Williams v. State

624 So. 2d 661, 1993 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 919, 1993 WL 271861
Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama·Decided June 18, 1993·No. CR-91-118·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

ON RETURN TO REMAND

McMILLAN, Judge.

This cause was remanded to the trial court with instructions to hold a hearing to determine the proper amount of restitution to be paid by the appellant, in accordance with [662]*662§§ 15-18-65 through -77, Code of Alabama 1975. 624 So.2d 659 (Ala.Cr.App.1992). The appellant had alleged that the trial court’s award of $25,000 in restitution constituted an abuse of discretion but, based on the record, this court was unable to make a determination on the adequacy of the award.

On remand, a hearing was held. The only witness was the appellant. The trial court questioned the appellant as to where he worked, how much he made, where he lived, and his age. The trial court also ascertained that the appellant had graduated from high school and was in good health. It determined that the appellant had been ordered to pay $200 a month until the total $25,000 was paid. The record indicates that at the time of the hearing the appellant had been complying with that order. The trial court asked defense counsel if the victim had left any children, and defense counsel responded that he did not. Moreover, defense counsel indicated that the State “never clearly established even that [the victim] was working. ... I think it became clear [during trial] that he was a drug pusher.” Defense counsel testified that the restitution was being paid to the victim’s mother and that she had incurred approximately $4,000 in funeral expenses, which had been paid by the crime victims’ fund. Defense counsel further responded that the appellant was not ordered to reimburse the crime victims’ fund, but was rather ordered to pay the family of the deceased $25,000.

The following then transpired:

“THE COURT: Let me ask you this; doesn’t a mother and father have some reasonable expectation from a child’s earnings at some time?
“[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: I don’t think so, Judge. I don’t think my mother has any expectation that I’ll support her. “THE COURT: You need to go across the street and tell them that over there. Tell the trial lawyers that.... In other words if somebody is grown then the mother and father can’t bring a suit if they are the next of kin? Is that what you were telling me the law is?
“[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: Your Honor, they can bring a suit.
“THE COURT: And they collect on it.
“[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: There was no evidence whatsoever that came out of the trial, no indication whatsoever that this family — and they’re not a poor family. I think one daughter works at the bank and the other—
“THE COURT: So the rich folks ought not sue?
“[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: No. We have a situation where this guy was not providing for anybody. And this family is going to get $25,000.
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“[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: [T]hey can certainly get their funeral expenses. But the Crime Victims Restitution Act paid that.”

Thereafter, the trial judge explained his reasoning in setting restitution at this amount. The trial judge stated that he was extremely lenient in sentencing the appellant to a month in jail, with 15 years’ probation for his manslaughter conviction. He noted that the appellant had a wife and small children and stated:

“I had a choice to put him in jail and let people do without. I thought it would be more productive ... to let him out and let him pay some money. Number one, the money serves to remind him weekly, if not daily, what he did. Number two, I am not Solomon. I can’t speculate that [the victim] would have never given anything to his family. But he had one. They didn’t leave him out there for the buzzards. And I’ve heard nothing — I might reduce his payments and I will reword my order where the total sum of restitution is still $25,000. I will order $4,000 to the crime victims’ [fund] to reimburse them. And I’m ordering him to continue making payments on the balance of $21,000 to that family.”

The record indicates that the trial court thereafter reduced the appellant’s payments to $150 toward the balance of $21,000 to be paid to the family and $4,000 to be paid to the Crime Victims’ Fund.

[663]*663In Ex parte Clare, 456 So.2d 357 (Ala.1984), the Alabama Supreme Court discussed the type of damages that may be included in a restitution order, as follows:

“The Code authorizes the trial court, as a condition of probation, to order the defendant to
“ ‘[m]ake reparation or restitution to the aggrieved party for the damage or loss caused by this offense in an amount to be determined by the court....
“Code 1975, § 15-22-52(8). The Code defines ‘restitution’ as:
“ ‘[flull, partial or nominal payment of pecuniary damages to the victim or to its equivalent in services performed or work or labor done for the benefit of the victim as determined by the court of record,’
“while also defining ‘pecuniary damages’ as:
“ ‘[a]ll special damages which a person shall recover against the defendant in a civil action arising out of the facts or events constituting the defendant’s criminal activities.... ’
“Code 1975, § 15-18-66 (1982 Repl.Vol).
“The Court of Criminal Appeals states that included in the concept of special damages is the right to receive punitive damages. This, however, is incorrect. The purpose of the above-cited statute, as announced by the legislature, is to ensure:
“ ‘... that all perpetrators of criminal activity or conduct be required to fully compensate all victims of such conduct or activity for any pecuniary loss, damage or injury, as a direct or indirect result thereof....’ (Emphasis added in Clare ].
“Code 1975, § 15-18-65 (1982 Repl.Vol.). The special damages, then, are based on the theory of compensation. In Birmingham Waterworks Co. v. Keiley, The Court of Appeals discussed the issue of damages, and stated:
‘Actual damages are recoverable at law, out of a wrongdoer by the injured party as a matter of right as compensation for the actual loss sustained by him by reason of such wrong. Punitive damages are damages over and above such sum as will compensate a person for his actual loss, and the law permits their imposition, in proper cases, at the discretion of the jury, not because the party injured is entitled to them as matter of right, but as punishment to the wrongdoer, and to deter him and others in similar business from such wrongdoing in the future.’
“2 Ala.App. 629, 637, 56 So. 838, 841 (1911), citing Oliver v. Columbia, N. & L. R. Co., 65 S.C. 1, 43 S.E. 307 (1902). The legislative intent of the restitution statute is to compensate, and not to punish. We, therefore, hold that the special damages that the victim is entitled to in this case are limited to an amount which fully compensates the victim, and these damages may not be punitive in nature.”

Id. at 358.

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Williams v. State, 624 So. 2d 661, 1993 Ala. Crim. App. LEXIS 919, 1993 WL 271861 (Ala. Ct. App. 1993).

624 So. 2d 661 (Williams v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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