C-2005-493
In OCCA case No. C-2005-493, Billy D. Stout appealed his conviction for violating the Sex Offenders Registration Act. In an unpublished decision, the court decided to grant Stout the right to withdraw his guilty plea. One judge dissented. Stout had pleaded guilty to not registering as a sex offender. He was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $5000. However, Stout later argued that he did not fully understand what he was pleading guilty to, especially because he could not read or write. After leaving jail, he was not properly informed that he needed to register whenever he moved to a new place. Stout said that when he was released from jail, he received paperwork that he could not read, and no one explained to him that he had to register. Although Stout eventually registered once he understood the requirement, he faced charges for not having registered earlier. The court found that Stout's plea was not made willingly and that there was no clear reason to support the plea in the first place. Stout's lawyer did not present any strong arguments during the plea withdrawal hearing, and it seemed they did not understand the law themselves. The court noted that the lack of help Stout received from his lawyer contributed to his confusion and affected his ability to make a fully informed decision about his plea. Overall, the judges concluded that Stout's case should be revisited, and he should be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea and possibly go to trial. The law encourages trying cases in court rather than accepting a guilty plea without a fair understanding.