The Arkansas Court of Appeals has denied the request of an attorney for a Pine Bluff man convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm to withdraw from the case.
According to the court opinion, Vincent Peal, 52, was found guilty following a jury trial and sentenced to five years in prison.
The attorney filed a motion to be relieved of their duties and included a notation that there were no issues of merit for an appeal of the conviction.
Court rules require a list of all the rulings that went against Peal during the trial the appeals court said what the attorney filed is incomplete. The court noted that at a status hearing before the trial, Peal tried to fire his attorney and said he would represent himself.
During the trial, Peal said he had asked for a bond reduction hearing but no hearing was held and at that point, Peal was removed from the courtroom because he became disruptive. Also during the trial, Peal said the court was forcing him to go to trial with an attorney he tried to fire.
Peal’s attorney failed to explain why those adverse rulings would not be grounds to reverse the conviction of appeal and the attorney was ordered to submit a new brief that complies with the rules.
Peal is serving his sentence at the Varner Unit and will be eligible to apply for parole on May 16, 2027.
