DOMINIC DIMITRE DYETT
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA

Fla. 1st DCA | 2020-06-29
No. 19-0256
Wolf, J., Makar, J., Nordby, J.
Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (2020)

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Synopsis

Dominic Dyett was convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and home invasion robbery, but the trial court improperly reclassified the aggravated battery charge from a second-degree to first-degree felony. The appellate court reversed and remanded for resentencing, holding that when use of a weapon is an essential element of the offense, reclassification is improper.


Holding

The reclassification was improper. When the use of a weapon or firearm is an essential element of the offense, the trial court cannot reclassify a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony based on that same use of a weapon.


Headnotes

[1] A second-degree felony cannot be reclassified as a first-degree felony when the use of a weapon or firearm is an essential element of the offense.

[2] Reclassification of a crime is improper when the use of a weapon is an essential element of the offense.

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Key Quotes

“it [is] improper for the trial court to reclassify the second-degree felony to a first-degree felony”

Establishes the core holding that reclassification is improper when use of a weapon is an essential element

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Facts & Procedural History

Dyett was convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and home invasion robbery with a firearm. During the home invasion, Dyett pistol-whippe…

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Opinion of the Court
Nordby

PER CURIAM.

Dominic Dimitre Dyett was convicted of one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and use of a firearm and one count of home invasion robbery with a firearm. During the course of the home invasion, Dyett pistol-whipped the victim with the firearm. Dyett claims that the charge of aggravated battery, a second-degree felony, was improperly reclassified as a first-degree felony; the State agrees and concedes error. Where the use of a weapon or firearm is an essential element of the offense, as in this case, “it [is] improper for the trial court to reclassify the second-degree felony to a first-degree felony.” Montgomery v. State, 704 So. 2d 548, 551 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997); see also Perry v. State, 858 So. 2d 1270, 1271 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005) (“reclassification is not proper where the use of a weapon is an essential element of the offense”);

Cargle v. State, 829 So. 2d 366, 367 (Fla. 1st DCA 2002) (“When a defendant is convicted of aggravated battery based on the use of a deadly weapon, this crime cannot be enhanced based on this same use of a weapon.”). As such, we reverse and remand with instructions to resentence on the aggravated battery as a second-degree felony with a firearm and adjust the scoresheet accordingly.

REVERSED and REMANDED. WOLF, MAKAR, and NORDBY, JJ., concur. _____________________________


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