Mediate v. State

SHARP, W, J.

Mediate appeals from a trial court order which denied his petition for a writ of habeas corpus after he sought to file a belated Rule 3.850 motion to vacate, set aside or correct his sentence pursuant to Steele v. Kehoe, 747 So.2d 931 (Fla.1999) and Medrano v. State, 748 So.2d 986 (Fla.1999). The trial court denied the petition based on laches, on the authority of McCray v. State, 699 So.2d 1366 (Fla.1997). We reverse.

Mediate was convicted of one count of kidnaping,1 and four counts of sexual battery.2 He was sentenced to life on the kidnaping charge, and 30 years on each of the…