State v. Wilson

634 P.2d 1078, 627 P.2d 1185, 6 Kan. App. 2d 302, 230 Kan. 287, 1981 Kan. App. LEXIS 246
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedMay 8, 1981
Docket52,243
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 634 P.2d 1078 (State v. Wilson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals 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. Wilson, 634 P.2d 1078, 627 P.2d 1185, 6 Kan. App. 2d 302, 230 Kan. 287, 1981 Kan. App. LEXIS 246 (kanctapp 1981).

Opinion

Rees, J.;

Defendant appeals from jury convictions of burglary (K.S.A. 21-3715) and felony theft (K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 21-3701) and the sentences imposed.

Defendant claims error in the inclusion of an Alien-type instruction (PIK Crim. 68.12) among the instructions given prior to jury deliberation. There was no trial objection. The question is whether the giving of the instruction was clearly erroneous. Kiser v. Gilmore, 2 Kan. App. 2d 683, 691, 587 P.2d 911 (1978), rev. denied 225 Kan. 844 (1979). Although there are old and recent cases finding error in the giving of an Allen-type instruction after jury deliberation has begun, e.g., State v. Bybee, 17 Kan. 462, 465 (1877); State v. Hammond, 4 Kan. App. 2d 643, 648, 609 P.2d 1171, rev. denied 228 Kan. 807 (1980), use of the instruction is not error per se. When it is included as one of the instructions given prior to jury deliberation, the inherent danger of coercion is dissipated if not lost. State v. Scruggs, 206 Kan. 423, 425-426, 479 P.2d 886 (1971). In this case, where defendant relies upon nothing of record other than the giving of the instruction, we cannot conclude there was clear error.

A two-fold attack is lodged by defendant against the severity of *303 the sentences imposed by the trial judge. Defendant first argues the sentences and his commitment to the custody of the secretary of corrections as recited by the sentencing hearing transcript and journal entry fail to comply with the requirement of K.S.A. 1979 Supp. 21-4603(3) that the trial court state the “reasons for imposing the sentence as ordered.” To emphasize the need for compliance with the cited statutory requirement, defendant refers us to the companion opinions in State v. Buckner, 223 Kan. 138, 574 P.2d 918 (1977), and State v. Coe, 223 Kan. 153, 574 P.2d 929 (1977). In those cases, the Supreme Court found insufficient trial court enunciation of reasons for imposition of the sentences ordered; appellate review led to determination the trial court abused its discretion.

Defendant’s complaint of noncompliance with K.S.A. 1979 Supp. 21-4603(3) is of no avail. The relied upon requirement was repealed by statutory amendment effective April 24, 1980. L. 1980, ch. 104, § 1. Defendant was sentenced in this case on May 27, 1980. The statutory requirement was not in effect. When defendant was sentenced and committed to the custody of the secretary of corrections, inclusion of “a statement of reasons for imposing the sentence as ordered” was permissive or optional, not mandatory. K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 21-4620(b).

The essence of the second prong of defendant’s attack upon the sentences imposed is that under the evidence presented, it was improper to sentence him as a third offender. We find merit in defendant’s position.

The sentences arise out of convictions on April 29, 1980, for burglary and felony theft committed December 10, 1979. They were enhanced under the habitual criminal act (K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 21-4504[2]). The State’s evidence introduced in support of sentence enhancement establishes that on August 10, 1977, defendant was convicted in the Barton County District Court on a charge of felony theft committed May 29, 1977. The evidence also establishes that on December 20, 1977, defendant was convicted in Ellsworth County District Court on a charge of forgery; the date of commission of that offense is not shown. Under the evidence, when the defendant committed the felony offenses for which he stands convicted in this case, he had previously been convicted of two felonies. On this evidence, the trial judge “tripled” defendant’s sentences; each of the two sentences was a term of not less than seven years nor more than thirty years; they *304 were ordered to run consecutively and consecutive to any parole revocation that might be ordered. There is no proof that when he committed the felony theft in Barton County he had previously been convicted of a felony. There is no proof that when he committed the forgery in Ellsworth County he had previously been convicted of a felony—the date of commission of the forgery offense may have been either prior or subsequent to the Barton County conviction.

Our habitual criminal act (K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 21-4504) provides in material part:

“Every person convicted a second or more time of a felony . . . upon motion of the prosecuting attorney, may be by the trial judge sentenced to an increased punishment as follows:
“(1) If the defendant has previously been convicted of not more than one felony:
“(a) The court may fix a minimum sentence of not less than the least nor more than twice the greatest minimum sentence authorized . . . for the crime for which the defendant stands convicted; and
“(b) Such court may fix a maximum sentence of not less than the least nor more than twice the greatest maximum sentence provided . . . for such crime.
“(2) If the defendant has previously been convicted of two (2) or more felonies: “(a) The court may fix a minimum sentence of not less than the least nor
more than three times the greatest minimum sentence authorized . . . for the crime for which the defendant stands convicted; and
"(b) Such court may fix a maximum sentence of not less than the least nor more than three times the greatest maximum sentence provided . . . for such crime.”

As long ago as 1870, our Supreme Court held in regard to the application of a statute prescribing the sentence for “any person convicted of . . . [a] second or subsequent offense” (G.S. 1868, ch. 35, § 3, p. 400) that “[b]efore a person can make himself liable to be convicted of a second offense, as such, he must previously have been [convicted] of the first offense.” State v. Volmer, 6 Kan. *379, *383 (1870).

Over a century later, State v. Lohrbach, 217 Kan. 588, 538 P.2d 678 (1975), was decided.

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Bluebook (online)
634 P.2d 1078, 627 P.2d 1185, 6 Kan. App. 2d 302, 230 Kan. 287, 1981 Kan. App. LEXIS 246, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-wilson-kanctapp-1981.