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Fowler v. StateFowler v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida
Jan 16, 1986
No. 84-1375
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Sharp
SHARP, Judge.

Fowler was charged with and convicted of second degree murder and armed robbery. The recommended guideline ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‍sentence was twenty years with a range of fifteen to twenty-two years. The trial court departed from the guidelines and sentenced Fowler to life imprisonment on the second degree murder conviction with a three-year ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‍minimum mandatory term and twenty-two years imprisonment on the armed robbery conviction, also with a three-year minimum mandatory term. The sentences were to run concurrently, except the two three-year minimum mandatory sentences were to ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‍be consecutive. We affirm the departure, State v. Young, 476 So.2d 161 (Fla.1985), Albritton v. State, 476 So.2d 158 (Fla.1985), but vacate the imposition of the consecutive three-year minimum mandatory sentences.

Fowler’s criminal conduct involved a single continuous episode for ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‍which consecutive minimum mandatory sentences are improper. State v. Ames, 467 So.2d 994 (Fla.1985); Wilson v. State, 467 So.2d 996 (Fla.1985); Palmer v. State, 438 So.2d 1 (Fla.1983). Accordingly, we vacate the sentences and remand for the trial court to correct them by ‍‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‍striking one of the minimum mandatory terms.

AFFIRMED IN PART; SENTENCES VACATED AND REMANDED.

DAUKSCH and COWART, JJ„ concur.

Case Details

Case Name: Fowler v. State
Court Name: District Court of Appeal of Florida
Date Published: Jan 16, 1986
Citations: 481 So. 2d 565; 11 Fla. L. Weekly 213; 1986 Fla. App. LEXIS 5912; No. 84-1375
Docket Number: No. 84-1375
Court Abbreviation: Fla. Dist. Ct. App.
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