Jean O. Duvere v. State of Rhode Island

OPINION

Justice Indeglia,

for the Court.

The applicant, Jean 0. Duvere 1 (Duvere or applicant), appeals from the denial of his postconviction-relief application. Du-vere contends that this Court should vacate his 2009 plea of nolo contendere to the offense of possession of between one to five kilograms of a controlled substance classified as marijuana, with knowledge and intent, in violation of G.L.1956 § 21-28-4.01.1, 2 because his plea was not knowing, intelligent, and voluntary as he lacked the assistance of a Haitian-Creole-speaking interpreter. This matter came before the Supreme Court for…