ROSEMARIE JAFRANCOIS, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1994-04-26
No. 93-1484
Before NESBITT, COPE and LEVY, JJ.
636 So. 2d 720 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1994)

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Synopsis

Rosemarie Jafrancois was convicted of third-degree felony child abuse and initially sentenced to 364 days jail plus five years probation. After this court vacated the sentence as exceeding the statutory maximum, the trial judge on remand imposed a modified sentence with a special condition requiring the defendant to abide by juvenile dependency court orders. The appellate court affirmed, holding that events subsequent to the original trial—namely, the institution and proceedings of a juvenile dependency case—justified the special condition.


Holding

The trial court may impose such a special condition because the subsequent juvenile court proceedings and resulting orders constitute events that may cast new light on the defendant's life, habits, conduct, and propensities, and are properly considered at resentencing. The new information justified the addition of the special condition and overcame any presumption of vindictiveness.


Headnotes

[1] A trial judge may impose a new sentence, greater or lesser than the original, based on events occurring after the first sentencing that shed new light on the defendant's…

[2] New information regarding a defendant's conduct or circumstances, discovered after an initial sentencing, can justify the imposition of a special condition of probation.

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Key Quotes

“A trial judge is not constitutionally precluded ... from imposing a new sentence, whether greater or less than the original sentence, in light of events subsequent to the first trial that may have thrown new light upon the defendant's 'life, health, habits, conduct, and mental and moral propensities.'”

Establishes the constitutional basis for modifying a sentence on remand based on intervening events and circumstances

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Facts & Procedural History

Jafrancois was adjudicated guilty of third-degree felony child abuse. She was initially sentenced to 364 days in jail and five years probation, which …

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Opinion of the Court
PER CURIAM.

PER CURIAM.

On motion for rehearing, this court substitutes the following opinion for the original opinion of February 8, 1994.

A trial court adjudicated Rosemarie Jaf-rancois guilty of third-degree felony child abuse, § 827.04(1), Fla.Stat. (1989), and sentenced defendant to 364 days in jail and five years on probation. Thereafter, this court affirmed the conviction but vacated her sentence and remanded for resentencing in Jafrancois v. State, 615 So. 2d 866 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993), holding the trial court had erred in imposing the sentence, as the jail term combined with the probationary period exceeded the five-year statutory maximum sentence for a third-degree felony.

On remand, the judge reduced the five-year term of probation to four years. The judge then expressed his concern for the safety of the child. The judge was advised that a juvenile dependency case had been instituted. The trial judge then ordered that Jafrancois “must abide by the orders of the Juvenile Court dependency case” as a special condition of Jafrancois’ probation. This appeal followed. We affirm.

As stated in North Carolina v. Pearce, 395 U.S. 711, 723, 89 S.Ct. 2072, 2079, 23 L.Ed.2d 656, 668 (1969):

A trial judge is not constitutionally precluded ... from imposing a new sentence, whether greater or less than the original sentence, in light of events subsequent to the first trial that may have thrown new light upon the defendant’s ‘life, health, habits, conduct, and mental and moral propensities.’

See Williams v. New York, 337 U.S. 241, 245, 69 S.Ct. 1079, 1082, 93 L.Ed. 1337, 1341 (1949). “[T]he punishment should fit the offender and not merely the crime.” Williams, 337 U.S. at 247, 69 S.Ct. at 1083. Here, the record reflects a dependency hearing was merely anticipated at the time of the original sentencing. Therefore, the juvenile court proceedings and resulting orders regarding the mother’s interaction with the child were events subsequent to the first trial, which the judge was permitted to take into account in resentencing the defendant. Pearce, 395 U.S. at 721-23, 89 S.Ct. at 2079. See United States v. Durbin, 542 F. 2d 486 (8th Cir.1976). Identification of new information justified the addition of the special condition and overcame the general presumption of vindictiveness which otherwise prohibits such action. See Weekly v. State, 584 So. 2d 78 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991).

Accordingly, the order under review is affirmed.

NESBITT and LEVY, JJ., concur.

Concurrence
COPE, Judge

COPE, Judge

(specially concurring).

I agree that there had been a material change in circumstances between the time of the original sentencing and the resentencing, which change was properly taken into account at resentencing.

Affirmance is in order for an additional independent reason. This appeal is completely without merit. At the resentencing hearing there was extensive discussion of the proposed special condition of probation. Defense counsel asked to have a moment to consult with his client. After that consultation, defense counsel went on the record and stated, “Judge, my client will agree to have a special condition of probation that she will abide by all the orders that are entered by the Juvenile Court in the dependency case.” The State concurred, and the condition was imposed pursuant to that agreement. Defendant cannot now claim that imposition of that very condition was error. The issue is not properly preserved for appellate review.


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