Withdrawal Of Improvident Plea Of Guilty

Category: Criminal Procedure

Withdrawal  Of  Improvident  Plea  Of  Guilty

Sec.  5.  Withdrawal  of  improvident  plea  of  guilty.–  At  any  time before  the  judgment  of  conviction  becomes  final,  the  court  may permit  an  improvident  plea  of  guilty  to  be  withdrawn  and  be substituted by a plea of not guilty.
 
NOTE:    The  tenor  of  above  provision  is  clear.    There  should  be  a categorical declaration from the accused that he is withdrawing his plea of guilty and substituting it with a plea of not guilty.
 

CAN  AN  IMPROVIDENT  PLEA  OF  GUILTY  BE  WITHDRAWN  AS  A MATTER OF RIGHT?

>     No,  the  withdrawal  of  the  plea  of  guilty  is  not  a  matter  of  strict right to the accused but is within the discretion of the court.

>     The  reason  behind  this  is  that  trial  has  already  commenced  and will put all of the past proceedings to waste.  Therefore, the plea may only be withdrawn with permission of the court.

>     Moreover,   there   is   presumption   that   the   plea   was   made voluntarily.    The  court  must  decide  whether  the  consent  of  the accused was in fact vitiated when he entered his plea.

X  IS  CHARGED  WITH  HOMICIDE.    HE  PLEADS  GUILTY,  BUT  TELLS THE JUDGE HINDI NIYA SINASADYA.  IS HIS PLEA VALID?

>     No.  In order to be valid, the plea of guilty must be unconditional.

>     In this case, X said hindi niya sinasadya.  This is not a valid plea of guilty.  A plea of not guilty should be entered instead.
 

MAY  AN  ACCUSED  BE  ALLOWED  TO  CHANGE  HIS  PLEA  OF  NOT GUILTY EVEN AFTER THE PROSECUTION HAD RESTED ITS CASE?

>     The trial court may allow the accused to plead guilty to a lesser offense