James Steve Pearson v. Alabama Department of Corrections

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REL: 03/05/2010 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 CR-08-1732 James S t e v e Pearson v. Alabama D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c t i o n s Appeal MAIN, from Montgomery C i r c u i t (CV-09-263) Court Judge. James S t e v e P e a r s o n , an i n m a t e i n c a r c e r a t e d i n a operated by t h e Alabama petition fora writ the Department of C o r r e c t i o n s , of c e r t i o r a r i , challenging Alabama Department of C o r r e c t i o n s facility filed a the d e n i a l by ("DOC") o f h i s r e q u e s t CR-08-1732 to receive a n s w e r e d and that, The a to was of convicted second-degree granting filed to of of 19, Code 2009, 1975, of 22, to appeal for of circuit dismiss on a on J u l y 27, DOC basis was served A not based felony. copies copy of court the Pearson's sodomy entered 15, 2009. of indicated that first-degree June the he Class DOC, and the from Mark B r u t o n , 2009, which offenses The a affidavit report, April the sodomy, records sodomy. of Ala. i t s m o t i o n an DOC's m o t i o n a notice May P e a r s o n ' s c o m p l a i n t on first-degree conviction s u m m a r y as On 1 i n c e n t i v e good time f o r time director transcript time. 14-9-41(e), for attached assistant inmate § to r e c e i v e conviction DOC good moved t o d i s m i s s pursuant entitled on incentive 2009. an he and order Pearson 2 P e a r s o n was c o n v i c t e d o f two counts of second-degree sodomy, v i o l a t i o n s o f § 1 3 A - 6 - 6 4 ( a ) ( 1 ) , A l a . Code 1975. The t r i a l c o u r t s e n t e n c e d h i m t o 5 y e a r s ' i m p r i s o n m e n t on e a c h c o n v i c t i o n , the sentences to run c o n s e c u t i v e l y . This Court a f f i r m e d h i s c o n v i c t i o n i n a n u n p u b l i s h e d memorandum i s s u e d on May 2 3 , 2 0 0 8 . See P e a r s o n v . S t a t e , (No. C R - 0 6 - 1 0 2 8 ) So. 3d ( A l a . C r i m . App. 2008) ( t a b l e ) . 1 We note t h a t the State argues t h a t Pearson's appeal was not t i m e l y f i l e d . F r o m a r e v i e w o f t h e r e c o r d , we conclude that Pearson's appeal was timely filed. See Rule 4, Ala.R.App.P. ( s t a t i n g t h a t a n o t i c e of appeal i s t i m e l y i f filed within 42 days of e n t r y of the f i n a l judgment or appealable order). S e e , e . g . , E x p a r t e A l l e n , 825 So. 2 d 2 7 1 , 272 ( A l a . 2002) ("Alabama c o u r t s h a v e h e l d t h a t a p r o se incarcerated petitioner/appellant is considered to have 2 2 CR-08-1732 Pearson denying argues on a p p e a l his petition for a that the c i r c u i t writ of certiorari s a y s , he s h o u l d h a v e b e e n g r a n t e d i n c e n t i v e he was c o n v i c t e d o f t w o c o u n t s B felonies, and sentenced less than a n d n o t one felony, a n d one c o u n t o f s e c o n d - d e g r e e the DOC's appears time "Inmate t o argue based 1975, which on count to Summary that of f i r s t - d e g r e e of 15 because sodomy, years sodomy, he on Class each a Class A sodomy, as r e f l e c t e d i n 4/22/2009." Pearson also he s h o u l d n o t b e d e n i e d incentive good the l a s t as because, good time of second-degree count , 3 c o u r t e r r e d by sentence of § provides: "[n]o person 14-9-41(e), may [correctional-incentive-time-earning A l a . Code be p l a c e d i n Class I status] i f he o r s h e h a s been c o n v i c t e d of a crime i n v o l v i n g the p e r p e t r a t i o n of s e x u a l abuse upon t h e p e r s o n On appeal, the of a c h i l d State concedes under that t h e a g e o f 17 y e a r s . " the offenses of which 'filed' a Rule 32, A l a . R . C r i m . P . , petition, a notice of a p p e a l , o r a p e t i t i o n f o r a w r i t o f c e r t i o r a r i when t h o s e documents a r e g i v e n t o p r i s o n o f f i c i a l s f o r m a i l i n g . " ) , and H o l l a n d v . S t a t e , 621 S o . 2 d 3 7 3 , 3 7 5 ( A l a . C r i m . A p p . 1 9 9 3 ) ("[W]e h o l d t h a t a p r o s e i n c a r c e r a t e d p e t i t i o n e r ' f i l e s ' a R u l e 32 p e t i t i o n , A l a . R . C r i m . P . , w h e n h e h a n d s t h e p e t i t i o n over t o p r i s o n a u t h o r i t i e s f o r m a i l i n g . " ) . 3 See supra note 1. 3 CR-08-1732 P e a r s o n was convicted Summary a s o f are i n c o r r e c t l y trial court's challenging 3d 58, Corr., this a d e c i s i o n o f t h e DOC. ( A l a . 2008), citing 982 So. 2d 1078, 1081 our case, original the that first-degree However, the sentences I I of as that certified of convicted of and as to f i v e to run consecutively. the certiorari v. S t a t e , 12 Alabama sheet of appeal in included i n the Criminal Appeals of one count transcript was charged years convicted i n the on e a c h Furthermore, indictment, which appears to the Court of C r i m i n a l Appeals Steve Pearson ... d i d e n g a g e i n t e r c o u r s e ... o r a l s e x , w i t h 4 of sodomy. of the of two indictment count, count i n the with I and original and, follows: "James sexual So. Dep't second-degree the Pearson sodomy sentenced of i n the d i r e c t count order show v. the Court been one sentencing he was Collins summary to had and of second-degree that record Pearson Robinson the record certified hearing and count of for a writ appeal of ( A l a . 2007). case-action sodomy the sentencing counts review record indicated t o h e a r an i n m a t e ' s d e n i a l of p e t i t i o n 60 From on DOC's " I n m a t e 4/22/2009." T h i s C o u r t has j u r i s d i c t i o n the listed i n deviate another ... reads CR-08-1732 C.T., who was l e s s t h a n 16 y e a r s o f a g e a n d m o r e t h a n 12 y e a r s o f a g e , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 1 3 A - 6 - 6 4 ( a ) ( 1 ) o f t h e Code o f A l a b a m a . ... " "James S t e v e Pearson ... d i d e n g a g e i n d e v i a t e sexual intercourse ... anal intercourse, with a n o t h e r ... C.T., who was l e s s t h a n 16 y e a r s o f a g e a n d m o r e t h a n 12 y e a r s o f a g e , i n v i o l a t i o n o f 13A6 - 6 4 ( a ) ( 1 ) o f t h e C o d e o f A l a b a m a . ... " Although both offenses second-degree minute thus, sodomy, entries on t h a t P e a r s o n was c o n v i c t e d o f w e r e i t appears the from case-action the summary record that the are i n c o r r e c t ; DOC's i n m a t e summary r e f l e c t e d t h e i n c o r r e c t o f f e n s e s as well. Those them from prisoners whose participation convictions specifically exclude i n the i n c e n t i v e - c r e d i t program are specified i n § 1 4 - 9 - 4 1 ( e ) , A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 , w h i c h p r o v i d e s , i n pertinent part, that correctional " [ n ] o p e r s o n may i n c e n t i v e t i m e i f he o r s h e h a s b e e n c o n v i c t e d o f a c r i m i n a l sex offense 15-20-21(5)." offense 12 and i n v o l v i n g a c h i l d as d e f i n e d Section 15-20-21(5), involving a child" sex offense any receive the b e n e f i t s of i n which offense defines a i n Section " c r i m i n a l sex as " [ a ] c o n v i c t i o n f o r any c r i m i n a l the v i c t i m involving 5 was a child child under t h e age o f pornography." The CR-08-1732 indictments than i n this case indicate 12 y e a r s o f age b u t l e s s For reasons, Court, circuit these we conclude and, based that this court t o conduct amount of good-time Code 1975. The r e t u r n court's the specific evidentiary Court w i t h i n Wise, credit this 16 y e a r s must pursuant t o remand s h a l l findings hearing. Due o f age. be remanded for the t o § 14-9-41, A l a . include the circuit o f f a c t and a t r a n s c r i p t o f return 56 d a y s o f t h e d a t e P.J., more t o , but i sbeing improperly denied, written REMANDED WITH the victim a h e a r i n g on t h e m e r i t s o f P e a r s o n ' s c l a i m s t h a t he i s e n t i t l e d some case was on t h e r e c o r d s b e f o r e than that shall of this b e made to this opinion. DIRECTIONS. a n d W e l c h , Windom, 6 and Kellum, J J . , concur.

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