State v. Sage, Unpublished Decision (2-2-2007)
State v. Sage, Unpublished Decision (2-2-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} Sage's first assignment of error:
{¶ 3} "Whether the court erred in not allowing Defendant new appointed counsel pursuant to a serious breakdown in communication and thereby violated Defendant's constitutional right to due process under the
{¶ 4} In his first assignment of error, Sage argues that the trial court abused its discretion by denying his request for a continuance in order to obtain new counsel. However, because Sage pled guilty to the offenses, he has waived his right to appeal this ruling.
{¶ 5} `"[A] guilty plea * * * renders irrelevant those constitutional violations not logically inconsistent with the valid establishment of factual guilt and which do not stand in the way of conviction if factual guilt is validly established.'" State v. Fitzpatrick,
{¶ 6} Sage has raised no claim that his plea was other than knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily made. Because Sage was represented by counsel and appears to have knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily entered his guilty pleas, he has waived the error that he now assigns. Accordingly, Sage's first assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 7} Sage's second assignment of error:
{¶ 8} "Whether Defendant's combined sentence based on consecutive sentences for multiple convictions was supported by sufficient evidence, erroneous as a matter of law, and excessive to the point of violating Defendant's constitutional right to due process and free of cruel and unusual punishment under the
{¶ 9} In his second assignment of error, Sage claims that his sentence of life plus five years is unlawful. Specifically, Sage insists that the judicial findings did not support ordering his concurrent sentences for aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, and weapon under disability to be served consecutively to his life sentence for aggravated murder, particularly because he was not the one who fired the killing shot. He concludes that his case must be remanded for re-sentencing pursuant toState v. Foster,
{¶ 10} The maximum sentence that the trial court could have ordered for Sage's crimes was life plus 31 years, which would have made him eligible for parole in 51 years. The minimum sentence was life with parole eligibility after 20 years. As part of the plea agreement, the State agreed to not seek a sentence longer than life plus eight years, and the trial court accepted this stipulation.
{¶ 11} The court reviewed Sage's pre-sentence investigation report and the information submitted by his family and the family of his victim before deciding to sentence Sage to life plus five years, a sentence less severe than those received by his co-defendants. The sentence fell within the lawful guidelines and within the range agreed to by both the State and Sage as part of his plea agreement. "[A] defendant who has agreed to the sentence the court imposed thereby waives his or her right to appellate review of that sentence when that sentence is one authorized by law." R.C. §
{¶ 12} Carson predated the announcement of Foster. In determining to impose greater than minimum sentences on the aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and weapon under disability charges, and to order the concurrent sentences on those charges to be served consecutively to the life sentence, the court engaged in the judicial factfinding thatFoster held unconstitutional. As such, the sentence must be vacated and the matter remanded to the trial court for resentencing.Foster. Sage's second assignment of error is sustained.
{¶ 13} The sentence will be vacated and the case will be remanded for resentencing. The judgment of the trial court will be affirmed in all other respects.
FAIN, J. and DONOVAN, J., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State of Ohio v. Gordon William Sage
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Unpublished