State v. Fields

Patton, Judge.

Petitioner Vance Fields pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder on December 17, 1992. In a delayed appeal, we affirmed his conviction. See State v. Fields (May 22, 1997), Cuyahoga App. No. 70751, unreported, 1997 WL 272381. On March 17, 1997, just two months before we decided the direct appeal, petitioner filed a petition to vacate his sentence. The court dismissed the petition, finding it not timely filed pursuant to R.C. 2953.21(A)(2), and because the issues raised in the petition were res judicata. Petitioner’s assignments of error contest this ruling.

I

We first…