State v. Frink

Decision Date04 April 2006
Docket NumberNo. COA05-439.,COA05-439.
Citation627 S.E.2d 472
PartiesSTATE of North Carolina v. Tony Lamont FRINK.
CourtNorth Carolina Court of Appeals

Michelle FormyDuval Lynch, Wrightsville Beach, for defendant-appellant.

JACKSON, Judge.

Tony Lamont Frink ("defendant") pled guilty to attempted second degree rape pursuant to a plea agreement providing that he would receive an active prison sentence of ninety-four to 122 months. Upon defendant's concession that he had a Prior Record Level IV based on nine record points, the trial court accepted the plea and entered judgment consistent with the plea agreement. Defendant filed timely notice of appeal.

This is an Anders appeal in which defense counsel asks this Court to conduct its own review of the record for possible prejudicial error. Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493, reh'g denied, 388 U.S. 924, 87 S.Ct. 2094, 18 L.Ed.2d 1377 (1967); State v. Kinch, 314 N.C. 99, 331 S.E.2d 665 (1985). Defense counsel has shown to the satisfaction of this Court that she has complied with the requirements of Anders and Kinch by advising defendant of his right to file written arguments with this Court and providing him with the documents necessary to do so. However, defendant has not filed any written arguments, and a reasonable time for him to have done so has passed.

Under our review pursuant to Anders and Kinch, "we must determine from a full examination of all the proceedings whether the appeal is wholly frivolous." State v. Hamby, 129 N.C.App. 366, 367-68, 499 S.E.2d 195, 195-96 (1998). In carrying out this duty, we will review the legal points appearing in the record, transcript, and briefs, not for the purpose of determining their merits (if any) but to determine whether they are wholly frivolous. Kinch; 314 N.C. at 102-103, 331 S.E.2d at 667.

Our Supreme Court has stated that an indictment is fatally defective when the indictment fails on the face of the record to charge an essential element of the offense. State v. McGee, ___ N.C.App. ___, 623 S.E.2d 782, 784 (2006), citing State v. Bartley, 156 N.C.App. 490, 499, 577 S.E.2d 319, 324 (2003). Here, defendant was indicted for statutory rape of a person 13, 14, or 15 years of age. The indictment stated that defendant "unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did engage in vaginal intercourse with [the victim], a person of the age of 13 years[.]" However, defendant pled guilty to attempted second degree rape. The essential elements of attempted rape required the "intent to commit the rape and an overt act done for that purpose which goes beyond mere preparation but falls short of the completed offense." State v. Freeman, 307 N.C. 445, 449, 298 S.E.2d 376, 379 (1983). In addition, the essential elements of second degree rape under N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-27.3 (2005) required:

(a) the person [to engage] in vaginal intercourse with another person: (1) By force and against the will of the other person; or (2) Who is mentally disabled, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless, and the person performing the act knows or should reasonably know the other person is mentally disabled, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless.

In the present case, upon a full examination of all the proceedings, the indictment for statutory rape is insufficient to support a judgment on the offense of attempted second degree rape because although the indictment did allege that defendant engaged in vaginal intercourse, it did not allege that the intercourse was "with another person: (1) By force and against the will of the other person; or (2) Who is mentally disabled, mentally incapacitated, or physically helpless, and the person performing the act knows...

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14 cases
  • State v. Velasquez-Cardenas
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • April 17, 2018
    ..., ‘we must determine from a full examination of all the proceedings whether the appeal is wholly frivolous.’ " State v. Frink , 177 N.C. App. 144, 145, 627 S.E.2d 472, 473 (2006) (citation omitted). "In carrying out this duty, we will review the legal points appearing in the record, transcr......
  • State v. Shepard, No. COA09-86 (N.C. App. 9/15/2009)
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • September 15, 2009
    ...that the trial court does not acquire subject-matter jurisdiction when an indictment is fatally defective, State v. Frink, 177 N.C. App. 144, 146, 627 S.E.2d 472, 473 (2006), and a challenge to the sufficiency of an indictment may be asserted at any time, including for the first time on app......
  • State Carolina v. Kim Antonio Griffin.
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • July 19, 2011
    ...of Review Questions of subject matter jurisdiction may be raised for the first time on appeal. State v. Frink, 177 N.C.App. 144, 147, 627 S.E.2d 472, 473 (2006). The trial court does not acquire subject matter jurisdiction over an indictment when it is fatally defective. Frink, 177 N.C.App.......
  • State v. McMurrin, No. COA08-838 (N.C. App. 4/7/2009), COA08-838
    • United States
    • North Carolina Court of Appeals
    • April 7, 2009
    ...merit. The trial court does not acquire subject matter jurisdiction when an indictment is fatally defective. State v. Frink, 177 N.C. App. 144, 146, 627 S.E.2d 472, 473 (2006). "A trial court must have subject matter jurisdiction over a case in order to act in that case." State v. Reinhardt......
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