State v. McKenzie

574 So. 2d 1176, 1991 WL 15557
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedFebruary 7, 1991
Docket89-2006
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 574 So. 2d 1176 (State v. McKenzie) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. McKenzie, 574 So. 2d 1176, 1991 WL 15557 (Fla. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinion

574 So.2d 1176 (1991)

STATE of Florida, Appellant,
v.
George McKENZIE, Appellee.

No. 89-2006.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.

February 7, 1991.

Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Sean Daly, Asst. Atty. Gen., Daytona Beach, for appellant.

Paul J. Dubbeld, Daytona Beach, for appellee.

EN BANC

DAUKSCH, Judge.

Because we find it necessary to recede from the holding in State v. Hall, 538 So.2d 468 (Fla. 5th DCA) rev. denied, 547 So.2d 1211 (Fla. 1989), we have considered this case en banc. Fla.R.App.P. 9.331(c).

The issue involves a mandatory minimum sentence for trafficking in cocaine. The trial judge imposed a four year sentence which was within the sentencing guidelines range, but refused to impose the statutorily required three year minimum and the $50,000 fine because he felt Hall precluded him from doing so. We note that Judge Foxman specifically suggested a reconsideration of Hall when he complied with its holding. Hall says a sentencing judge "complied with the mandatory sentencing provisions of § 893.135(1)(b)(1) when he imposed four year sentences" which exceeded the mandatory minimum of three years. We recede from that language and hold that a sentencing judge must comply with both the statutory mandatory minimum sentencing requirements and the sentencing *1177 guideline requirements when imposing a sentence. So, if the guideline sentence exceeds the mandatory minimum the judge should impose the guideline sentence and specifically require the defendant to serve the minimum.

The sentence is vacated and this cause remanded for resentencing.

SENTENCE VACATED; REMANDED.

COBB, GOSHORN, HARRIS, PETERSON and DIAMANTIS, JJ., concur.

GRIFFIN, J., concurs specially with opinion with which GOSHORN, J., concurs.

W. SHARP, J., dissents with opinion with which COWART, J., concurs.

COWART, J., dissents with opinion with which W. SHARP, J., concurs.

GRIFFIN, Judge, concurring specially.

In State v. Hall, 538 So.2d 468 (Fla. 5th DCA), rev. denied, 547 So.2d 1211 (Fla. 1989), the state contended the trial court had incorrectly sentenced the defendant because the entry on the standard sentencing form referring to the three-year minimum mandatory sentence for violation of section 893.135, Florida Statutes, was not marked. The trial court initially marked the minimum mandatory box but had purposefully erased his marking of that box because he interpreted Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.701.d.9[1] to prevent him from recording a guidelines sentence for a term greater than the minimum mandatory (four years) and marking the minimum mandatory box. The trial court was mistaken in this conclusion. Rule 3.701.d.9 simply says that when a guidelines score is less than the mandatory penalty, the mandatory term controls, and when the guidelines term is greater than the mandatory sentence, the longer sentence is imposed. Nothing in the rule, or the sentencing form, suggests that a written sentence cannot reflect the mandatory minimum nature of the sentence as well as the guidelines term of years. Indeed, the structure of the form and the phrasing used in the minimum mandatory entry on the form rather clearly indicate this is a "special provision" which is supplemental to the blank at the top of the form where the term of years is recorded.

Although the trial court in Hall had reached an erroneous conclusion, we affirmed the sentence on the reasoning that the minimum mandatory character of the sentence was inherent in a four-year sentence for violation of section 893.135(1)(b)1 and that the unmarking of the box on the form could not alter the minimum mandatory nature of a four-year sentence for violation of section 893.135(1)(b)1. It seems our effort in Hall to uphold the trial court has backfired. With the benefit of hindsight, we should have reversed in Hall and sent the case back for the trial court to fill out the form correctly. In reaching to affirm the lower court in Hall, things have gone from bad to worse.

Once again, in this case, the state appeals because it has an unmarked minimum mandatory box on the sentencing form. In the present case, the trial court read Hall to prohibit the marking of the minimum mandatory box where the guidelines sentence exceeds the mandatory term even though Hall evinces no such intent. To the contrary, Hall points out the administrative importance of marking the minimum mandatory box. 538 So.2d at 469, n. 6. Whenever a sentence involves a crime for which there is a minimum mandatory penalty, the term of years should be shown on the form and the minimum mandatory box on the standard sentencing form should be marked as well. Indeed it must be marked in order for the form to be correctly filled out and, like any other such mechanical *1178 error, if raised on appeal, it should be corrected.

I am concerned that the opinion of the majority suggests that the failure to mark the minimum mandatory box means that no minimum mandatory sentence was imposed. The mere fact that the judge has erroneously filled out the form by failing to mark the minimum mandatory box, does not mean a sentence for violation of section 893.135(1)(b)1 loses its minimum mandatory character. There is more than one way to express a judgment in writing and variation from the form does not void a judgment or sentence that is otherwise sufficient. In re Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, 408 So.2d 207 (Fla. 1981). Neither Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.986 nor any other rule makes the completion and filing of the authorized form of judgment and sentence a condition to a valid sentence. Flowers v. State, 351 So.2d 387 (Fla. 1st DCA 1977). Another format could validly have been used and, arguably, as in Hall, was used. Because, in the present case, the trial court misperceived the proper way to execute the minimum mandatory sentence on the standard form, and because we wish to clear up any confusion on this point, I agree we should remand for resentencing, which shall include filling out on the standard form both the term of years and the minimum mandatory special provision.

GOSHORN, J., concurs.

W. SHARP, Judge, dissenting.

Judging from the comment of Judge Foxman quoted by the majority opinion, State v. Hall, 538 So.2d 468 (Fla. 5th DCA), rev. denied, 547 So.2d 1211 (Fla. 1989), may need clarification. But, I disagree that it was incorrectly decided. In Hall we followed the dictates of Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.701.d.9, which provides that when a mandatory minimum sentence is less in prison time than the applicable guidelines sentence, the longer guidelines sentence should be imposed. The sentences and crimes involved in Hall and this case are identical: a 3 year mandatory minimum sentence and a 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 year guidelines sentence for violating section 893.135(1)(b)(1) (conspiracy to traffic in cocaine).

We held in Hall the trial judge was correct in imposing a sentence longer than the mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years. In such a case, the guidelines sentence is longer and, in effect, it encompasses the mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years. Hall certainly gave the criminal defendant no "break" by exceeding the mandatory minimum sentence. In Hall the majority made it clear that the minimum mandatory was included

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
574 So. 2d 1176, 1991 WL 15557, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-mckenzie-fladistctapp-1991.