Washington Supreme Court weighs whether negotiated plea bars juvenile-sentencing relief in State v. Harris

Summary

Justices heard arguments over whether Darren Harris, who accepted a 244-month joint recommendation in 2012, may receive the benefit of later juvenile-sentencing precedent or whether the negotiated plea bars resentencing; the State urged affirmance, the defense sought a remedy allowing consideration of youth.

The Washington Supreme Court heard argument on June 27 in State of Washington v. Darren Stanley Harris over whether a negotiated guilty plea entered in 2012 precludes the later application of juvenile-sentencing decisions and whether resentencing or withdrawal is an available remedy.

Deputy Prosecutor Jill Reuter, representing Yakima County and the State, told the court Harris pleaded guilty in August 2012 under a joint standard-range sentencing recommendation of 244 months and urged that the judgment and sentence be affirmed. "He got exactly what he asked for," Reuter said, arguing that allowing later judicial decisions to undo negotiated pleas would "open the floodgates" to widespread collateral challenges.

Defense attorney Jeffrey Ellis, who identified himself as counsel for Harris, said the case presents a narrower question: this is a direct appeal…

Washington Supreme Court weighs whether negotiated plea bars juvenile-sentencing relief in State v. Harris

Summary

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