State v. Ware

938 P.2d 197, 262 Kan. 180, 1997 Kan. LEXIS 75
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedApril 18, 1997
Docket76,336
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 938 P.2d 197 (State v. Ware) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Ware, 938 P.2d 197, 262 Kan. 180, 1997 Kan. LEXIS 75 (kan 1997).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

McFarland, C.J.:

Gregory E. Ware pled guilty to felony murder and aggravated robbery, for which he received consecutive sentences of life and 49 months, respectively. His sole issue on appeal is a claim that the district court abused its discretion in running the sentences consecutively.

The facts relative to the crimes may be summarized as follows: On October 12, 1994, defendant paid $165 in rent to his 80-year-old landlady, Ms. Jamie Lewis. The following morning, he returned *181 to Ms. Lewis’ home to rob her. He strangled her, stole the $165 from her purse, and spent the money on cocaine. Later on the same day, defendant turned himself in to law enforcement officers, apprising the officers of the murder, which had not been discovered.

On January 22, 1996, defendant pled guilty to felony murder (K.S.A. 21-3401[b]), an off-grid crime (K.S.A.. 1996 Supp. 21-4706[c]), and to aggravated robbery, a severity level 3, person felony (K.S.A. 21-3427). In exchange for his guilty plea, the State agreed that, even though it would recommend consecutive sentences, it would not oppose defendant’s request for concurrent sentences. After careful inquiry of the defendant, the district court found that the plea was entered into freely, voluntarily, and knowingly, and pronounced defendant guilty of felony murder and aggravated robbery.

On February 28, 1996, defendant appeared for sentencing. No departure was requested, discussed, or granted. Life is the only sentence of imprisonment for felony murder. K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 21-4706(c). On the aggravated robbery, the 49 months term of imprisonment is mid-range (51-49-46) for a severity level 3, category I offense.

K.S.A. 21-4721 provides:

“(e) In any appeal, the appellate court may review a claim that:
(1) A sentence that departs from the presumptive sentence resulted from partiality, prejudice, oppression or corrupt motive;
(2) the sentencing court erred in either including or excluding recognition of a prior conviction or juvenile adjudication for criminal history scoring purposes; or
(3) the sentencing court erred in ranking the crime severity level of the current crime or in determining the appropriate classification of a prior conviction or juvenile adjudication for criminal history purposes.”

Defendant makes no claim of error on any of the grounds set forth in this statute. Rather, the sole issue raised is abuse of judicial discretion in imposing the sentences consecutively.

We shall first consider the State’s contention that this court lacks jurisdiction to entertain this appeal. As the State notes, this precise jurisdictional question has been previously decided by the Court of Appeals in State v. McCallum, 21 Kan. App. 2d 40, 895 P.2d *182 1258, rev. denied 258 Kan. 861 (1995), and in State v. Peal, 20 Kan. App. 2d 816, 893 P.2d 258, rev. denied 257 Kan. 1095 (1995), wherein the court held that the discretionary imposition of consecutive sentences is not an appealable issue. Defendant contends these two cases were wrongly decided. We disagree.

. K.S.A. 22-3602(e) provides:

“For crimes committed on or after July 1,1993, an appeal by the prosecution or the defendant relating to sentences imposed pursuant to a presumptive sentencing guidelines system as provided in K.S.A. 21-4701 et seq. and amendments thereto, shall be as provided in K.S.A. 21-4721 and amendments thereto.”

The crimes herein were committed after July 1,1993, and relate to sentences imposed under the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines Act (K.S.A. 21-4701 et seq.). The appeal herein is solely from the district court’s discretionary decision to run the sentences consecutively as authorized by K.S.A. 1996 Supp. 21-4720(b). There is no cláim that the requirements and limitations relative to the imposition of consecutive sentences set forth in said statute are applicable. There is no claim that the sentences imposed herein are, or the sentencing procedure is, in any respect, illegal. Therefore, pursuant to K.S.A. 22-3602(e) if this issue before us is an appealable issue, authority therefor must be found in K.S.A. 21-4721. This statute is set forth in its entirety as follows:

“(a) A departure sentence is subject to appeal by the defendant or the state. The appeal shall be to the appellate courts in accordance with rules adopted by the supreme court.
“(b) Pending review of the sentence, the sentencing court or the appellate court may order the defendant confined or placed on conditional release, including bond.
“(c) On appeal from a judgment or conviction entered for a felony committed on or after July 1, 1993, the appellate court shall not review:
(1) Any sentence that is within the presumptive sentence for the crime; or
(2) any sentence resulting from an agreement between the state and the defendant which the sentencing court approves on the record.
“(d) In any appeal from a judgment of conviction imposing a sentence that departs from the presumptive sentence prescribed by the sentencing grid for a crime, sentence review shall be limited to whether the sentencing court’s findings of fact and reasons justifying a departure:
(1) Are supported by the evidence in the record; and
(2) constitute substantial and compelling reasons for departure.
*183 “(e) In any appeal; the appellate court may review a claim that:
(1) A sentence that departs from the presumptive sentence resulting from partiality, prejudice, oppression or corrupt motive;

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Bluebook (online)
938 P.2d 197, 262 Kan. 180, 1997 Kan. LEXIS 75, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-ware-kan-1997.