State v. Brown, 1700 (8-31-2007)
State v. Brown, 1700 (8-31-2007)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 3} "THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT RE-SENTENCED APPELLANT TO THE SAME OF [sic] SENTENCE OF FIVE YEARS ON THE SECOND DEGREE FELONY AND TWO, ONE YEAR TERMS ON THE OTHER TWO OFFENSES, TO BE SERVED CONCURRENT WITH EACH OTHER BUT CONSECUTIVE TO THE FIVE YEAR PRISON TERM, BECAUSE THIS SENTENCING IS INCONSISTENT WITH FOSTER"
{¶ 4} Brown states that he presents one issue for review: "* * * that being that re-sentencing him to the same sentence of five years on the second degree felony and two, one year terms on the other two offenses, to be served concurrent with each other but consecutive to the five year prison term, is inconsistent with Foster because it violates the public policy behind the Foster decision." His argument, in capsule form, is that "although the trial court's August 10, 2006 passing of sentence without judicial fact finding was procedurally consistent with Foster, the term of the sentence was not consistent with Foster because it conflicts with the very problem Foster tried to correct, that being the problem of sentencing a defendant to more than the minimum, or to consecutive sentences based on judicial finding of facts on which a defendant had no opportunity to be heard."
{¶ 5} Brown's argument appears to be that, at least as to cases remanded for re-sentencing *Page 3 per Foster, the trial court is required to impose minimum, concurrent sentences because the judicial fact-finding utilized to justify greater than minimum and consecutive sentences is unconstitutional. Absent such fact-finding, the trial court can, the argument continues, only impose minimum, concurrent sentences.
{¶ 7} Foster is applicable to all cases on direct review.Foster at ¶ 106. Thus, syllabus seven, which provides that trial courts have full discretion to impose prison sentences within the statutory range — without the need to make findings or give reasons for imposing maximum, consecutive, or greater than minimum sentences — is applicable to this remanded case.
{¶ 8} The Foster court acknowledged Brown's concern that its remedy arguably "vitiates S.B.2's goals," but concluded that "[t]he overwhelming majority of [the S.B.2] reforms survive today's constitutional decision." Id. at ¶ 100-101. For example, R.C.
{¶ 10} Finding no error, the judgment will be affirmed.
*Page 1FAIN, J. and GRADY, J., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.