Court Opinion

ID: 9607214
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:56:22.378622+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:37.623048
License: Public Domain

Eberhardt, Presiding Judge,
dissenting.
While I agree with substantially all that is said in the majority opinion, I do not think we should direct the vacating of the sentence and the allowance of the withdrawal of the plea. My view is that we should remand the matter with direction that a hearing be held on the motion to withdraw and that the judge, upon a consideration of the evidence submitted, exercise his sound discretion in granting or denying the motion to withdraw.
While a hearing has been held on the matter of what sentence should be meted out and whether it should be probated, none has been held on the motion to withdraw. It was summarily denied.
"[W]hen, as in this case, the order appealed from shows on its face that the trial judge failed to exercise the discretion reposed in him under a misapprehension of the law applicable to the facts, then this court must reverse the judgment and remand the case to him in order that he may exercise his discretion.” Hight v. Butler, 230 Ga. 533 (1) (198 SE2d 169).
*851The record before us does not indicate whether the trial court held a hearing to determine whether the plea was entered voluntarily, as is required by Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U. S. 238 (89 SC 1709, 23 LE2d 274), and by Laidler v. Smith, 227 Ga. 759 (2) (182 SE2d 891); Purvis v. Connell, 227 Ga. 764 (182 SE2d 892); Hamm v. State, 123 Ga. App. 10 (179 SE2d 272). But an evidentiary hearing on this matter after the plea is entered, with appropriate findings, can meet the Boykin requirements. Nobles v. Bets, 439 F2d 1001; Walker v. Caldwell, 472 F2d 1226. Failure of the trial judge to question the defendant on this matter and make a record of it may be harmless when he is represented by counsel. Huff v. Barnett, 230 Ga. 446 (197 SE2d 345). Cf. Jones v. Leverette, 230 Ga. 310 (196 SE2d 885).
Another thing which does not appear from this record is whether the signed sentence had been delivered by the court to the clerk when counsel sought to withdraw the plea of guilty. Perhaps on another hearing that will be clearly brought out.