Opinion ID: 1104732
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Double-jeopardy issues

Text: The first issue raised concerning double jeopardy is the timeliness of Heard's claim that the convictions violated his protection against being twice put in jeopardy. The State argues that in accordance with Ex parte Ziglar, 669 So.2d 133, 135 (Ala.1995), double-jeopardy claims are waived unless they are timely raised in the trial court (State's brief at 8). However, this Court recently decided a similar issue in Ex parte Benefield, 932 So.2d 92 (Ala. 2005). In Benefield, the defendant argued that his convictions for first-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse arose 'from a single transaction involving the same victim,' and that, therefore, the convictions violated his double jeopardy rights. Thus, he argued, `the trial court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate and sentence [him] as guilty of both charges.' 932 So.2d at 92. This Court held that the decision of the Court of Criminal Appeals in its unpublished memorandum in Benefield v. State (No. CR-04-1017, May 20, 2005), 926 So.2d 1090 (Ala.Crim.App.2005)(table), conflicted with precedent established by Rolling v. State, 673 So.2d 812 (Ala.Crim.App.1995), and Ex Parte Robey, 920 So.2d 1069, 1071-72 (Ala. 2004), holding that violations of double-jeopardy rights raise questions of the trial court's jurisdiction to enter a verdict. We held therefore that because Benefield's double-jeopardy claims raised a jurisdictional issue, they could not be waived and thus can be raised at any time.