Jones v. Commonwealth
Jones v. Commonwealth
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting.
I disagree with the majority’s conclusion that KRS 532.043(5) is unconstitutional. Certainly, the concept of a term of release and re-incarceration following the completion of a lengthy prison sentence is a novel and unconventional approach to criminal punishment. But, I find nothing in our Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine that expressly or inherently bars the General Assembly from re-vesting the judicial branch with jurisdiction to adjudicate alleged violations of the kind of conditional discharge created by KRS 532.043. I see nothing in the inherent powers of the executive branch that compels it to adjudicate such violations, or that prohibits the judicial branch from doing so under legislative authorization. I therefore respectfully dissent.
SCOTT, J., joins.
Opinion of the Court
Opinion of the Court by
Before this Court are two consolidated cases from the Court of Appeals with the
KRS 532.043 provides:
(1) In addition to the penalties authorized by law, any person convicted of, pleading guilty to, or entering an Alford plea to a felony offense under KRS Chapter 510, 529.100 involving commercial sexual activity, 530.020, 530.064(l)(a), 531.310, or 531.320 shall be subject to a period of conditional discharge following release from:
(a) Incarceration upon expiration of sentence; or
(b) Completion of parole.
(2) The period of conditional discharge shall be five (5) years.
(3) During the period of conditional discharge, the defendant shall:
(a) Be subject to all orders specified by the Department of Corrections; and
(b) Comply with all education, treatment, testing, or combination thereof required by the Department of Corrections.
(4) Persons under conditional discharge pursuant to this section shall be subject to the supervision of the Division of Probation and Parole.
(5) If a person violates a provision specified in subsection (3) of this section, the violation shall be reported in writing to the Commonwealth’s attorney in the county of conviction. The Commonwealth’s attorney may petition the court to revoke the defendant’s conditional discharge and reincarcerate the defendant as set forth in KRS 532.060. [2 ]
(6) The provisions of this section shall apply only to persons convicted, pleading guilty, or entering an Alford plea after July 15,1998.
Both Appellants served out their initial sentences. Upon release, Appellants were placed on three years conditional discharge
Both Appellants have served out their period of reincarceration, and the issue is now moot. However, this Court has granted discretionary review, realizing that the underlying dispute is one capable of repetition, yet evading review, because of the short duration of conditional discharge and the length of time required to
Before we address the merits of Appellants’ argument, we will address the Commonwealth’s claim that the issue was not preserved because the Attorney General received no notice of this constitutional challenge as required by KRS 418.075. The trial court addressed the constitutionality of the statute without notice and the Court of Appeals addressed the constitutionality without commenting on the failure to give notice. The Court of Appeals held that the statute in question was constitutional and the Appellants filed their motions for discretionary review without the Commonwealth filing a protective cross-motion for discretionary review.
This Court has made it plain that strict compliance with the notification requirement of KRS 418.075 is required, and failure to give notice leaves the constitutional challenge unpreserved.
A certain amount of background is necessary on the various alternatives to incarceration: probation, conditional discharge (as that term is used apart from KRS 582.043), parole, and “shock probation.” We address each of these to properly frame the issue of conditional discharge under KRS 532.043.
“Probation, under KRS 533.010, is to be considered [by the court] at the time of sentencing, and starts with the process of probation or conditional discharge, moving toward imprisonment only if certain justifications exist to deny probation or conditional discharge.”
Conditional discharge, as that term is used apart from KRS 532.043, is a judi
With parole, the Parole Board (executive branch) sets the conditions of release, as well as the terms of supervision, after a prisoner has been sentenced by the court and has begun serving his or her sentence.
The concept of “shock probation” under KRS 439.265 is an anomaly. It is a legislative creation “which allows the court to reacquire jurisdiction for this one consideration.”
The statute in question in this case, KRS 532.043, also mixes the roles of the judicial and executive branches of government. Under KRS 532.043, the General Assembly added a period of conditional discharge to the sentence of incarceration of persons convicted of certain offenses. The three-year (now five-year) period of conditional discharge is to be served beginning upon the person’s final release from incarceration or parole. The conditions and supervision of the felony conditional discharge are set by the executive branch.
This statutory mixture of the role of the judiciary within the role of the executive branch is fatal to the legislative scheme. Section 27 of the Kentucky Constitution creates three distinct branches of government, and Section 28 precludes one branch from exercising any power belonging to the other branches. Thus, we recognize that the legislature makes the laws, deciding what is a crime and the amount of punishment to impose for violations thereof.
It is generally recognized that the trial courts have jurisdiction over a defendant’s case for ten days after sentencing,
If the trial court imposes an additional sentence at the time of original sentencing, there is no separation of powers issue because “the legislature has the power to designate what is a crime and the sentences for violations thereof.”
The General Assembly can, consistent with the separation of powers doctrine, create a form of conditional release with terms and supervision by the executive branch. However, the statutory scheme runs afoul of the separation of powers doctrine when revocation is the responsi
Finally, we note that our ruling is limited to KRS 532.043(5). Only the revocation procedure established by this subsection is unconstitutional. Because subsection (5) is severable from the remainder of the statute, the statute’s other provisions remain in force.
KRS 532.043(5) violates Section 27 and Section 28 of the Kentucky Constitution by impermissibly conferring an executive power to revoke a post-incarceration or post-parole conditional release upon the judiciary. Accordingly, the judgments of the Court of Appeals are reversed, and the cases are remanded to their respective circuit courts for proceedings consistent with this opinion.
."Conditional discharge” under KRS 532.043 is a special form of post-sentence conditional release, which applies only to those convicted of certain sex offenses. It is not to be confused with conditional discharge under KRS Chapter 533, which is imposed in lieu of incarceration.
. Emphasis added.
. Prior to 2006, the period of conditional discharge was three years. See 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 182, § 42.
. See Philpot v. Patton, 837 S.W.2d 491, 493 (Ky. 1992); Lexington Herald-Leader Co., Inc. v. Meigs, 660 S.W.2d 658, 661 (Ky. 1983); Commonwealth v. Deweese, 141 S.W.3d 372, 375 (Ky.App. 2003).
. Benet v. Commonwealth, 253 S.W.3d 528, 532 (Ky. 2008).
. RCr 10.26.
. Id.
. See Martin v. Commonwealth, 207 S.W.3d 1, 3 (Ky. 2006).
. Mullins v. Commonwealth, 956 S.W.2d 222, 223 (Ky.App. 1997), abrogated on other grounds by Commonwealth v. Merriman, 265 S.W.3d 196 (Ky. 2008).
. Prater v. Commonwealth, 82 S.W.3d 898, 904 (Ky. 2002).
. See KRS 533.030.
. KRS 533.010(1).
. KRS 533.020(3); Pedigo v. Commonwealth, 644 S.W.2d 355, 358 (Ky.App. 1982).
. See generally Huggins v. Caldwell, 223 Ky. 468, 3 S.W.2d 1101, 1103 (1928), for a discussion of substance over name.
. See KRS 439.340.
. Prater, 82 S.W.3d at 904.
. Mullins, 956 S.W.2d at 223 (citing KRS 439.340).
. Prater, 82 S.W.3d at 902 (citing cases so holding).
. Mullins, 956 S.W.2d at 223.
. For felonies, not earlier than 30 days nor later than 180 days after defendant begins serving his or her sentence. KRS 439.265(1).
. Id.
. 492 S.W.2d 874, 875 (Ky. 1973).
. Id.
. KRS 532.043(3) and (4).
. KRS 532.043(5).
. Wilfong v. Commonwealth, 175 S.W.3d 84, 92 (Ky.App. 2004). Wilfong dealt with the constitutionality of the additional period of conditional discharge and the conditions thereof in KRS 532.043. The case did not address the issue of revocation, which is the issue in the instant case.
. Id.
. See Mistretta v.United States, 488 U.S. 361, 364-65, 109 S.Ct. 647, 102 L.Ed.2d 714 (1989) (discussing the similar shared sentencing responsibility in the federal system).
. See RCr 10.02(2).
. CR 60.01.
. CR 60.02.
. See Commonwealth v. Gross, 936 S.W.2d 85, 88 (Ky. 1996) (applying to criminal cases the civil case analysis of Potter v. Eli Lilly & Co., 926 S.W.2d 449 (Ky. 1996)).
. KRS 439.265; KRS 439.267 (for misdemeanors).
. Mullins, 956 S.W.2d at 223.
. See Prater, 82 S.W.3d at 903-04.
. See KRS 446.090 (Severability).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Larry Thomas JONES and Gerald Henley, Appellants, v. COMMONWEALTH of Kentucky, Appellee
- Cited By
- 34 cases
- Status
- Published