offender act.       In fulfilling its mission to determine whether a prior conviction is constitutionally valid for the purpose of enhancing a defendant's sentence, the trial court must not be placed in position of retrying the prior case. Certainly any such frontal assault upon the constitutionality of a prior conviction should be conducted in the form of an entirely separate procedure solely concerned with attacking that conviction. (Emphasis added). Phillips, 421 So.2d at 481. This record reveals that Wilson knowingly and intelligently stipulated that he was convicted of these crimes and that the convictions were free of constitutional defects. The record also reflects that Wilson served time for these convictions. For the purposes of an habitual offender hearing, the issue is moot and this assignment of error has no merit. Cause No. 89-KA-301, James Wilson, Jr. v. State of Mississippi was consolidated for the purposes of argument with Cause No. 89-KA-302. This second cause number deals with compensation for appointed counsel in death penalty cases. For the purpose of decision in these cases, consolidation is no longer necessary and Cause No. 89-KA-302 remains in the bosom of the court. However, in Cause No. 89-KA-301, we are of the opinion that none of the assignments of error have merit. Therefore, the conviction of James Wilson, Jr., of the crime of capital murder and his sentence to a mandatory term of life imprisonment are affirmed. CONVICTION OF CAPITAL MURDER AND SENTENCE OF A MANDATORY TERM OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT AFFIRMED. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, ROBERTSON, PITTMAN and BLASS, JJ., concur. ANDERSON, J., not participating.