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Houston v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District
Apr 26, 1983
432 So. 2d 56 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

Opinion

No. AP-214.

March 17, 1983. Rehearing Denied April 26, 1983.

Appeal from the Circuit Court, Calhoun County, W.L. Bailey, J.

Rickey Houston, pro se.

No appearance for appellee.


Houston appeals an order summarily denying his motion for post-conviction relief, which alleged that his trial counsel was ineffective because he failed to object to the prosecutor's comments on Houston's right to remain silent. We view this allegation as a serious one, requiring further inquiry, because the trial court must grant a mistrial if one is sought after comment on a defendant's right to remain silent and failure to grant a mistrial is automatically reversible. Clark v. State, 363 So.2d 331 (Fla. 1978). Accordingly, we reverse and remand for attachment of portions of the record and file conclusively refuting this allegation or an evidentiary hearing. Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.850. The trial court need not address any of Houston's other allegations.

REVERSED AND REMANDED.

ROBERT P. SMITH, Jr., C.J., and LARRY G. SMITH and THOMPSON, JJ., concur.


Summaries of

Houston v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District
Apr 26, 1983
432 So. 2d 56 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)
Case details for

Houston v. State

Case Details

Full title:RICKEY HOUSTON, A/K/A JAMES WILSON, JR., APPELLANT, v. STATE OF FLORIDA…

Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District

Date published: Apr 26, 1983

Citations

432 So. 2d 56 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1983)

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Houston v. State

This matter was previously before us on Houston's appeal from the circuit court's summary denial of his…