CHARLES M. PLOWMAN, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Charles M. Plowman appealed the denial of his motion to correct an illegal sentence under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800, arguing that his three convictions for possession of firearms by a convicted felon violated double jeopardy because they arose from the same act. The court affirmed the summary denial but held that double jeopardy claims may be raised for the first time in postconviction relief, provided the claim is brought through the proper procedural vehicle of a rule 3.850 motion rather than a rule 3.800 motion.
Double jeopardy violations may be raised for the first time in postconviction proceedings because the right is fundamental and not waived by failure to raise it at trial or on direct appeal, unless a knowing waiver occurs. However, the specific relief sought must be pursued through the appropriate procedural mechanism: a rule 3.850 motion to vacate convictions, not a rule 3.800 motion to correct a sentence. The trial court's summary denial of the rule 3.800 motion was affirmed but without prejudice to pursuing relief through a pending rule 3.850 motion.
[1] A double jeopardy claim may be raised for the first time in a postconviction proceeding, even if not raised at trial or on direct appeal, unless a knowing waiver of the r…
[2] A motion to correct an illegal sentence under Rule 3.800 is not the proper vehicle to vacate convictions and sentences; such relief is sought through a Rule 3.850 motion.
Previewing 2 of 5 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“that the term 'any firearm' is ambiguous with respect to the unit of prosecution and must be treated as a single offense with multiple convictions and punishments being precluded.”
Establishes the legal principle from Watts v. State that statutes using 'any firearm' language cannot support multiple convictions for a single act.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligencePlowman was convicted of three counts of possession of firearms by a convicted felon in violation of section 790.23, Florida Statutes (1987), arising …
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PER CURIAM.
Charles M. Plowman appeals the summary denial of his motion to correct illegal sentence filed pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800. We affirm this case without prejudice to Plowman to seek relief pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850.
In his motion, Plowman alleges that his convictions and sentences for three counts of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, in violation of section 790.23, Florida Statutes (1987), run afoul of the prohibition against double jeopardy because all three counts stemmed from the same act. In support of his claim, Plowman relies on Watts v. State, 462 So. 2d 813 (Fla.1985), in which the supreme court held that a defendant could not be subjected to multiple convictions and punishments for possession of two prison-made knives where the statute under which he was prosecuted made it unlawful “to introduce into or upon the grounds of any state correctional institution ... any firearm or weapon of any kind....” § 944.47, Fla.Stat. (1981).
The court, relying on decisions from the federal courts, reasoned “that the term ‘any firearm’ is ambiguous with respect to the unit of prosecution and must be treated as a single offense with multiple convictions and punishments being precluded.” 462 So. 2d at 814 (citations omitted).
Plowman contends that because section 790.23(1) makes it unlawful for a convicted felon to possess “any firearm or electric weapon or device or to carry a concealed weapon, including all tear gas guns and chemical weapons or devices,” he cannot be convicted and sentenced for three counts of a violation of the statute arising out of the same act for simultaneously possessing three illegal weapons.
This allegation is facially sufficient to require an evidentiary hearing or attachments of portions of the record which conclusively refute Plowman’s contention. See McKinstry v. State, 437 So. 2d 165 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983). The trial court did neither in this case. Rather, the trial court based its summary denial on the fact that Plowman’s direct appeal, which resulted in an affirmance, had become law of the case. Our review of our own court records reveals that this issue was not raised or addressed in Plowman’s direct appeal.
Generally, postconviction relief will not be granted on grounds that “could have or should have been raised at trial and, if properly preserved, on direct appeal of the judgment and sentence.” Fla.R.Crim.P. 3.850. The supreme court has held, however, that because the right not to be twice placed in jeopardy is “fundamental,” double jeopardy violations may be raised for the first time in a postconviction proceeding, even where that conviction is the result of a guilty plea, except where a knowing waiver of the right has occurred. State v. Johnson, 483 So. 2d 420, 422 (Fla.1986).
The court rejected the state’s argument that Johnson had waived his right to raise the double jeopardy violation by not raising it at the time he was tried on the charges. Id. See also Hudson v. Louisiana, 450 U.S. 40, 101 S.Ct. 970, 67 L.Ed.2d 30 (1981) (double jeopardy claim entertained even though not raised until federal habeas corpus proceedings filed at conclusion of all appeals). Just as a prisoner does not waive a double jeopardy violation for failing to raise the issue at trial, we hold that a prisoner does not waive a double jeopardy violation for failing to raise the issue on direct appeal from the judgment and sentence.
Although we hold that this claim may be raised for the first time on a motion for postconviction relief, we, nevertheless, affirm the trial court’s summary denial of Plowman’s rule 3.800 motion. The relief sought via that motion is the correction of an illegal sentence. Plowman, on the other hand, seeks to vacate the convictions and sentences on two counts of felonious possession of firearms. This relief is properly sought through a rule 3.850 motion to vacate, set aside or correct the judgment or sentence. See Ferenc v. State, 563 So. 2d 707 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990).
Thus, our affirmance of the summary denial of Plowman’s rule 3.800 motion is without prejudice to Plowman raising this issue on a rule 3.850 motion.
We note that he has such a motion pending in the trial court in which he has raised this double jeopardy violation.
The trial court should entertain this allegation in that pending motion.
PARKER and PATTERSON, JJ., concur. CAMPBELL, A.C.J., concurring in result only.
CAMPBELL, Acting Chief Judge,
concurring in result only.
I agree with the affirmance of the denial of appellant’s motion to correct illegal sentence filed pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800. I do not consider it appropriate without the entire record of proceedings before us to comment on or allude to the possible merit, or lack thereof, of appellant’s 3.850 motion that is presently pending in the trial court.
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Coughlin v. State, 932 So. 2d 1224 (Fla. 2d DCA 2006)…See Novaton v. State, 634 So. 2d 607, 608 (Fla.1994). The postconviction court denied this claim because it attacks Coughlin’s convictions, rather than his sentences, and is therefore not cognizable under rule 3.800(a). See, e.g., Plowman v. State, 586 So. 2d 454, 456 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991); Henry v. State, 920 So. 2d 1204, 1205 (Fla. 4th DCA 2006); Salazar v. State, 675 So. 2d 654, 655 (Fla. 3d DCA 1996); State v. Spella, 567 So. 2d 1051, 1051 (Fla. 5th DCA 1990); Ferenc v. State, 563 So. 2d 707, 707 (Fla. 1st…
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Sanders v. State, 621 So. 2d 723 (Fla. 5th DCA 1993)…on of double jeopardy to those convictions, based on the facts of that case, but we did not decide the case on that ground. We held that double jeopardy concerns cannot be addressed in the context of Rule 3.800(a) motions. See also Plowman v. State, 586 So. 2d 454 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991); Ferenc v. State, 563 So. 2d 707 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990). Any other interpretation would provide an easy escape route around the time-bar for collateral attack on criminal judgments provided by Rule 3.850.7 In this ease, Sanders is lo…
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Rudolf v. State, 851 So. 2d 839 (Fla. 2d DCA 2003)…raised on direct appeal, see Johnson v. State, 747 So. 2d 1027 (Fla. 2d DCA 1999), and a double jeopardy violation is likewise cognizable as a claim in a rule 3.850 motion. See Tidwell v. State, 790 So. 2d 1184 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001); Plowman v. State, 586 So. 2d 454 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991). Thus, we treat Ru-dolfs claim as one asserting a double jeopardy violation as a result of the convictions for grand theft motor vehicle (count one) and grand theft (count four). In count four the State charged grand theft based…
Previewing 3 of 19 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- State v. Johnson, 483 So. 2d 420 (Fla. 1986)
- Hudson v. Louisiana, 450 U.S. 40 (U.S. 1981)
- State v. Watts, 462 So. 2d 813 (Fla. 1985)
- Ferenc v. State, 563 So. 2d 707 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990)
- McKINSTRY v. State, 437 So. 2d 165 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983)