State v. Agnew

NEWBY,. Justice.

This case presents the issue of whether N.C.G.S. § 15A-1022(c) requires an independent judicial determination that a sufficient fac tual basis exists before a trial court accepts a guilty plea. We find it does and reverse the Court of Appeals.

I. BACKGROUND

On 8 March 2004, a grand jury indicted defendant for violating N.C.G.S. § 90-95. The indictment stated in pertinent part:

[O]n or about [23 April 2003] and in [Pitt County] the defendant named above unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did traffick cocaine by possession of in excess of 200 grams but less than 400 grams of a…