State v. Converse, Unpublished Decision (6-20-2006)
State v. Converse, Unpublished Decision (6-20-2006)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 3} Subsequently, on December 14, 2004, appellant withdrew his former not guilty plea and entered a plea of guilty to the charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The remaining charge was dismissed by appellee State of Ohio. As memorialized in a Judgment Entry filed on May 6, 2005, appellant was sentenced to a prison term of twenty-four (24) months. The trial court, in its entry, ordered that appellant's sentence be served consecutively to a Franklin County sentence that appellant was serving. Appellant also was ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $800.00 and appellant's driver's license was suspended for a period of five (5) years.
{¶ 4} Appellant now raises the following assignment of error on appeal:
{¶ 5} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN SENTENCING THE DEFENDANT TO A NON-MINIMUM PRISON TERM AND A CONSECUTIVE PRISON TERM BASED ON FACTS NOT FOUND BY THE JURY OR ADMITTED BY THE DEFENDANT."
{¶ 7} The Ohio Supreme Court, in State v. Foster,
{¶ 8} To remedy Ohio's felony sentencing statutes, the Ohio Supreme Court severed the Blakely-offending portions that either create presumptive minimum or concurrent terms or require judicial factfinding to overcome the presumption. Foster at paragraph 97. Thus, the Court concluded "* * * that trial courts have full discretion to impose a prison sentence within the statutory range and are no longer required to make findings or give their reasons for imposing maximum, consecutive, or more than the minimum sentences." Id. at paragraph 100.
{¶ 9} Because appellant's more than the minimum, consecutive sentence is based upon sections of statutes which have been found to be unconstitutional and, thus, void, this matter is remanded to the trial court for a new sentencing hearing pursuant toFoster.
{¶ 10} Accordingly, the judgment of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas is reversed and this matter is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
By: Edwards, J. Gwin, P.J. and Boggins, J. concur.
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