Matchum v. State

John Lee Matchum was indicted for unlawfully possessing a pistol after having been previously convicted of a crime of violence, a violation of § 13A-11-72, Ala. Code 1975. On November 5, 2002, Matchum entered a plea of guilty to the charged offense, reserving for appellate review "this issue about the applicability of the habitual offender law." (R. 4.) The trial court sentenced Matchum, as a habitual felony offender with three prior felony convictions,1 to 15 years' imprisonment. This sentence was to run concurrently with Matchum's sentence in CC-00-622.01 and.02.2

On appeal, Matchum, relying…