BILLY LAWRENCE VANN, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1979-02-06
No. 77-2149
Before HAVERFIELD, C. J., and PEARSON and HENDRY, JJ.
366 So. 2d 1241 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1979) Caution
Cited by 14 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

Billy Lawrence Vann appeals his convictions for aggravated assault and attempted murder in the second degree, challenging the rejection of his insanity defense, the denial of his motion to withdraw guilty pleas, and the imposition of consecutive mandatory sentences. The Florida District Court of Appeal affirms the convictions but remands for consideration of a sentence reduction motion.


Holding

The court affirmed the rejection of the insanity defense, finding sufficient psychiatric evidence that Vann possessed the capacity to comprehend the wrongfulness of his actions. The court also affirmed the denial of the motion to withdraw guilty pleas, finding that the trial judge clearly informed Vann that jail time was involved before he entered his pleas. The court affirmed the imposition of consecutive sentences, holding that while Brown v. State prohibits mandatory consecutive sentences, it does not prohibit them—leaving the decision within the trial judge's discretion.


Headnotes

[1] A trial court's determination of sanity is supported by sufficient competent evidence when psychiatric reports opine that the defendant possessed the capacity to comprehe…

[2] A defendant is not entitled to withdraw a guilty plea based on a lack of awareness of a mandatory sentence when the trial court explicitly stated that jail time might be…

Previewing 2 of 4 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.

Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence

Key Quotes

“there may be jail time involved”

Establishes that the trial judge informed defendant of potential incarceration before he entered his guilty pleas, refuting his claim of ignorance about mandatory sentencing

Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.

Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence

Facts & Procedural History

Vann was charged in three separate cases with aggravated assault, attempted murder in the second degree, and carrying a concealed firearm. He initiall…

The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.

Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence

© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.


Opinion of the Court
HAVERFIELD, Chief Judge.

HAVERFIELD, Chief Judge.

Billy Lawrence Vann, defendant, appeals his convictions and sentences for aggravated assault and attempted murder in the second degree.

In three informations Vann was charged with: aggravated assault (Case No. 76- 10394), attempted murder in the second degree (Case No. 77-860) and carrying a concealed firearm (Case No. 77-2529). Initially he entered pleas of not guilty by reason of insanity to all three charges which arose out of separate incidents. Case No. 76-10394 was tried non-jury and after the prosecution presented a prima facie case and the trial judge rejected his defense of insanity, Yann withdrew his not guilty to all three charges (Cases Nos. 76-10394, 77-860, and 77-2529). When the trial judge informed Vann that the aggravated assault and attempted murder in the second degree charges necessitated mandatory consecutive three-year sentences, Vann moved to withdraw the guilty pleas to these two charges. His motion was denied and Vann was sentenced to consecutive sentences of three years each for aggravated assault and attempted murder and five years probation for carrying a concealed firearm.

Vann first urges as reversible error the rejection of his defense of insanity.

With respect to this issue the record contains the reports of two psychiatrists who opined that Vann did possess the capacity to comprehend the wrongfulness of his actions at the time he committed the acts for which he was charged. We, therefore, conclude that there was sufficient competent evidence to support the determination of the trial judge, sitting as the trier of the facts, that Vann was sane. Cf. French v. State, 266 So. 2d 51 (Fla. 3d DCA 1972).

For the next two points on appeal, Vann argues that the trial court erred in (1) refusing to allow him to withdraw his guilty pleas to the charges of attempted second degree murder and aggravated battery; and (2) sentencing him to two consecutive mandatory sentences.

Vann contends that he should have been allowed to withdraw his guilty pleas because he was not aware at the time of the entry of his pleas that the convictions would carry with them a mandatory three-year sentence. The colloquy between Vann’s counsel and the trial judge clearly refutes this assertion. In fact, the trial judge stated in open court that “there may be jail time involved” and requested that defense counsel submit a memorandum on the issue of a mandatory sentence.

As concerns the imposition of the three-year consecutive sentences, again we find no error. Vann argues that based upon the holding in Brown v. State, 353 So. 2d 214 (Fla. 2d DCA 1977) the imposition of consecutive mandatory sentences was improper. Brown simply holds that when a defendant is convicted on separate counts each of which fall within that category of crimes requiring a mandatory three-year sentence pursuant to Section 775.087(2), Florida Statutes (1975), consecutive sentences are not mandated thereunder. However, neither are such consecutive sentences prohibited. It is within the discretion of the trial judge to impose concurrent or consecutive sentences. Brown, supra, at 215. The consecutive sentences not being improper, this point on appeal must fail.

Nevertheless, the transcript of the sentence hearing does reflect that the trial judge was inclined to sentence Vann to concurrent three-year terms, but was of the opinion that he was prohibited by Section 775.087(2), Florida Statutes (1975). We, therefore, note that upon remand Vann may timely file a motion for reduction of sentence pursuant to Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.800.

We also considered Vann’s final point on appeal urging error in the denial of his motion for new trial and conclude that no reversible error has been made to appear.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Cited By

  • Davis v. State, 392 So. 2d 947 (Fla. 3d DCA 1980)
    …; Jenkins v. Wainwright, 322 So. 2d 477 (Fla.1975); Estevez v. State, 313 So. 2d 692 (Fla.1975), and this result is not altered by the fact that a consecutive three-year mandatory minimum sentence attached to the kidnapping count, see Vann v. State, 366 So. 2d 1241 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979). Affirmed in part; reversed in part. . Count III, charging grand larceny, was dismissed. . Davis’ plea of guilty to the offense of possession and display of a firearm waives any claim of double jeopardy, Robinson v. State, 239…
  • Baker v. State, 431 So. 2d 263 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983)
    …ted 8 FLW No. 3 (Fla. January 21, 1983) (No. 62,449), three year minimum mandatory sentences were imposed on each of thirteen related robberies. Such double minimum mandatory sentences may also be [*266] made to run consecutively. See Vann v. State, 366 So. 2d 1241 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979), and Palmer v. State, supra. On this point, the whole difference between the majority and this dissent is simply whether or not as a matter of law aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a true necessarily lesser included offen…
  • Drew v. State, 478 So. 2d 69 (Fla. 5th DCA 1985)
    …l assume that each arose out of separate incidents occurring at separate times and places. Therefore, the court could have imposed either consecutive or concurrent minimum mandatory sentences. Palmer v. State, 438 So. 2d 1 (Fla.1983); Vann v. State, 366 So. 2d 1241 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1979). However, neither Palmer nor Vann permit the running of the three year minimum parts of the sentences in a sequence different from the balance of each sentence. In Palmer, the court held that consecutive mandatory minimum senten…
    1 / 2

Previewing 3 of 6 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.

Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence

Authorities Cited

Full citator, related cases, and AI research tools

Open in FLexlaw