Com. v. Miller, V.

Superior Court of Pennsylvania·Decided July 28, 2015·No. 1654 MDA 2014·Unpublished

Opinion

J-S28043-15

NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION - SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA

Appellee

v.

VERNON KEITH MILLER Appellant No. 1654 MDA 2014

Appeal from the Judgment of Sentence December 19, 2012 In the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster County Criminal Division at No(s): CP-36-CR-0002296-2011 , CP-36-CR-0002297-2011 , CP-36-CR-0002298-2011, CP-36-CR-0002302-2011, CP-36-CR-0002303-2011, CP-36-CR-0002304-2011, CP-36-CR-0002359-2011, CP-36-CR-0002364-2011

BEFORE: BOWES, J., ALLEN, J., and LAZARUS, J. MEMORANDUM BY LAZARUS, J.: FILED JULY 28, 2015 Vernon Keith Miller appeals nunc pro tunc from the judgment of sentence, entered in the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster County, following his jury trial and conviction, on eight separate docket numbers, for three counts of criminal attempt to commit burglary 1, ten counts of burglary2, and one count of receiving stolen property.3 After our review, we

1 18 Pa.C.S. § 901(a).

2 18 Pa.C.S. § 3502(a).

3 18 Pa.C.S. § 3925(a).

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affirm the judgment of sentence and rely, in part, on the opinion authored by the Honorable Howard F. Knisely.

The trial court’s opinion sets forth the facts and procedural history of this case as follows:

On September 17, 2012, [Miller] went to trial on docket numbers 2296-2011, 2297-2011, 2298-2011, 2302-2011, 2303-2011, 2304-2011, 2359-2011, and 2364-2011. The trial was held September 17, 2012 through September 21, 2012, at which time the jury convicted [Miller] of [three counts of Criminal Attempt to Commit Burglary, ten counts of Burglary, and one count of Receiving Stolen Property]. Upon [Miller’s] convictions, a pre-

sentence investigation was ordered and [Miller] proceeded to sentencing on December 19, 2012. After reviewing the pre-

sentence investigation report, victim impact statements, a letter from [Miller], and hearing the comments of both attorneys, the Court sentenced [Miller] as follows: [On] the first count of Attempted Burglary, [he was sentenced] to 2½ to 5 years in a State Correctional Institution. On the second and third counts of Attempt Burglary, the Court sentenced [Miller] to 2 to 4 years in a State correctional Institution. On Count 4 Burglary, the Court sentenced [Miller] to 4 to 10 years in a State Correctional Institution. On Count 5 of the Burglary, the Court sentenced [Miller] to 2 to 4 years in a State Correctional Institution. These sentences were to run consecutively, for a total of 12 ½ to 27 years’ incarceration.

Additionally, the Court set each jail sentence consecutive to the jail sentence imposed on the Information prior thereto for an aggregate sentence of incarceration in a State Correctional Institution of not less than 29 ½ years to 61 years’ incarceration.

[Miller] was sentenced within the standard range of the guideline sentence. On December 28, 2012, [Miller] filed a Motion to Modify Sentence, requesting that the sentence be modified so as to permit [Miller] to serve the sentences at each count WITHIN a docket number concurrently, as opposed to consecutively to each other, which would decrease his minimum sentence to 17 years. On January 3, 2013, the Commonwealth filed an Answer to [Miller’s] Motion to Modify Sentence. By Order of January 7, 2012, the Court denied [Miller’s] Motion to Modify Sentence.

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Trial Court Opinion, 11/12/14, at 2-3.

Miller filed a petition under the Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA), 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 9541-9546, alleging ineffective assistance of trial counsel; PCRA counsel was appointed to represent Miller who filed an amended petition on his behalf. In his petition, Miller alleged, among other things, that trial counsel failed to file a direct appeal at his request. After a hearing, the PCRA Court entered an order reinstating Miller’s appellate rights and granting him leave to file an appeal nunc pro tunc.

The instant nunc pro tunc appeal followed. Miller raises the following questions for our review:

1. Whether the imposition of a sentence of not less than 29½ nor more than 61 years was so manifestly excessive as to constitute an abuse of discretion?

2. Whether the imposition of various consecutive sentences resulting in an aggregate period of incarceration of not less than 29½ nor more than 61 years constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment to the United States Constitution?

Miller first argues that his sentence is manifestly excessive given the nature and circumstances of the offenses and his history and character. Miller specifically asserts that the imposition of consecutive sentences for these various property offenses, where there was no physical injury to any of the victims, was unduly harsh and unreasonable. Miller also contends that his sentence violated section 9721(b) of the Sentencing Code, which states that any sentence imposed should be “consistent with the protection

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of the public, the gravity of the offense, and the rehabilitative needs of the Defendant.” See Appellant’s Brief, at 13.

Sentencing is a matter vested in the sound discretion of the sentencing judge, and a sentence will not be disturbed on appeal absent a manifest abuse of discretion. Commonwealth v. Johnson, 666 A.2d 691, 693 (Pa. Super. 1995) (quoting Commonwealth v. Dotter, 589 A.2d 726 (Pa. Super. 1991)).

A four-pronged analysis is required before the Pennsylvania Superior Court will review the merits of a challenge to the discretionary aspects of a sentence. Those prongs are: (1)

whether the appellant has filed a timely notice of appeal, Pa.R.A.P. 902 and 903; (2) whether the issue was properly preserved at sentencing or in a motion to consider and modify sentence, Pa.R.Crim.P. 720; (3) whether appellant’s brief has a fatal defect, Pa.R.A.P. 2119(f); and (4) whether there is a substantial question that the sentence appealed from is not appropriate under the Sentencing Code, 42 Pa.C.S. § 9781(b).

Commonwealth v. Hyland, 875 A.2d 1175, 1183 (Pa. Super. 2005). An appellant raises a substantial question when he shows that the sentencing court’s actions were inconsistent with the Sentencing Code or contrary to the fundamental norms underlying the sentencing process. Pa.R.A.P. 2119(f); Commonwealth v. Ferguson, 893 A.2d 735 (Pa. Super. 2006).

It is well established that a sentencing court’s failure to consider mitigating factors raises a substantial question. See Commonwealth v. Felmlee, 828 A.2d 1105, 1107 (Pa. Super. 2003). However, a sentencing court generally has discretion to impose multiple sentences concurrently or consecutively, and a challenge to the exercise of that discretion does not

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ordinarily raise a substantial question. Commonwealth v. Pass, 314 A.2d 442, 446-47 (Pa. Super. 2006).

We are mindful, however, that “the key to resolving the preliminary substantial question inquiry is whether the decision to sentence consecutively raises the aggregate sentence to, what appears upon its face to be, an excessive level in light of the criminal conduct at issue in the case.” Commonwealth v. Mastromarino, 2 A.3d 581, 587 (Pa. Super. 2010). An appellant making an excessiveness claim raises a substantial question when he “sufficiently articulates the manner in which the sentence violates either a specific provision of the sentencing scheme set forth in the Sentencing Code or a particular fundamental norm underlying the sentencing process.” Commonwealth v. Mouzon, 812 A.2d 617, 627 (Pa. 2002).

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