State v. Hughes

142 Wash. App. 213
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedDecember 20, 2007
DocketNo. 23946-2-III
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 142 Wash. App. 213 (State v. Hughes) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Hughes, 142 Wash. App. 213 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinions

[215]*215¶1 — Raymond Carl Hughes pleaded guilty to two sex crimes following one act of sexual intercourse with a 12-year-old girl, S.E.H., who was disabled and incapable of giving consent—rape of a child in the second degree, RCW 9A.44.076(1); and second degree rape, RCW 9A.44.050(l)(b). The admissions exposed Mr. Hughes to the terms under former RCW 9.94A.712 (2001) that required the sentencing court to order a maximum life sentence and set a minimum term. We delayed decision of the State’s appeal of the trial court’s decision that it lacked power or authority to set an exceptional minimum sentence under former RCW 9.94A-.712 until the mandate issued in State v. Clarke, 156 Wn.2d 880,134 P.3d 188 (2006). The Clarke court held that Blakely1 exceptional sentencing limitations do not apply to indeterminate minimum sentences under former RCW 9.94A.712. First, following Clarke, we grant the State’s appeal. Second, we reject Mr. Hughes’ double jeopardy contentions because we conclude the legislature intended to impose multiple punishments for the single act of sexual intercourse. Accordingly, we affirm Mr. Hughes’ convictions and remand for further proceedings.

Brown, J.

FACTS

¶2 Mr. Hughes engaged in a single act of sexual intercourse with S.E.H., a 12-year-old girl incapable of consent by reason of being physically helpless or mentally incapacitated due to cerebral palsy. He was charged with and pleaded guilty to one count of second degree child rape and one count of second degree rape. Mr. Hughes unsuccessfully moved to dismiss one conviction on double jeopardy grounds. The [216]*216court declined to consider an exceptional minimum sentence under former RCW 9.94A.712 because it believed it lacked “power or authority’ to grant an exceptional sentence under Blakely. Report of Proceedings at 41. The court ordered a top-end minimum sentence of 102 months. The State appealed. Mr. Hughes cross-appealed.

ANALYSIS

A. Exceptional Sentence

¶3 The issue is whether the trial court erred in rejecting the State’s request to consider an exceptional minimum sentence under former RCW 9.94A.712. The State contends the trial court erred in applying Blakely and Apprendi2 to an indeterminate sentencing. The State is correct.

¶4 We review statutory and constitutional issues de novo. Clarke, 156 Wn.2d at 887. Apprendi held that “[o]ther than the fact of a prior conviction, any fact that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be submitted to a jury, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt.” Apprendi, 530 U.S. at 490. The Blakely Court clarified that the “statutory maximum” for Apprendi purposes “is the maximum sentence a judge may impose solely on the basis of the facts reflected in the jury verdict or admitted by the defendant.” Blakely, 542 U.S. at 303. The court in Clarke then held that Blakely does not apply to indeterminate minimum sentences under former RCW 9.94A.712 that do not exceed the maximum sentence imposed.

¶5 Here, without the benefit of Clarke, the trial court considered the sentencing scheme for nonpersistent offenders in former RCW 9.94A.712. The court was required to set a maximum term (the statutory maximum term for the [217]*217offense) and a minimum term, either within or outside the standard range. Former RCW 9.94A.712(3). Believing it lacked the discretion to order an exceptional sentence under Blakely, the trial court denied the State’s request for an exceptional minimum term sentence. Clarke resolved this issue for the State; the court should have considered the State’s exceptional sentencing request. A trial court may impose an exceptional minimum sentence under an indeterminate sentencing scheme when the exceptional sentence does not exceed the maximum sentence imposed. Clarke, 156 Wn.2d at 893-94.

B. Double Jeopardy

¶6 The issue is whether the trial court erred in rejecting Mr. Hughes’ motion to dismiss one conviction under double jeopardy principles. Mr. Hughes contends one conviction should result from one act of sexual intercourse.

¶7 Double jeopardy claims are questions of law that we review de novo. State v. Freeman, 153 Wn.2d 765, 770-71, 108 P.3d 753 (2005).

¶8 The double jeopardy protections found in the United States Constitution and the Washington Constitution are coextensive. U.S. Const. amend. V.; Wash. Const. art. I, § 9; State v. Gocken, 127 Wn.2d 95, 100, 896 P.2d 1267 (1995). A defendant is protected against multiple punishments for the same offense, regardless of whether the sentences are imposed concurrently. Ball v. United States, 470 U.S. 856, 864-65, 105 S. Ct. 1668, 84 L. Ed. 2d 740 (1985); State v. Johnson, 92 Wn.2d 671, 600 P.2d 1249 (1979). However, multiple punishments are permissible if the legislature so intended. State v. Baldwin, 150 Wn.2d 448, 454, 78 P.3d 1005 (2003) (citing State v. Calle, 125 Wn.2d 769, 776, 888 P.2d 155 (1995)); Missouri v. Hunter, 459 U.S. 359, 366, 103 S. Ct. 673, 74 L. Ed. 2d 535 (1983).

¶9 The analytic framework for determining legislative intent for a double jeopardy claim differs somewhat from ordinary statutory interpretation. In re Pers. Restraint [218]*218of Orange, 152 Wn.2d 795, 815, 100 P.3d 291 (2004). A clear indication of legislative intent on the face of the statute or in the legislative history that the charged crimes constitute the same offense is, of course, dispositive. State v. Jackman, 156 Wn.2d 736, 746, 132 P.3d 136 (2006); Calle, 125 Wn.2d at 776-77. Absent that indication, Washington courts rely on the presumptive test for legislative intent articulated in Blockburger v. United States,

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Related

State v. Hughes
212 P.3d 558 (Washington Supreme Court, 2009)

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Bluebook (online)
142 Wash. App. 213, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-hughes-washctapp-2007.