Sentencing – Voluntary Plea

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WI Court of Appeals – District I

Case Name: State of Wisconsin v. Julius Lee Sanders

Case No.: 2014AP2644-CR; 2014AP2645-CR; 2014AP2646-CR

Officials: Brennan, P.J., Kessler and Brash, JJ.

Focus: Sentencing – Voluntary Plea

Julius Lee Sanders appeals from his judgments of conviction on one count of strangulation, contrary to WIS. STAT. § 940.235(1) (2015-16) , one count of felony bail jumping, contrary to WIS. STAT. § 946.49(1)(b), and one count of intimidating a witness, contrary to WIS. STAT. § 940.43(7), stemming from a domestic violence incident with his girlfriend, K.H. He also appeals from the denial of his postconviction motion to withdraw his guilty plea, which was denied without an evidentiary hearing. Sanders argues that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate possible defenses related to the alleged conduct of K.H., and for failing to inform Sanders that the judge who would sentence him may be different than the judge who accepted his plea. He also argues that his plea was not knowingly and voluntarily entered, and he claims that for these reasons, he is entitled to an evidentiary hearing with regard to his request for a plea withdrawal. In the alternative, Sanders seeks resentencing on the grounds that his trial counsel had a conflict of interest at his sentencing. Sanders’ final claim on appeal is that one of the conditions of his extended supervision, that he is prohibited from having contact with the children he fathered with K.H., is overly broad and not reasonably related to his rehabilitation or the community’s interest. We affirm on all issues.

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.