State v. Gayles
State v. Gayles
Opinion of the Court
The state appeals a district court's pretrial denial of a request to submit aggravating sentencing factors to a jury. Because the district court failed to apply the probable-cause standard when determining whether the law and proffered evidence would support an aggravated sentence, we reverse.
*9FACTS
The state charged respondent Donyale Damon Gayles with three counts of aggravated first-degree sale of a controlled substance; four counts of first-degree sale of a controlled substance; one count of first-degree possession of a controlled substance; and three counts of child endangerment (possession of a controlled substance), after officers orchestrated three controlled purchases of cocaine from respondent. The controlled purchases occurred at respondent's home. During two of the controlled purchases, children were present in respondent's home. Officers executed a search warrant of the home and discovered over 180 grams of cocaine and an unattended child.
The state provided notice of its intent to seek an aggravated sentence and an upward departure, citing two aggravating factors: the drug offenses were committed in the presence of a child, and respondent has two or more prior violent-crime convictions and is a danger to public safety. The state thereafter moved for a court determination under Minn. R. Crim. P. 11.04, subd. 2(a), of whether the law and proffered evidence supported an aggravated sentence. Respondent argued that the state could not prove that a child witnessed the drug sales, and that the evidence did not support a finding that he is a danger to public safety.
The district court denied the state's motion to present aggravating factors to the jury. The district court indicated that "motions for aggravated sentences are not governed by a particular standard," but then stated that it considered the state's evidence concerning whether the offenses were committed in the presence of children "in the light most favorable to the [s]tate." The district court found that there was no evidence that the children saw, heard, or otherwise witnessed the drug sales during the controlled purchases, and that the fact that children "could" have reached the controlled substances was not sufficient to support an aggravated sentence. The district court also concluded that there was insufficient evidence to present to a jury the issue of whether respondent is a danger to public safety, as his criminal history did not indicate a high frequency of dangerous crimes, and he had demonstrated lengthy periods of noncriminal behavior.
The state appealed.
ISSUE
What standard applies when determining whether to allow the state to present aggravating sentencing factors to a jury under Minnesota Rule of Criminal Procedure 11.04, subdivision 2(a) ?
ANALYSIS
Minn. R. Crim. P. 28.04, subd. 1(1), permits the state to appeal "any pretrial order, including probable cause dismissal orders based on questions of law." In State v. Rourke , the supreme court clarified that the state may be permitted to appeal a district court's pretrial denial of a request to submit aggravating factors to the jury provided jeopardy has not attached.
We review a district court's factual findings in a pretrial order for clear error and review its legal determinations de novo. State v. Lugo ,
The crux of this appeal is whether the district court applied the correct standard when it determined that the state's proffered evidence was insufficient to support the state's proposed aggravating factors. The state argues that the district court erred by failing to apply the probable-cause standard. Respondent argues that the district court applied a legally correct standard, but even if the district court should have applied the probable-cause standard, the evidence was insufficient to present the factors to the jury for consideration.
Minn. R. Crim. P. 7.03 requires the state to provide written notice of its intent to seek an aggravated sentence at least seven days before an omnibus hearing. "[T]he state is not limited to factors specified in the Sentencing Guidelines provided the state provides reasonable notice to the defendant and the district court ... of the factors on which the state intends to rely."
In Apprendi v. New Jersey , the Supreme Court extended the requirement of a jury determination of proof beyond a reasonable doubt to all facts that increase the prescribed range of penalties to which a defendant is exposed for a charged offense.
In Blakely v. Washington , the Supreme Court applied Apprendi to a case that involved a district court's deviation from *11the standard range provided by the state's sentencing guidelines.
Because the United States Supreme Court has recognized that the facts used to enhance a sentence are elements of "a new, aggravated crime" and "part of the substantive offense," the state argues that probable cause is the correct standard to determine whether aggravating factors may be presented for jury determination, because both the elements of a crime and the facts underlying an aggravating factor must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. The state's argument that the appropriate standard is probable cause is compelling. The supreme court has indicated that probable cause is required for every element of the crime charged. State v. Lopez ,
We now turn to the district court's consideration of the state's two proffered aggravating factors, applying the probable-cause standard to the facts found by the district court. We review the factual findings underlying a probable-cause determination for clear error, and review the district court's application of the legal standard of probable cause to those facts de novo. Lopez ,
"[T]he test of probable cause is whether the evidence worthy of consideration *12... brings the charge against the prisoner within reasonable probability." State v. Florence ,
The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines include a "nonexclusive list of factors that may be used as reasons for departure." Minn. Sent. Guidelines 2.D.3 (2016). The list of factors is intended to be illustrative and is not intended to be exhaustive.
The presence-of-a-child factor may be satisfied in two ways: a child actually saw, heard, or otherwise witnessed the commission of the crime; or a victim was more vulnerable due to the presence of children. State v. Vance ,
The state argues that the district court erred by failing to consider the presence-of-a-child factor in broader terms than those discussed in Vance and Robideau , noting that the guidelines do not contain an exhaustive list of aggravating factors. The state argues that the presence-of-a-child factor may be satisfied by a child's "mere presence in proximity to drug trafficking." We decline to adopt the state's broader interpretation of the presence-of-a-child factor, and adhere to the requirements articulated in Robideau .
However, applying the probable-cause standard to the facts before the district court, we reverse the district court's conclusion that the law and proffered evidence does not support presenting this aggravating factor to the jury. Examining the facts presented to the district court and the inferences drawn therefrom in the light most favorable to the state, the state presented sufficient direct and circumstantial evidence to present a fact question to the jury on whether one or more of the crimes were committed in the presence of a child. The evidence indicates that respondent stored drugs in his home and conducted drug sales from his home. On multiple occasions, respondent sold drugs while his children were present in the home. The children interacted with the drug purchaser immediately before and after drug transactions. On one occasion, a minor teenager was present in the home when a buyer transferred money to respondent *13and discussed purchasing additional drugs. On another occasion, a child was left unattended with over 180 grams of cocaine in the home. The direct evidence, and the inferences drawn therefrom, are sufficient to present a fact question to the jury on whether a child witnessed the crimes.
We likewise hold that the district court erred in concluding that the state failed to present sufficient evidence to present the dangerous-offender factor to the jury. The dangerous-offender factor requires the district court to determine whether the offender has two or more prior convictions for violent crimes, and the fact-finder to determine whether the offender is a danger to public safety.
The state presented evidence of respondent's 20-year history of criminal activity, including a history of violent crimes. The district court concluded that respondent did not pose a danger to public safety after comparing respondent's criminal history with the facts of two pre- Blakely cases, State v. Branson ,
Here, the state was not required to provide evidence of a continuous pattern of unlawful behavior over respondent's 20-year history of criminal activity. Moreover, by weighing the evidence of appellant's prior criminal acts against his periods of lawful behavior, the district court infringed upon the province of the jury. See State v. Henderson ,
DECISION
Because aggravating factors are elements of a crime that operate to enhance a sentence, the probable-cause standard applies when determining whether the law and proffered evidence support submission *14of an aggravating sentencing factor to the jury under Minn. R. Crim. P. 11.04, subd. 2(a). Because the district court failed to apply the probable-cause standard when reviewing the state's proposed aggravating factors, we reverse.
Reversed.
There is sufficient evidence at this stage in the proceedings to allow these fact questions to be presented to a jury. However, if the jury ultimately finds facts that would support an aggravated sentence, the "court may exercise discretion to depart but is not required to depart." State v. Jackson ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE of Minnesota v. Donyale Damon GAYLES
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published