State v. Wilson

641 P.2d 1081, 97 N.M. 534
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 2, 1982
Docket5391
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 641 P.2d 1081 (State v. Wilson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Wilson, 641 P.2d 1081, 97 N.M. 534 (N.M. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

OPINION

WOOD, Judge.

The basic sentence, Section 31-18-15, N.M.S.A. 1978 (1981 Repl.) for defendant’s aggravated battery, Section 30-3-5(C), N.M.S.A. 1978, was three years. The trial court altered the basic sentence by increasing the sentence an additional year, for a total of four years, because of aggravating circumstances. Section 31-18-15.1, N.M.S.A. 1978 (1981 Repl.). The appeal attacks the propriety of the additional one year sentence. We discuss: 1. The basis for the additional sentence; 2. the applicability of the aggravated circumstances provision to aggravated battery and 3. constitutional claims.

Basis for additional sentence.

The Legislature establishes criminal penalties; the trial court’s authority to sentence is that which has been provided by law. State v. Pendley, 92 N.M. 658, 593 P.2d 755 (Ct.App.1979); State v. Hovey, 87 N.M. 398, 534 P.2d 777 (Ct.App.1975). The legislative authority to increase a basic sentence on the basis of aggravating circumstances is Section 31-18-15.1 supra, which reads:

A. The court shall hold a sentencing hearing to determine if mitigating or aggravating circumstances exist and take whatever evidence or statements it deems will aid it in reaching a decision. The court may alter the basic sentence as prescribed in Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978 upon a finding by the judge of any mitigating or aggravating circumstances surrounding the offense or concerning the offender. If the court determines to alter the basic sentence, it shall issue a brief statement of reasons for the alteration and incorporate that statement in the record of the case.
B. The judge shall not consider the use of a firearm or prior felony convictions as aggravating circumstances for the purpose of altering the basic sentence.
C. The amount of the alteration of the basic sentence for noncapital felonies shall be determined by the judge. However, in no case shall the alteration exceed one-third of the basic sentence.

It is undisputed that defendant committed the aggravated battery by shooting the victim with a firearm. Defendant, however, was not charged with use of a firearm for purposes of an enhanced sentence; the trial court lacked authority to direct that defendant be so charged. State v. Session, 91 N.M. 381, 574 P.2d 600 (Ct.App.1978). The trial court’s original sentence imposed an additional year for aggravating circumstances; one of the aggravating circumstances relied upon was the undisputed fact that a firearm was used. We remanded the cause for resentencing, State v. Wilson, No. 5091, filed June 2, 1981 (Ct.App.) because § 31-18-15.1(B), supra, prohibits the trial court from considering the use of a firearm as an aggravating circumstance for the purpose of altering the basic sentence. The reason is that § 31-18-16, N.M.S.A. 1978 (1981 Repl.) provides for an enhanced penalty for use of a firearm.

At resentencing the trial court again increased the sentence by an additional year on the basis of aggravating circumstances.

At the sentencing hearing, the trial court may take “evidence or statements” to determine whether aggravating circumstances exist. The circumstances to be considered are the “circumstances surrounding the offense or concerning the offender.” § 31-18-15.1(A), supra.

The evidence received at the sentencing hearing was presented by defendant; the evidence was to the effect that defendant should be placed on probation. This evidence developed nothing as to aggravating circumstances.

A “statement” before the trial court was a pre-sentence report. See § 31-21-9, N.M.S.A. 1978 (1981 Repl.); R.Crim.Proc. 56; State v. Montoya, 91 N.M. 425, 575 P.2d 609 (Ct.App.1978). Included as part of the presentence report was a typed statement signed by defendant.

Defendant stated that she “decided to have it out with him [the victim] one way or another” about their cooling love affair; that she parked near a bar and saw the victim leave with a waitress; that she followed in her car and saw where the victim turned his car; that she drove to where the victim lived and parked; that the victim arrived “about two hours later”; that the victim drove to a parking lot, followed by defendant. The defendant got into the victim’s car, saying “you bastard, you son-of-a-bitch, I saw you with Mary [the waitress]”; the victim remonstrated with and attempted, unsuccessfully, to hug defendant; “I told him, ‘It doesn’t take two hours to give somebody a ride home.’ ” “I said, ‘Did you get a good piece of ass tonight.’ He said, ‘No, I didn’t.’ Then I said, ‘Well I’m really sorry because it’ll probably be your last.’ Then I pulled my gun out and I shot him.”

In finding aggravating circumstances, the trial court referred to defendant’s two-hour wait for the victim, to defendant’s statement just before she fired, and the deliberateness of defendant’s actions. The trial court characterized defendant’s actions as attempted murder in the first degree. We answer defendant’s attack on the circumstances in this issue; we answer the attack on the characterization in discussing the constitutional claims.

Defendant asserts there are no aggravating circumstances. She makes two arguments; both are based on a misreading of § 31-18-15.1(A), supra.

The aggravated battery in this case was an unlawful application of force with intent to injure. Section 30-3-5, supra. Defendant was charged with, and pled guilty to, this offense. She asserts that a “necessary factual basis” of her plea was an intent to injure. Her first argument seems to be that the intent to injure utilizes all the possible aggravating circumstances so that none can exist apart from the intent to injure. We disagree. The circumstances to be considered are the “circumstances surrounding the offense and concerning the offender,” § 31-18-15.1(A), supra. An intent to injure is an element of the offense, see U.J.I.Crim. 3.52; however, an admission of or proof of that element does not eliminate the circumstances surrounding either that element or the entire offense from being considered.

The second argument is “that the imposition of the aggravated portion of the sentence was based upon the exact same factors which made the offense a felony as opposed to a misdemeanor.” This contention refers to the statutory requirements for the offense to be a felony. Those requirements are aggravated battery by “inflicting great bodily harm or do[ing] so with a deadly weapon or do[ing] so in any manner whereby great bodily harm or death can be inflicted,” § 30-3-5(C), supra.

At the resentencing hearing the trial court did refer to elements of felony aggravated battery, but when defendant objected that the elements could not be used for increasing the sentence, the trial court withdrew its reliance on the elements. We caution trial judges to be alert to the semantic considerations urged by the defendant.

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Bluebook (online)
641 P.2d 1081, 97 N.M. 534, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-wilson-nmctapp-1982.