Johnson v. Kelley

The Supreme Court dismissed Appellant's appeal from the order of the circuit court dismissing his pro se petition for a writ of habeas corpus, which rendered his motions filed in connection with the appeal moot, holding that Appellant failed to demonstrate that the sentence was illegal on its face or the trial court lacked jurisdiction.Appellant pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree murder and first-degree battery and was sentenced to 540 months' imprisonment. In his habeas petition, Appellant argued that the trial court failed to pronounce sentence in open court at the conclusion of the plea hearing in violation of Ark. Code Ann. 16-90-106(d). The circuit court denied postconviction relief. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Appellant's sentences were not illegal on the face of the judgment, and there was no showing that the trial court lacked jursidiction to impose the sentences. View "Johnson v. Kelley" on Justia Law