State v. Spann

Appellant, upon a negotiated plea of guilty to manslaughter in the second degree, a lesser degree of the crime of murder in the second degree for which he was indicted, was sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years. By this direct appeal from the judgment, he seeks to vacate his plea of guilty. Appellant claims that the court should have refused to accept his guilty plea and that he was denied adequate counsel.

Preceding the plea, plea bargaining negotiations were held between the prosecutor and appellant’s court-appointed counsel which lasted most of the day. In addition to the reduced charge, it…