Jeffery Johnson v. State of Alabama

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REL: 11/02/2012 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, 2012-2013 CR-11-0880 J e f f e r y Johnson v. S t a t e o f Alabama Appeal from J e f f e r s o n C i r c u i t (CC-96-193.61) Court WINDOM, P r e s i d i n g J u d g e . Jeffery dismissal Johnson appeals of h i s p e t i t i o n from the circuit f o r postconviction p u r s u a n t t o R u l e 3 2 , A l a . R. C r i m . the A p r i l 2010 r e v o c a t i o n o f h i s relief court's filed P., i n w h i c h he a t t a c k e d probation. CR-11-0880 J o h n s o n was property but September initially pleaded guilty 1996, t o 18 offender 27, years petition, was sentenced robbery not was a On Johnson's and, on February petition and t h a t same d a t e , i n p r i s o n ; the ordered to serve probation. This 5 years February 9, J o h n s o n was was was to split, W a l k e r C o u n t y and probation. The court conviction sentenced and and guilty to Johnson to 20 was 5 years concurrently with of a s e r v i n g on a c o n v i c t i o n i n W a l k e r C o u n t y . 2009, Probation Officer n o t i f i e d t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t t h a t J o h n s o n was in 32 without circuit f o l l o w e d by run Rule third-degree Johnson pleaded in prison sentence s e n t e n c e J o h n s o n was On sentence his on of f i r s t - d e g r e e 2004, the vacated of felony c o u r t was p l e a because 2, and, habitual circuit his guilty f i r s t - d e g r e e t h e f t of p r o p e r t y . years a l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d offense of p r o p e r t y . sentence, as robbery In Johnson's f i r s t Johnson argued t h a t the to accept granted to third-degree in prison. jurisdiction theft indicted for first-degree theft Terry Love s t i l l incarcerated t h e r e f o r e unable to b e g i n h i s p e r i o d of c i r c u i t c o u r t e n t e r e d an o r d e r on F e b r u a r y 2 0 0 9 , p l a c i n g J o h n s o n ' s p r o b a t i o n on i n a c t i v e s t a t u s . 2 24, CR-11-0880 On June 15, 2009, J o h n s o n c o n v i c t i o n i n Walker County. of Officer status. Love, On Johnson's September 5, was p l a c e d on p a r o l e for his On June 3 0 , 2009, a t t h e r e q u e s t probation 2009, was p l a c e d on Johnson was active arrested for d r i v i n g under the i n f l u e n c e , which r e s u l t e d i n the i s s u a n c e of a p r o b a t i o n - v i o l a t i o n w r i t on December 7, 2009. 2010, Johnson On A p r i l appeared w i t h counsel b e f o r e the c i r c u i t and p l e a d e d g u i l t y 19, court t o the charge of p r o b a t i o n v i o l a t i o n . At J o h n s o n ' s r e q u e s t , t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t r e v o k e d h i s p r o b a t i o n and ordered him to serve the remainder concurrently with his reinstated Johnson d i d not f i l e of his sentence sentence i n Walker an a p p e a l f r o m h i s p r o b a t i o n County. revocation. On J u l y 26, 2011, J o h n s o n f i l e d t h i s , h i s s e c o n d , R u l e 32 petition, arguing jurisdiction the that the circuit to revoke h i s p r o b a t i o n . court was without J o h n s o n a r g u e d t h a t on d a t e he was g r a n t e d r e l i e f on h i s i n i t i a l R u l e 32 petition and r e s e n t e n c e d , F e b r u a r y 2, 2004, h i s t i m e s e r v e d h a d a l r e a d y satisfied the f i v e - y e a r p o r t i o n of h i s s p l i t sentence t o served i n prison. Johnson a r g u e d t h a t he began s e r v i n g five-year of split portion his p r o b a t i o n on F e b r u a r y 2, sentence 2004, w h i l e he was 3 to be served be the on incarcerated i n CR-11-0880 Walker County. his Thus, a c c o r d i n g five-year probation February 24, status, 2009, and that before d r i v i n g under the argued Johnson that to the placed his circuit his arrest on had completed court's probation September order on 5, of inactive 2009, for influence. On S e p t e m b e r 16, it before t o J o h n s o n , he no 2011, the S t a t e f i l e d a response wherein material relief. On issue February of 3, law 2012, or fact the entitled circuit court i s s u e d an o r d e r d i s m i s s i n g J o h n s o n ' s p e t i t i o n , s t a t i n g t h a t i t was not the circuit court's i n t e n t t h a t Johnson " s a t i s f y any p a r t o f h i s p r o b a t i o n w h i l e i n c a r c e r a t e d on a n o t h e r s e n t e n c e . " (C. 7.) On appeal, Johnson reasserts the claim raised in his p e t i t i o n and a r g u e s t h a t t h e c i r c u i t c o u r t e r r e d i n d i s m i s s i n g his petition. probation J o h n s o n ' s argument t h a t he while underpinning of began s e r v i n g his i n c a r c e r a t e d i n W a l k e r C o u n t y -- w h i c h i s t h e his second Rule 32 petition -- is without merit. Section circuit and s e n t e n c e and 15-22-50, A l a . Code 1975, district to place courts to confers a u t h o r i t y upon suspend a c o n v i c t e d t h a t p e r s o n on p r o b a t i o n . 4 The person's purpose CR-11-0880 of § 15-22-50, A l a . Code 1975, i s to "'ameliorate the h a r s h n e s s o f t h e law's judgment and g i v e t h e c o n v i c t a chance to show that rehabilitated State, Esdale, to he she a n d become is a f i t subject an a c c e p t a b l e 472 So. 2d 1119, 1121 of § recognized while 15-22-50, ( A l a . 1985) may 1975. State Allowing has such a p o l i c y : " I t i s w e l l s e t t l e d t h a t a defendant cannot serve a prison term and be on probation simultaneously. P o r t e r v. S t a t e , 585 So. 2d 399, 400 ( F l a . 1 s t DCA 1 9 9 1 ) . To h o l d o t h e r w i s e w o u l d be i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h the r e h a b i l i t a t i v e concept of probation which presupposes that the probationer i s not i n p r i s o n confinement. Id. Any t e r m o f p r o b a t i o n p r e s u m e d t o r u n when t h e d e f e n d a n t c a n n o t be s u p e r v i s e d w o u l d be a n u l l i t y . I d . As t h i s c o u r t e x p l a i n e d i n S t a t e v. Savage, 589 So. 2d 1016, 1018 ( F l a . 5 t h DCA 1 9 9 1 ) : " ' S i m p l e l o g i c w o u l d seem t o d i c t a t e t h a t , where a d e f e n d a n t i s i n c a r c e r a t e d ... , a probationary period from an unrelated sentence would be tolled since a p r o b a t i o n a r y t e r m s h o u l d n o t be a l l o w e d t o expire simply because a d e f e n d a n t has d e c i d e d t o i n c u r new p r i s o n t i m e as a r e s u l t o f a s e p a r a t e and d i s t i n c t o f f e n s e . ' " A p p l y i n g t h i s c o n c e p t , t h e c o u r t i n B r a d l e y v. S t a t e , 721 So. 2d 775 ( F l a . 5 t h DCA 1 9 9 8 ) , h e l d t h a t d e f e n d a n t ' s s u p e r v i s i o n was t o l l e d d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d 5 v. Johnson undermine Florida be Wray v. (quoting i n c a r c e r a t e d would A l a . Code and citizen.'" 253 A l a . 550, 45 So. 2d 865 ( 1 9 5 0 ) ) . serve probation purpose or the long CR-11-0880 o f h i s i n c a r c e r a t i o n , a n d , t h e r e f o r e , he was s t i l l u n d e r s t a t e s u p e r v i s i o n when he v i o l a t e d t h e t e r m s o f h i s community c o n t r o l . A c c o r d W i l l i a m s v . S t a t e , 773 So. 2d 660 ( F l a . 5 t h DCA 2 0 0 0 ) . " J o n e s v. S t a t e , 964 So. 2d 167, 170-71 ( F l a . D i s t . C t . App. 2007) ; s e e a l s o J i b b e n v. S t a t e , 901 P.2d 1099, 1101-02 (Wyo. 1995) (the p r o b a t i o n a r y C a t l i n v. S t a t e , term i s t o l l e d d u r i n g i n c a r c e r a t i o n ) ; 81 Md. App. 634, 641-42, 569 A . 2 d 210, 214 (1990) ( " [ I ] n c o m p u t i n g t h e [ p r o b a t i o n a r y ] p e r i o d c o u r t s have excluded a the time imprisoned offense the period on an u n r e l a t e d o f f e n s e , and f o r a v i o l a t i o n jurisdiction United States person t o serve would undermine probationer officer."). ... o r i s o u t s i d e and n o t under t h e The Supreme C o u r t o f recognized that and a p r i s o n sentence the l e g i s l a t i v e intent behind allowing a concurrently supervised release: " W h i l e t h e t e x t o f [18 U.S.C.] § 3624(e) r e s o l v e s t h e c a s e , we o b s e r v e t h a t o u r c o n c l u s i o n a c c o r d s w i t h t h e s t a t u t e ' s purpose and d e s i g n . The objectives of supervised release would be u n f u l f i l l e d i f e x c e s s p r i s o n t i m e were t o o f f s e t a n d reduce terms o f s u p e r v i s e d release. Congress intended supervised release t o a s s i s t i n d i v i d u a l s i n t h e i r t r a n s i t i o n t o community l i f e . Supervised r e l e a s e f u l f i l l s r e h a b i l i t a t i v e ends, d i s t i n c t from 6 is ... i s i n j a i l f o r a n o t h e r voluntarily has l i k e w i s e probation which of probation, of the court supervision of a probation the during CR-11-0880 t h o s e s e r v e d by i n c a r c e r a t i o n . See [18 U.S.C.] § 3553(a)(2)(D); U n i t e d S t a t e s Sentencing Commission, G u i d e l i n e s M a n u a l §§ 5 D 1 . 3 ( c ) , ( d ) , (e) (Nov. 1 9 9 8 ) ; see a l s o S.Rep. No. 98-225, p. 124 (1983) ( d e c l a r i n g t h a t 'the p r i m a r y g o a l [ o f s u p e r v i s e d r e l e a s e ] i s t o e a s e t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s t r a n s i t i o n i n t o t h e community a f t e r the s e r v i c e of a l o n g p r i s o n term f o r a particularly serious offense, or to provide r e h a b i l i t a t i o n t o a d e f e n d a n t who has s p e n t a f a i r l y s h o r t p e r i o d i n p r i s o n f o r punishment or other p u r p o s e s b u t s t i l l needs s u p e r v i s i o n and t r a i n i n g programs a f t e r r e l e a s e ' ) . " U n i t e d S t a t e s v. J o h n s o n , 529 U.S. H e r e , J o h n s o n ' s p r o b a t i o n was s e n t e n c e i n W a l k e r C o u n t y , and begin until 2009. he was released Accordingly, 53, 59 (2000). t o l l e d w h i l e he served h i s term of p r o b a t i o n from J o h n s o n was did not June i n c a r c e r a t i o n on still his 15, serving his five-year t e r m o f p r o b a t i o n on December 7, 2009, when t h e c i r c u i t court issued a probation-violation writ. B e c a u s e J o h n s o n was at the writ, time the § d i d not petition. circuit circuit circuit probation. court the See courts still s e r v i n g h i s term of court c o u r t had issued a probation-violation j u r i s d i c t i o n to revoke 15-22-54, A l a . Code 1975. abuse i t s discretion 32.7(d), A l a . R. to summarily dismiss 7 Thus, Crim. a Johnson's the in dismissing Rule probation circuit Johnson's P. (authorizing petition where no CR-11-0880 material issue petitioner to of f a c t or law e x i s t s t h a t would e n t i t l e relief). B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , is the t h e judgment of t h e c i r c u i t affirmed. AFFIRMED. W e l c h , K e l l u m , B u r k e , and J o i n e r , J J . , c o n c u r . 8 court

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