Court Opinion

ID: 9738499
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 19:54:45.17182+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:06.512427
License: Public Domain

Concurring and Dissenting Opinion
DeBruler, J.
This Court by order dated November 17, 1970, denied a petition filed by Lewis for permission to file a belated direct appeal of his conviction for second degree murder which had been rendered previously thereto on September 8, 1968. By that petition Lewis sought to be relieved of his procedural default in failing to file his record for appeal within the time limit set by our appellate rules. He had escaped custody following the denial of his motion to correct errors and was not captured and returned to custody until after the time had expired for initiating the appeal. I would affirm the judgment of the trial court here, but treat the residuum of the appeal as an original petition addressed to our inherent power to rehear the petition for permission to file a belated appeal.
Lewis wants a first, direct and simple appeal. He is presently in the state prison serving a life sentence. He was there in Novmber, 1970, when this Court denied his request for a belated appeal. It is true that our rules of court afforded him an opportunity to appeal his conviction and he did not avail himself of that opportunity. Given the circumstances of this case and for the foregoing reasons, I would grant a belated appeal because it is fair and just to do so, because it will benefit the court system and the prison system, and because to do so would not seriously impinge upon the interest underlying the rule requiring the filing of records of proceedings within ninety days.
Note. — Eeported at 375 N.E.2d 1102.