Some guilty pleas are “open,” where the defendant pleads guilty to agreed-upon charges without any promises from the State about the ultimate sentence. Other pleas include an arrangement as to sentencing. G.S. 15A-1021(c). In cases where there is an arranged sentence, if the judge ultimately imposes a sentence other than the one provided for in the agreement, the judge must inform the defendant that he or she has a right to withdraw the plea. G.S. 15A-1024. If the defendant does withdraw,...
NC Criminal Law
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Improper venue is waivable, while improper jurisdiction ordinarily is not.
Venue is proper in the entire district of the alleged offense, not just the particular county where the offense allegedly occurred. See G.S. 15A-131(b). Probable cause hearings are an exception and must be held in the county where the offense occurred. See G.S. 15a-131(c).
The state must give notice to the defendant of any expert witnesses that the state reasonably expects to call as a witness at trial.
The Double Jeopardy Clause does not prohibit multiple punishments for offenses when one is include within the other under the Blockburger test if both are tried at the same time and if the legislature specifically authorizes cumulative punishment for both offenses.
Evidence of the victim’s character may be introduced in two circumstances: First, the defendant may introduce evidence of a “pertinent trait” of the victim’s character. G.S. 8C-404(a)(2). The most common example is evidence of the victim’s violent character, offered when the defendant is claiming self-defense. Second, in homicide cases, the state may offer evidence of the victim’s character trait for “peacefulness” to rebut a claim by the defense that the victim was the first aggressor.
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