State v. Moyer, Unpublished Decision (2-12-2007)
State v. Moyer, Unpublished Decision (2-12-2007)
Opinion of the Court
OPINION
{¶ 1} Defendant-appellant, Tammy L. Moyer, appeals her sentence following a jury trial in the Columbiana County Common Pleas Court for two counts of endangering children.{¶ 2} On April 28, 2006, a Columbiana County grand jury indicted appellant on two counts of endangering children. Count one was for endangering children in violation of R.C.
{¶ 3} On May 25, 2005, appellant appeared and pleaded not guilty. After numerous pretrial matters, the case proceeded to a jury trial on February 7th and 8th, 2006. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on both counts contained in the indictment. In the praecipe filed with this Court pursuant to 7th Dist. Loc. R. VII, appellant's counsel requested only a transcript of the sentencing hearing. Because a transcript of the jury trial was not requested, this memorandum is unable to explain the underlying factual details that led to appellant's conviction.
{¶ 4} The trial court held a sentencing hearing on April 7, 2006. The trial court sentenced appellant to a three year term of imprisonment on Count one and a five year term of imprisonment on Count two with the sentences to be served concurrently with each other. This appeal followed.
{¶ 5} Appellant's sole assignment of error states:
{¶ 6} "It was error for the trial court to impose a sentence that was more than the minimum."
{¶ 7} In this case, in its judgment entry of sentence, the trial court made the requisite findings to impose more than the minimum term of imprisonment for the offenses. R.C.
{¶ 8} While this appeal was pending, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the provisions of the Revised Code relating to nonminimum (R.C.
{¶ 9} The Court went on to hold that those unconstitutional provisions could be severed. Id., paragraphs two and four of the syllabus. Since the provisions could be severed, "[t]rial 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., paragraph seven of the syllabus.
{¶ 10} Here, since the trial court's imposition of a more than minimum sentence was based on R.C.
{¶ 11} After State v. Foster,
{¶ 12} "These cases and those pending on direct review must be remanded to trial courts for new sentencing hearings not inconsistent with this opinion. We do not order resentencing lightly. Although new sentencing hearings will impose significant time and resource demands on the trial courts within the counties, causing disruption while cases are pending on appeal, we must follow the dictates of the United States Supreme Court. Ohio's felony sentencing code must protect Sixth Amendment principles as they have been articulated.
{¶ 13} "Under R.C.
{¶ 14} The same day Foster was decided, the Ohio Supreme Court decided a companion case. State v. Mathis,
{¶ 15} "Although after Foster, the trial court is no longer compelled to make findings and give reasons at the sentencing hearing since R.C.
{¶ 16} As an aside, it should be noted that the issue of waiver has arisen in other Foster related cases before this Court and other Ohio appellate district courts of appeal as well. The issue is whether the lack of objection in the trial court waives the Blakely issue for purposes of appeal when the sentencing occurred after theBlakely decision was announced. The Ohio Supreme Court inFoster and its progeny have created an exception to the doctrine of waiver. Accordingly, this Court has found the doctrine of waiver inapplicable to Foster related cases. State v. Buchanan, 7th Dist. No. 05 MA 60,
{¶ 17} Accordingly, appellant's sole assignment of error has merit.
{¶ 18} The judgment entry of the trial court is hereby reversed and this matter remanded for resentencing consistent with State v.Foster,
Waite, J., concurs. DeGenaro, P.J., concurs.
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