State v. Patterson

Gregory, Justice:

Appellant pled guilty to armed robbery and murder and was sentenced to death as recommended by a jury. We vacate the guilty plea and death sentence and remand for a new trial. We raise the validity of appellant’s guilty plea and sentencing proceedings ex mero motu, although no exception was taken and no argument was made by counsel. On appeal from a murder conviction in which the death penalty is imposed, this court reviews the entire record for prejudicial error infavorem vitae, regardless of whether the error was properly preserved for review. State v. Shaw, 273 S. C. 194,…