State v. Ramirez

LAVORATO, Justice.

The defendant John Joe Ramirez entered an Alford 1 plea to a charge of lascivious acts with a child. See Iowa Code § 709.8 (1985). He appealed after he was sentenced to an indeterminate term of five years. See Iowa Code § 902.9(4). The court of appeals held that the district court abused its discretion by denying the defendant’s request to withdraw his guilty plea. Because of its decision, the court of appeals did not reach a second issue raised by the defendant: whether the district court abused its discretion by denying the defendant probation. On further review we vacate…