MARTIN (JERRY) VS. COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
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RENDERED: OCTOBER 15, 2010; 10:00 A.M.
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Court of Appeals
NO. 2009-CA-002251-MR
JERRY MARTIN
v.
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE FREDERIC J. COWAN, JUDGE
ACTION NO. 09-CR-000740
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
APPELLEE
OPINION
AFFIRMING IN PART,
AND VACATING IN PART
** ** ** ** **
BEFORE: KELLER, MOORE AND STUMBO, JUDGES.
STUMBO, JUDGE: Jerry Martin appeals from a judgment of conviction and
sentence in which the trial court imposed court costs and a fine. Martin argues he
is indigent and should not have to pay the court costs and fine. We agree and
vacate that part of the sentence imposing court costs and fines.
In March of 2009, Martin was indicted in Jefferson Circuit Court on a
number of drug and traffic related charges. Martin was represented by a public
defender and ultimately agreed to a plea agreement. He was sentenced to one
yearin prison. The trial court, on its own, also imposed court costs of $130 and a
$1,000 felony fine. Defense counsel moved to waive the costs and the fine
because Martin was indigent. The trial court denied the motion and this appeal
followed.
Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 23A.205(2) states that court costs
are mandatory unless the defendant is a poor person. Also, KRS 31.110(1)(b)
states that a “needy person” is entitled to “be provided with the necessary services
and facilities of representation . . . The courts in which the defendant is tried shall
waive all costs.” Finally, KRS 534.030(4) states that fines for felonies “shall not
be imposed” upon any indigent person.
In the case at hand, Martin was deemed indigent and assigned a public
defender. He was also allowed to proceed in forma pauperis on appeal. The three
statutes cited above make it mandatory for a court to waive costs and fines for
indigent defendants and the trial court erred by not doing so. Simpson v.
Commonwealth, 889 S.W.2d 781 (Ky. 1994).
We therefore affirm the conviction and sentence except for that part
which imposed the court costs and fine, which is vacated.
ALL CONCUR.
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BRIEFS FOR APPELLANT:
BRIEF FOR APPELLEE:
Annie O’Connell
Daniel T. Goyette
Assistant Public Defender
Office of the Louisville Metro
Public Defender
Louisville, Kentucky
Jack Conway
Attorney General of Kentucky
J. Hays Lawson
Assistant Attorney General
Frankfort, Kentucky
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