JAMES ROBERT HANKS, PETITIONER,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, RESPONDENT
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The Florida Supreme Court resolved a conflict between district courts regarding whether trial courts may assess additional sentencing points for firearm possession when the defendant's conviction is solely for carrying a concealed weapon or firearm possession by a convicted felon. The Court held that such additional points cannot be assessed when firearm possession is the essential element of the underlying offense.
It is error for a trial court to assess additional sentencing points for possessing a firearm where the sole underlying crime is carrying a concealed firearm or possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentencing guidelines do not contemplate the addition of such points where firearm possession is the essential element of the underlying offense.
[1] Additional sentencing points for carrying or possessing a firearm may not be assessed when the sole underlying crime is carrying a concealed firearm or possession of a fi…
[2] Sentencing points for carrying or possessing a firearm are not contemplated when the carrying or possession of a firearm is the essential element of the underlying offens…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“it is error for a trial court to assess additional sentencing points for possessing a firearm where the sole underlying crime is carrying a concealed firearm or possession of a firearm by a convicted felon”
Establishes the core holding that sentencing points cannot be added when firearm possession is the essential element of the conviction
Previewing 1 of 2 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceJames Robert Hanks was convicted and received a sentencing score that included additional points for carrying or possessing a firearm. The trial court…
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PER CURIAM.
We have for review the decision in State v. Hanks, 700 So. 2d 779 (Fla. 2d DCA 1997), which the district court certified to be in conflict with the opinion in Galloway v. State, 680 So. 2d 616 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996), concerning the issue of whether additional sentencing points for carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a crime may be added to a defendant’s sentencing score where the defendant is convicted of carrying a concealed weapon or possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const. Recently, we resolved this conflict in White v. State, 714 So. 2d 440, 23 Fla. L. Weekly S 311 (Fla.1998), wherein we held that it is error for a trial court to assess additional sentencing points for possessing a firearm where the sole underlying crime is carrying a concealed firearm or possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In other words, rule 3.702(d)(12) of the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure and section 921.0014, Florida Statutes (1993), do not contemplate the addition of sentencing points for carrying or possessing a firearm where the carrying or possession of a firearm is the essential element of the underlying offense. In so holding, we approved the Fourth District’s opinion in Galloway.
Therefore, in accordance with our decision in White, we quash the decision below. We also decline to address petitioner’s remaining point on review as it is beyond the scope of the conflict issue and has been rendered moot by our disposition of this case.1
It is so ordered.
HARDING, C.J., and OVERTON, SHAW, KOGAN and ANSTEAD, JJ., concur. WELLS, J., dissents with an opinion.
. Petitioner argues that the district court lacked jurisdiction of the State’s appeal because the alleged error did not render the sentence illegal, nor was the sentence outside of the sentencing guidelines.
WELLS, Justice,
dissenting.
I dissent for the reasons stated in my dissenting opinions in Asbell v. State, 715 So. 2d 258 (Fla.1998); and White v. State, 714 So. 2d 440, 23 Fla. L. Weekly S311 (Fla.1998).
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Authorities Cited
- White v. State, 714 So. 2d 440 (Fla. 1998)
- Galloway v. State, 680 So. 2d 616 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996)
- Asbell v. State, 715 So. 2d 258 (Fla. 1998)
- State v. Hanks, 700 So. 2d 779 (Fla. 2d DCA 1997)