State Of Washington, V, Ronald Richard Brown

Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided March 12, 2018·No. 75458-1·Unpublished

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IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

STATE OF WASH NGTON, No. 75458-1-1 Respondent, DIVISION ONE V.

RONALD RICHARD BROWN, UNPUBLISHED Appellant. FILED: March 12, 2018

Cox, J. — Ronald Brown appeals the exceptional sentence imposed upon remand following his successful appeal of his first judgment and sentence. He contends that the sentence is presumptively vindictive. For the first time in this second appeal, he also contends that the State failed in its burden to prove the - facts necessary to establish his offender score. Finally, he challenges certain conditions of community custody that the trial court imposed.

We conclude that Brown fails in his burden to show that the new sentence imposed is presumptively vindictive. And he does not argue that it is actually vindictive. He failed to preserve below on remand his challenge to whether the State proved his offender score and he does not establish that the claim falls within the narrow exception of RAP 2.5(a). But he correctly argues that certain

conditions of community custody are improper. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand with directions.

In 2011, Brown, along with several accomplices, entered the home of two victims, restrained them, threatened them with guns, and robbed them.1 A jury convicted Brown of two counts of first degree kidnapping, two counts of first degree robbery, one count of first degree burglary, and two counts of second degree assault. The jury also found that he was armed with a firearm while committing these crimes, requiring imposition of mandatory firearm enhancements by the court.

The trial court calculated the relevant offender scores and standard ranges at sentencing. Brown's offender score was 17. While the trial court concluded that an exceptional sentence was legally justified, the court chose not • to impose one. It did so on the basis that the appropriate length of the aggregate sentence was 638 months.

Brown appealed, and this court reversed the kidnapping counts based on an instructional error.2 This court also vacated the assault counts, concluding that they merged with the robberies.3 It remanded the case for retrial on the reversed counts as well as for resentencing on the remaining convictions.4

State v. Brown, No. 70148-7-1, slip op. at *1 (Wash. Ct. App. Jul. 27, 1 2015)(unpublished), http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/701487.pdf.

2 Id. at *4.

3 1d. at *8.

4 Id. at *14.

At the resentencing hearing, the State sought dismissal without prejudice of the two kidnapping counts. The original sentencing judge granted this motion.

The State recommended that the trial court impose the same 638 month term as originally imposed, this time as an exceptional upward sentence. Brown sought a sentence at the low end of the standard range.

The judge rejected both recommendations and sentenced Brown for the remaining three convictions: two of first degree robbery and one of first degree burglary, each with the mandatory firearm enhancements. The aggregate sentence is for a term of 399 months. The court also imposed certain community custody conditions as part of the resentencing.

Brown appeals.

JUDICIAL VINDICTIVENESS

Presumptive Vindictiveness Brown argues that the trial court abused its discretion by imposing presumptively vindictive sentences upon remand. We disagree.

Constitutional due process under the Fourteenth Amendment requires that "vindictiveness against a defendant for having successfully attacked his first conviction must play no part in the sentence he receives" upon remand.5 The United States Supreme Court established, in North Carolina v. Pearce, a

5 North Carolina v. Pearce, 395 U.S. 711, 725, 89 S. Ct. 2072, 23 L. Ed.

2d 656(1969), overruled on other grounds by Alabama v. Smith, 490 U.S. 794, 109 S. Ct. 2201, 104 L. Ed. 2d 865(1989).

presumption of vindictiveness that may arise in certain circumstances.6 Actual vindictiveness may be grounds for reversal if proven by the defendant.7 The threshold question in each case is whether the sentence on remand is "more severe."8 In State v. Larson, this court adopted the view of federal courts on this question.9 Those courts "uniformly hold that the Pearce presumption never arises when the aggregate period of incarceration remains the same or is reduced on remand."1° Notably, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has held to this approach, explaining that the purpose of the Pearce presumption is protected IT there is a possibility of a sentence reduction and no risk of a sentence increase."11 Here, Brown fails in his burden to show that the Pearce presumption arises. The trial court initially imposed an aggregate sentence of 638 months.

6 Id.

7 State v. Larson, 56 Wn. App. 323, 328, 783 P.2d 1093(1989).

v. Ameline, 118 Wn. App. 128, 133,75 P.3d 589(2003); Larson, 8 State 56 Wn. App. at 326.

9 56 Wn. App. 323, 328, 783 P.2d 1093(1989).

19 Larson, 56 Wn. App. at 326; see United States v. Nerius, 824 F.3d 29 (3d Cir. 2016); United States v. Fowler, 749 F.3d 1010 (11th Cir. 2014); United States v. Bentley, 850 F.2d 327(7th Cir. 1988), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 970, 109 S. Ct. 501, 102 L. Ed. 2d 537, rehearing denied, 488 U.S. 1051, 109 S. Ct. 885, 102 L. Ed. 2d 1008(1989); United States v. Diaz, 834 F.2d 287(2nd Cir. 1987), cert. denied, 488 U.S. 818, 109 S. Ct. 57, 102 L. Ed. 2d 35(1988); United States v. Cataldo 832 F.2d 869(5th Cir. 1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 1022, 108 S. Ct. 1577, 99 L. Ed. 2d 892(1988); United States v. Shue, 825 F.2d 1111, 1115 (7th Cir. 1987), cert. denied, 484 U.S. 956, 108 S. Ct. 351, 98 L. Ed. 2d 376 (1987).

11 United States v. Horob, 735 F.3d 866, 871 (9th Cir. 2013).

Upon resentencing, it imposed an aggregate sentence of 399 months. Under State v. Larson and related federal authorities, the shorter aggregate length of the second sentence precludes application of the presumption.

Notably, a fair reading of the sentencing court's reasoning fails to show otherwise. It appears that the court imposed an exceptional sentence on remand under the "free crime" rule because Brown's offender score was still eleven, above the score of nine, implicating this rule. And the length of the sentence imposed included consideration of the sentence imposed on a Brown accomplice after Brown's original sentencing. In short, nothing in the record before us suggests either presumptive or actual vindictiveness.

Notwithstanding that his current aggregate sentence is substantially lower than his original aggregate sentence, Brown relies on State v. Ameline12 to support his argument. That reliance is misplaced.

In that case, William Ameline was tried and sentenced three times for second degree murder.13 After the first trial, the trial court imposed a 164-month standard range sentence.14 Ameline appealed, securing a reversal and remand. He was convicted again and sentenced to the same term.15 He appealed, secured another reversal and remand, and faced trial again.16 He was convicted

12 118 Wn. App. 128, 75 P.3d 589 (2003).

13 Id. at 130.

14 Id.

15 Id. at 131.

16 Id.

a third time, but this time the trial court imposed an exceptional sentence of 240 months.17 Division Two of this court applied the Pearce presumption and set aside the third sentence because it exceeded, in the aggregate, the original sentence.18 Thus, Ameline does not alter the principles we just discussed.

Brown further contends that two opinions from other jurisdictions, State of Oregon v. Bradlev18 and In re Matter of Craiq,2° support his position. Because there is precedent in this state that supports the result we follow, we have no reason to look to other jurisdictions to decide this question. In any event, his reliance on those cases is misplaced.

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Related

North Carolina v. Pearce
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Alabama v. Smith
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United States v. Charles Shue
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United States v. Michael Cataldo
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United States v. Julio Diaz
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