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State ex rel. Sam v. BeckerState ex rel. Sam v. Becker

Supreme Court of Louisiana
Feb 5, 1988
No. 87-KH-0119
Reporters:
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In re Hon. Rudolph F. Becker; applying for motion for clarification of order ‍‌​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‍on writ granted with order dated October 2, 1987, 512 So.2d 855, from Criminal District Court, Parish of Orleans, No. 244-076.

Clarification granted. A trial judge’s ‍‌​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‍determination to impose uniformly the most severe sanction provided by the legislature for a particular offense does not accord with the goal of individualizing sentences ‍‌​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‍in Louisiana. La.C.Cr.P. art. 894.1; State v. Jackson, 360 So.2d 842 (La.1978).. When faced with the decision of whether, to sus*123pend a life sentence for heroin distribution ‍‌​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‍under the pre-1977 law, the trial judge should consider all of the circumstances of the case, including the facts of the offense, the seriousness ‍‌​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‍of the crime, and the personal history of the offender. State v. Jackson, supra.

Case Details

Case Name: State ex rel. Sam v. Becker
Court Name: Supreme Court of Louisiana
Date Published: Feb 5, 1988
Citations: 519 So. 2d 122; 1988 La. LEXIS 227; 1988 WL 8236; No. 87-KH-0119
Docket Number: No. 87-KH-0119
Court Abbreviation: La.
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