lN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
WILLIAM O. BARKSDALE, §
§
Defendant Below, § No. 583, 2015
Appellant, §
§ Court Below-Superior Court
v. § of the State of Delaware,
§
STATE OF DELAWARE, § Cr. ]I) No. 1403019776
§
Plaintiff Below, §
Appellee. §
Submitted: February 24, 2016
Decided: April 6, 2016
Before STRINE, Chief Justice; HOLLAND, and VALIHURA, Justices.
0 R D E R
This 6“‘ day of April 2016, upon consideration of the appellant’s Supreme
Court Rule 26(c) brief, the State’s response, and the record below, it appears to the
Court that:
(l) ln July 2014, the appellant, William O. Barksdale, was indicted on
multiple drug and weapon offenses. On May 5, 2015 , Barksdale pled guilty to Drug
Dealing (Tier 4) and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited ("PFBPP").
Barksdale also agreed that he was a habitual offender under ll Del. C. § 42l4(a).
The State agreed to enter a nolle prosequi on the remaining charges, not to pursue
criminal charges against Barksdale in two other matters, and to cap its
recommendation for non-suspended Level V time to twenty years.
(2) On May 15, 2015, Barksdale filed a pro se motion to withdraw his
guilty plea, which was forwarded to his counsel ("Former Counsel"). On May 27,
2015, Barksdale filed a motion to participate in his defense with Former Counsel.
On May 29, 2015, Forrner Counsel filed a motion to withdraw Barl