STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
v. Cabarrus County
No. 05 CRS 19509
06 CRS 1521
DANIEL CORNELIUS FORD
Attorney General Roy Cooper, by Assistant Attorney General
Lisa Y. Harper, for the State.
J. Clark Fischer for defendant-appellant.
STEELMAN, Judge.
After a jury found him guilty of possession of heroin and
drug paraphernalia, defendant pled guilty to habitual felon status.
The court sentenced defendant to imprisonment from the mitigated
range to a minimum term of 96 months and a maximum term of 125
months.
Defendant's sole argument on appeal is that the imposition of
a lengthy sentence as an habitual felon for possession of less than
.1 gram of heroin constituted cruel and unusual or excessive
punishment. This Court has previously rejected similar arguments
that imposition of a lengthy term as an habitual felon for
commission of a minor felony constituted cruel and unusual,
excessive or disproportionate punishment. See, e.g., State v.Flemming, 171 N.C. App. 413, 417-18, 615 S.E.2d 310, 313 (2005);
State v. Clifton, 158 N.C. App. 88, 95-96, 580 S.E.2d 40, 45-46,
cert. denied, 357 N.C. 463, 586 S.E.2d 266 (2003).
We are bound
by those decisions. In re Appeal from Civil Penalty, 324 N.C. 373,
384, 379 S.E.2d 30, 37 (1989).
Defendant cites this court to a decision by a superior court
judge which set aside an habitual felon conviction based upon due
process, equal protection and cruel and unusual punishment. While
this court is bound by its own decisions, it is not bound by
decisions of a trial court. Defendant's argument is without merit.
We further note that defendant asserts that the trial court
committed plain error in sentencing defendant. Plain error is
applicable only to jury instructions and evidentiary issues, State
v. Atkins, 349 N.C. 62, 81, 505 S.E.2d 97, 109 (1998), and is not
applicable to sentencing matters.
AFFIRMED.
Judges HUNTER and MCCULLOUGH concur.
Report per Rule 30(e).
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