State v. Mills

THIS OPINION
HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD NOT BE CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN
ANY PROCEEDING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 239(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

In The Court of Appeals

The State, Respondent,

v.

John Lewis Mills, Appellant.

Appeal From Greenville County

 D. Garrison Hill, Circuit Court Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2009-UP-009

Submitted January 2, 2009 – Filed January
8, 2009   

AFFIRMED

Appellate Defender Kathrine H. Hudgins, of Columbia, for Appellant.

Attorney General Henry Dargan McMaster, Chief Deputy Attorney
General John W. McIntosh, Assistant Deputy Attorney General Salley W. Elliott,
and Assistant Attorney General Julie M. Thames, all of Columbia; and Solicitor
Robert M. Ariail, of Greenville, for Respondent.

PER CURIAM:  John Lewis
Mills appeals his conviction and sentence for armed robbery.  Mills argues the
trial court erred by admitting inculpatory statements made during plea
negotiations.  Mills also maintains his inculpatory statements were obtained in
violation of his constitutional right against self incrimination and right to
counsel.  We affirm[1] pursuant to Rule 220(b), SCACR, and the following authorities: State v. Pagan,
369 S.C. 201, 208, 631 S.E.2d 262, 265 (2006) (finding admission of
evidence is within the discretion of the trial court and will not be reversed
absent an abuse of discretion); State
v. Compton, 366 S.C. 671, 679-80, 623 S.E.2d 661, 665 (Ct. App. 2005)
(finding statements made by defendant, with his attorney present, during a discussion
with police officers and solicitor admissible because they were not the type
excluded by Rule 410, SCRE).  

AFFIRMED.

Huff, Thomas, and Lockemy, JJ., concur.

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