STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
v. Rockingham County
Nos. 99 CRS 5774, 9800,
ALONZO ZUMA MCCOLLUM 9801
Attorney General Roy Cooper, by Special Deputy Attorney
General James A. Wellons, for the State.
Walker, Melvin & Berger, by P. Kevin Berger, for defendant
appellant.
McCULLOUGH, Judge.
On 23 May 2000, defendant pled guilty (pursuant to a plea
agreement) to two counts of felony possession of cocaine, two
counts of sale of cocaine and two counts of possession with intent
to sell or deliver cocaine. Defendant was sentenced to 6-8 months'
imprisonment for the possession charges and two terms of 20-24
months' imprisonment on the remaining charges, all sentences to be
served consecutively. The trial court suspended defendant's
sentences and placed him on supervised probation for 60 months.
On 12 January 2001, probation violation reports were filed,
alleging that defendant had violated his probation. According to
the allegations, defendant violated the monetary conditions of hisprobation, tested positive for marijuana and cocaine, and violated
curfew. On 8 March 2001, a probation violation hearing was held in
Rockingham County Superior Court. At the hearing, defendant
admitted violating his probation. The trial court found that
defendant violated his probation without lawful excuse, revoked his
probation, and activated his suspended sentences. Defendant
appealed.
Defendant's sole argument on appeal is that the trial court
abused its discretion in allowing his sentences to run
consecutively. Defendant argues the trial court had the authority
to modify the initial sentence imposed and failed to do so. By
failing to modify the initial sentences to run concurrently instead
of consecutively, defendant argues the trial court abused its
discretion. Specifically, defendant asserts that the trial court
systematically invoked the suspended sentence without considering
modification, thereby resulting in an arbitrary decision. We do
not agree.
It is within the authority and discretion of the judge
revoking defendant's probation to run the sentence either
concurrently or consecutively. State v. Campbell, 90 N.C. App.
761, 763, 370 S.E.2d 79, 80, appeal dismissed and disc. review
denied, 323 N.C. 367, 373 S.E.2d 550 (1988); and N.C. Gen. Stat.
§ 15A- 1344(d) (1999). In the case sub judice, the trial court
heard allegations that defendant violated the monetary conditions
of his probation, used marijuana and cocaine, and violated curfew
several times. Defendant admitted to those violations and offeredno excuse for his drug use or curfew violations. The trial court
determined that defendant willfully violated his probation without
lawful excuse and determined that his suspended sentences be
activated. There is no indication in the record that the trial
court believed it was bound by defendant's original sentence. See
State v. Partridge, 110 N.C. App. 786, 431 S.E.2d 550 (1993); State
v. Brooks, 105 N.C. App. 413, 413 S.E.2d 312 (1992); and State v.
Thomas, 85 N.C. App. 319, 354 S.E.2d 891 (1987). Accordingly, we
conclude there was no abuse of discretion.
Although there is no error necessitating reversal, there is
what appears to be a clerical error in one of the judgments. In
99 CRS 5774, defendant was originally sentenced to a term of 6-8
months' imprisonment. Upon revocation of defendant's probation,
the trial court activated defendant's suspended sentences. The
transcript indicates no intention by the trial court to increase
defendant's sentences. Instead, the transcript is clear that the
trial court merely intended to activate the sentences originally
imposed. However, the judgment upon revocation of probation
indicates a term of 20-24 months' imprisonment. Accordingly, the
matter should be remanded to the trial court for correction of the
judgment to reflect a term of 6-8 months' imprisonment, said term
to run consecutively to the term of imprisonment set forth in
99 CRS 9800.
No error; remanded for correction of a clerical error.
Chief Judge EAGLES and Judge TIMMONS-GOODSON concur.
Report per Rule 30(e).
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