Barnett v. Hopper

Hall, Justice.

Tyrone F. Barnett, now serving a ten-year sentence for armed robbery in the Georgia State Prison at Reidsville, appeals from the denial (following an evidentiary hearing below) of his habeas corpus petition. Barnett, with the assistance of private counsel, pled guilty, and was sentenced in 1973.

Barnett claims he has been deprived of equal protection of the law by the fact that his sentence was probated upon payment of a fine of $2,000 and that he cannot pay the fine due to his indigency. His co-defendant pled guilty, received the same sentence, paid the fine and is on probation.

A…