The People of the State of New York, Respondent v. Bart Alexander, Appellant

Summary

The Court of Appeals affirmed the Appellate Division, holding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the defendant's motion to withdraw his Alford guilty plea despite claims of incompetence and a victim's desire to drop the charges. The decision rests on the trial court's assessment of the defendant's competence and the principle of finality. Justice Smith dissented, arguing the court should have required a competency determination at the time of the plea and a factual basis for the Alford plea.