STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
v. Haywood County
No. 03 CRS 53115
JUAN MANUEL CASTANEDA
Attorney General Roy Cooper, by Special Deputy Attorney
General Robert T. Hargett, for the State.
David Childers for defendant-appellant.
McGEE, Judge.
Juan Manuel Castaneda (defendant) was arrested on
methamphetamine related charges and motor vehicle offenses on 14
September 2003. Defendant was indicted on 13 October 2003.
Defendant filed a motion to suppress on 8 February 2005. Following
a hearing, the motion was denied. Defendant then pled guilty
pursuant to a plea agreement to one count of trafficking in
methamphetamine
.
Defendant appeals.
The sole issue on appeal is whether the trial court erred in
denying defendant's motion to suppress. However, because defendant
failed to preserve this assignment of error for our review, we do
not review his argument.
Although N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-979(b) (2005) states that "[a]norder finally denying a motion to suppress evidence may be reviewed
upon an appeal from a judgment of conviction, including a judgment
entered upon a plea of guilty[,]" our Court has held that "[t]his
statutory right to appeal is conditional, not absolute." State v.
McBride, 120 N.C. App. 623, 625, 463 S.E.2d 403, 404 (1995), aff'd,
344 N.C. 623, 476 S.E.2d 106 (1996). Pursuant to N.C.G.S. §
15A-979(b), "a defendant bears the burden of notifying the state
and the trial court during plea negotiations of the intention to
appeal the denial of a motion to suppress, or the right to do so is
waived after a plea of guilty." Id.; see also State v. Pimental,
153 N.C. App. 69, 74, 568 S.E.2d 867, 870, disc. review denied, 356
N.C. 442, 573 S.E.2d 163 (2002).
In the case before us, the record does not show that defendant
gave the State or the trial court notice of his intent to appeal
the denial of his motion to suppress. Therefore, defendant waived
his right to appellate review. Accordingly, defendant's appeal is
dismissed.
Dismissed.
Judges WYNN and HUNTER concur.
Report per Rule 30(e).
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