Thursday, April 29, 2010
Perry County Man Seeks To Withdraw Guilty Plea
KENTUCKY...
A Perry County man who in March pled guilty to kidnapping and sodomizing a teen was in court again last week in an attempt to withdraw his guilty plea and fire his attorney. Brett Combs, 19, of Hazard, was one of four men indicted on charges that they held a male juvenile at knifepoint and sexually abused him in 2009. During his appearance in court last week, Combs said his appointed attorney, Linda West, had intimidated him into taking a plea deal for a 15-year sentence. In his motion heard before the court, Combs said West misrepresented him and he moved to withdraw his previous guilty plea and represent himself in further court proceedings, though he later noted orally in court that he did not want to represent himself. According to Combs, West had told him he could get more than 50 years in prison if his case goes to trial. But according to West, she was merely informing her client of the possible sentence he could receive if he had gone to trial and been found guilty.
A Perry County man who in March pled guilty to kidnapping and sodomizing a teen was in court again last week in an attempt to withdraw his guilty plea and fire his attorney. Brett Combs, 19, of Hazard, was one of four men indicted on charges that they held a male juvenile at knifepoint and sexually abused him in 2009. During his appearance in court last week, Combs said his appointed attorney, Linda West, had intimidated him into taking a plea deal for a 15-year sentence. In his motion heard before the court, Combs said West misrepresented him and he moved to withdraw his previous guilty plea and represent himself in further court proceedings, though he later noted orally in court that he did not want to represent himself. According to Combs, West had told him he could get more than 50 years in prison if his case goes to trial. But according to West, she was merely informing her client of the possible sentence he could receive if he had gone to trial and been found guilty.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 11:21 AM 
