The man convicted of second degree murder after gunning down a 14-year old boy standing outside of a home in Smyrna in 2010, has asked for an appeal. WGNS' Dan Eidem with more...

Chris “Gong” Na-champ-a-sak of Murfreesboro plead guilty and received a 35-year sentence in 2012, but later requested to withdraw his plea. The Court of Criminal Appeals denied a previous appeal so then his attorneys asked the Tennessee Supreme Court to step in. On May 22, 2012, four days after the entry of the original plea, the appellant wrote a letter to the trial court seeking to withdraw his guilty plea. Appellant claimed that trial counsel did not put forth his “best efforts” and that Appellant had not reviewed all the discovery materials. After a hearing, a trial court denied the motion. Soon after that motion was denied, the subject filed an appeal with the Court of Criminal Appeals in Nashville, which was denied last year. On Tuesday (1/21/14), we learned the Supreme Court of Tennessee denied his appeal this month. Na-champ-a-sak is behind bars now and will be eligible for parole in 2037. His sentence will officially end in 2044. I'm Dan Eidem, WGNS News.

According to the Appeals documents from his filing in 2013:

Appellant’s guilty plea *colloquy, which is included in the record, demonstrates that he agreed that he understood the plea agreement and that the trial court fully explained both the charges and the corresponding sentences. During the plea colloquy, Petitioner admitted that he was satisfied with his attorney and desired to plead guilty. Petitioner further indicated that he understood his rights and the sentence he was about to receive and was ready to plead guilty.

*Colloquy: a formal conversation or conference

The Supreme Court cited Rule 11 in their denial. Read about Rule 11 in Tennessee HERE.