Murphy v. State

16 So. 3d 269, 2009 Fla. App. LEXIS 11969, 2009 WL 2567458

Opinions

ORFINGER, J.

In this Anders¹ appeal, Edwin Murphy’s pro se brief raises one meritorious issue. Following a trial, Murphy was convicted of attempted sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation. At his sentencing hearing, Murphy sought dismissal of one of the two convictions on double jeopardy grounds. The trial judge, while conceding that a double jeopardy issue might exist, declined to rule on Murphy’s motion. Instead, the court adjudicated Murphy guilty of lewd or lascivious molestation and sentenced him to prison, while taking no action on the attempted sexual battery charge. The State concedes this was error.

A trial court must adjudicate and sentence a defendant convicted of a crime, or in an appropriate ease, adjudicate the defendant not guilty due to a lack of sufficient evidence to convict, double jeopardy, or any other legally sufficient reason. The trial court may not simply refuse to act. State v. Houghtailing, 704 So.2d 163, 164 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997). Accordingly, we remand this matter to the trial court for the purpose of rendering an order with regard to the attempted sexual battery charge. If it is appropriate to adjudicate Murphy not guilty of that charge, it may do so. If not, it must adjudicate and sentence him for that crime.

REVERSED AND REMANDED.

COHEN, J., concurs. GRIFFIN, J., concurs and concurs specially, with opinion.

Footnotes

1

. Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738, 87 S.Ct. 1396, 18 L.Ed.2d 493 (1967).