Michael Eugene KENNEDY, Appellant,
v.
STATE of Florida, Appellee.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District.
*196 Elliott C. Metcalfe, Jr., Public Defender, and Regina W. Cosper, Asst. Public Defender, Sarasota, for appellant.
Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and William I. Munsey, Jr., Asst. Atty. Gen., Tampa, for appellee.
GRIMES, Acting Chief Judge.
Contrary to the provisions of Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.151(b), the trial court on its own motion ordered appellant's case consolidated for trial with that of another defendant. Belote v. State,
Appellant also contends that during closing argument, codefendant's counsel impermissibly commented on appellant's constitutional right not to testify. At trial, Tolbert, a witness for the state, testified in regard to a conversation between appellant and codefendant, Copeland, which occurred when both of them jumped into Tolbert's car following the incident which gave rise to the instant charges. Referring to Tolbert's testimony, Copeland's attorney argued:
Mr. Tolbert told you that the only thing that Mr. Kennedy said in response to Mr. Copeland's question "Why did you shoot him?" was he just put his hands up in the *197 air, "I don't know." Was that in any way contradicted? It was not. What was Kennedy thinking at that point in time in the car? We don't know because very shortly after that he got out of the car and they parted company and we didn't hear from him anymore.
We do not believe that this portion of the closing argument was reasonably susceptible to interpretation by the jury as a comment on appellant's failure to testify. An argument that the evidence is uncontradicted is not considered to be a comment on the defendant's silence. Elam v. State,
We do find it necessary to vacate appellant's sentences for aggravated battery with a firearm and attempted robbery with a firearm. The trial judge intended to deviate from the guidelines, but a review of the record indicates that he was unaware of the applicable guideline range. Robinson v. State,
Appellant's convictions are affirmed, but the case is remanded for resentencing.
DANAHY and CAMPBELL, JJ., concur.
