Court Opinion

ID: 9626863
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 08:25:57.973949+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:06:34.901342
License: Public Domain

Hill, Justice,
dissenting.
In order for a guilty plea to be valid, the record must show that it was voluntarily and understandingly entered. Boykin v. Alabama, 395 U. S. 238 (89 SC 1709, 23 LE2d 274) (1968). Where a defendant charged with first degree murder pleads guilty to second degree murder without being informed that intent to kill is an element of the crime being admitted, the guilty plea is not understandingly entered and is invalid. Henderson v. Morgan, 426 U. S. 637 (96 SC 2253, 49 LE2d 108) (1976).
In the case before us the defendant was not informed that if he was not the actual perpetrator and if he pleaded guilty to malice murder, he need not also plead guilty to the lesser included crime of armed robbery. See Burke v. State, 234 Ga. 512 (216 SE2d 812) (1975). As a consequence, this defendant entered two guilty pleas when, had he been properly informed, one was enough. He *626was sentenced to serve life in prison for murder and also on an unnecessary lesser included offense. No sane person would understandingly do that. His plea to the lesser included offense was not understandingly entered and is invalid.
The majority say that the record does not show that the defendant did not conspire to commit murder. That burden is on the state to show from the record. Boykin v. Alabama, supra. I therefore dissent.