Williams v. State

BOOTH, Judge.

This cause is before us on appeal from the judgment and sentence of the Circuit Court, Duval County. The sole question presented is the constitutionality of Florida Statute, Section 947.16(3), which allows trial courts to retain jurisdiction over certain felony convictees for up to one-third of the maximum sentence imposed.

The facts are that appellant, defendant below, was indicted for murder in the first degree and entered a plea of not guilty. On September 8, 1978, he was permitted to withdraw his plea of not guilty and to enter a plea of guilty to murder in the second degree.…