Harmon v. State (1994)

In Harmon v. State, 317 Ark. 47, 876 S.W.2d 240 (1994), appellant was given a suspended imposition of sentence. The judgment order noted that imposition of sentence was suspended for one year based upon certain conditions and specifically mentioned payment of a $ 500 fine. After a hearing on a petition to revoke, the trial court ruled that her suspended sentence would remain in effect but that it would be modified by the addition of another $ 500 fine and a sentence of two weeks in the Crawford County Detention Center. On appeal the court reversed, holding that because appellant's original sentence had been put into execution, the trial court lost jurisdiction to amend or modify it. The Court held that the trial court was without jurisdiction to modify a sentence after a judgment of conviction was entered and the sentence was put into execution. In that case the initial judgment against the appellant constituted a conviction because the appellant pleaded guilty and received a suspended imposition of sentence coupled with a fine. Id.