SMITH (LESLIE ALLEN) VS. COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
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RENDERED: DECEMBER 3, 2010; 10:00 A.M.
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Court of Appeals
NO. 2009-CA-001253-MR
LESLIE ALLEN SMITH
v.
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM WARREN CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE STEVE ALAN WILSON, JUDGE
ACTION NO. 73-CR-14771
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
APPELLEE
OPINION
AFFIRMING
** ** ** ** **
BEFORE: FORMTEXT TAYLOR, CHIEF JUDGE; STUMBO, JUDGE;
SHAKE, SENIOR JUDGE.
TAYLOR, CHIEF JUDGE: Leslie Allen Smith brings this pro se appeal from a
June 17, 2009, order of the Warren Circuit Court denying appellant’s motion to
dismiss. We affirm.
In 1973, appellant pleaded guilty to the offense of dwelling house
breaking and was sentenced to three-years’ imprisonment. Appellant did not
completely serve his sentence of imprisonment and was eventually imprisoned in
another state on unrelated charges.
In 2003, some thirty years later, appellant filed a motion in the Warren
Circuit Court to vacate or dismiss the judgment sentencing him to three-years’
imprisonment upon the guilty plea to dwelling house breaking. In support thereof,
appellant contended that an agreement existed between himself and the
Commonwealth to “dismiss” his judgment in exchange for his cooperation with
police. Appellant alleged that he performed pursuant to the terms of the agreement
but the Commonwealth failed to do so. That motion was denied. In December
2004, appellant filed another motion to dismiss upon the same grounds. By order
entered June 17, 2009, the circuit court denied appellant’s motion. This appeal
follows.
Appellant contends that the circuit court erred by denying his motion
to dismiss the judgment upon guilty plea to dwelling house breaking. We disagree.
To begin, we assume that appellant’s motion to dismiss was brought
pursuant to Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (CR) 60.02. We review the circuit
court’s denial of CR 60.02 relief for abuse of discretion. Brown v. Com., 932
S.W.2d 359 (Ky.1996).
In its order denying appellant relief, the circuit court specifically
concluded that “the record does not reflect any proof that an agreement or ‘deal’
was made by the previous Commonwealth Attorney, Morris Lowe, or with the
current Commonwealth Attorney, Christopher Cohron.” We cannot say the circuit
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court abused its discretion by so concluding. We have reviewed the entire circuit
court record and found no evidence of any such “agreement” with the
Commonwealth. However, the record does reveal that appellant filed previous
motions seeking relief upon the same grounds and that the motions were repeatedly
denied by the circuit court.
Appellant also alleges that the present Commonwealth Attorney,
Christopher Cohron, failed to abide by the terms of another plea agreement. Under
the alleged terms of this agreement, appellant contends that the Commonwealth
allegedly promised to amend the “original conviction and plea” upon the offense of
dwelling house breaking to theft by unlawful taking but failed to do so. Again, the
record does not support appellant’s allegation. Rather, it appears that appellant and
his counsel were attempting to reach an agreement with the Commonwealth but
negotiations were unsuccessful. As such, we view appellant’s allegation to be
without merit.
In sum, we are of the opinion that the circuit court did not abuse its
discretion by denying appellant’s motion to dismiss under CR 60.02.
For the foregoing reasons, the order of the Warren Circuit Court is
affirmed.
ALL CONCUR.
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BRIEF FOR APPELLANT:
BRIEF FOR APPELLEE:
Leslie Allen Smith, Pro Se
Butner, North Carolina
Jack Conway
Attorney General of Kentucky
Todd D. Ferguson
Assistant Attorney General
Frankfort, Kentucky
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