Woods v. State

The appellant, Willie Woods, seeks to appeal his conviction for rape in the first degree, a violation of § 13A-6-61, Code of Alabama 1975, of a two-year-old female, and his resulting sentence of life imprisonment. The attorney general asks that this appeal be dismissed, pursuant to A.R.App.P. 2, because of the appellant's alleged failure to timely file notice of appeal.

A jury, in the appellant's absence, found the appellant guilty on January 26, 1989. He had failed to show up for the second and final day of trial. He was not sentenced until December 5, 1991, after he had been taken into…