State v. White, Unpublished Decision (9-1-2006)
State v. White, Unpublished Decision (9-1-2006)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} We conclude that White's sentence must be reversed, and this cause remanded for re-sentencing, in accordance with Statev. Foster,
{¶ 4} White pled guilty as charged. After a pre-sentence investigation, White appeared at a sentencing hearing, and was sentenced to seventeen months in prison, one month less than the maximum possible sentence, and fined $150. From his conviction and sentence, White appeals.
{¶ 6} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED, ABUSED ITS DISCRETION AND FAILED TO COMPLY WITH OHIO FELONY SENTENCING GUIDELINES WHEN IT SENTENCED DEFENDANT TO A PRISON TERM ON A FOURTH DEGREE FELONY WHICH PRISON SENTENCE WAS ONLY ONE MONTH LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM PRISON SENTENCE FOR A FOURTH DEGREE FELONY."
{¶ 7} Although White's argument in support of his assignment of error is primarily that the trial court abused its discretion by imposing a sentence that was only one month short of the maximum possible sentence, his brief includes the following argument:
{¶ 8} "He [the trial judge] found that `(t)he shortest term demeans the seriousness of the offense and does not adequately protect the public.' [Citation to transcript omitted.] Again, it is hard to see how a failure to report a change of address is a danger to the public."
{¶ 9} Under R.C.
{¶ 10} The State argues that White has waived any ground for reversal that might be available under State v. Foster, supra, because he did not make an argument based on Blakely v.Washington (2004),
{¶ 11} In our view, ¶ 104 of the decision in State v.Foster, supra, establishes a bright-line rule that any pre-Foster sentence to which the statutorily required findings of fact applied (i.e., more-than-minimum, maximum, and consecutive sentences), pending on direct review at the time thatFoster was decided, must be reversed, and the cause remanded for re-sentencing in accordance with Foster, if the sentence is a subject of the appeal.
{¶ 12} Because we conclude that White's sentence must be reversed, and this cause must be remanded for re-sentencing in accordance with State v. Foster, supra, we find it unnecessary to address White's argument that the sentence imposed by the trial court constitutes an abuse of discretion. After White is re-sentenced in accordance with State v. Foster, he may appeal from his sentence if he still feels aggrieved.
{¶ 13} White's sole assignment of error is sustained to the limited extent that we conclude the trial court committed an error of law when it applied a part of the Ohio felony sentencing statute declared unconstitutional by State v. Foster, supra.
Grady, P.J. and Donovan, J., concur.
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