Opinion ID: 1924782
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: denial on the merits

Text: Even if Campbell had not been time-barred, he was not entitled to an evidentiary hearing in the trial court. In Campbell's petition to the trial court, he claimed that his conviction and sentence should be set aside on the grounds of: (1) ineffective assistance of counsel; (2) an involuntary guilty plea; (3) denial of due process and equal protection; and (4) a defective indictment. These claims were based primarily on Campbell's allegation that a witness was available to testify that the crime with which Campbell was charged had been committed by another person. Campbell's petition stated that the alleged witness was not available to make an affidavit because he (Campbell) was incarcerated. Such mere allegation is insufficient to require the trial court to grant an evidentiary hearing. On the basis of Campbell's pleading and the record in the prior proceedings, the trial court did not err in finding, without an evidentiary hearing, that Campbell had not made the requisite showing to entitle him to post-conviction relief. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 99-39-11(2) and 99-39-19(1) and (2) (Supp. 1992). We find that on February 25, 1980, Campbell entered a knowing and voluntary plea of guilty to the charge of manslaughter. His plea was made in open court in the presence of his attorney, after his having been advised of the possible penalty for the reduced charge. He was advised of his rights by the court and acknowledged that he understood those rights, the nature of the offense, and the effect of a guilty plea. He further acknowledged, in a writing signed by him and his attorney, that the ramification of a guilty plea had been explained to him by his attorney. Having considered the issues raised by Campbell, we affirm the trial court's judgment that Campbell's pleading did not make a showing which would entitle him to post-conviction relief. AFFIRMED. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS and DAN M. LEE, P.JJ., and PRATHER, SULLIVAN, BANKS, McRAE and ROBERTS, JJ., concur.