State v. Rice

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

In The Court of Appeals

The State,       
Respondent,

v.

Melvin Rice,       
Appellant,

Appeal From Greenville County

Charles B. Simmons, Jr., Special Circuit
Court Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2003-UP-650

Submitted August 20, 2003 – Filed November
6, 2003   

APPEAL DISMISSED

Senior Assistant Appellate Defender Wanda H. Haile,
of Columbia; for Appellant.

Attorney General Henry Dargan
McMaster, Chief Deputy Attorney General John W. McIntosh, Assistant Deputy Attorney
General Charles H. Richardson, of Columbia; Solicitor Robert M. Ariail, of Greenville;
for Respondent.

PER CURIAM:  Melvin Rice appeals his conviction
for failure to stop for a blue light, arguing the lower court erred in accepting
his plea prior to an inquiry as to whether any basis in fact existed in support
of the plea.  Rice’s counsel attached to the brief a petition to be relieved
as counsel, stating that she had reviewed the record and concluded this appeal
lacks merit.  After a thorough review of the record and counsel’s brief pursuant
to Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967), and State v. Williams,
305 S.C. 116, 406 S.E.2d 357 (1991), we dismiss
[1] Rice’s appeal and grant counsel’s motion to be relieved.

APPEAL DISMISSED.

HEARN, C.J., CONNOR and ANDERSON, JJ., concur.

[1] We decide this case without oral argument pursuant
to Rule 215, SCACR.