CARL E. HURD, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Carl Hurd appealed the denial of his motion for postconviction relief, arguing his plea agreement guaranteed parole eligibility after 25 years. The court affirmed the denial regarding first-degree murder sentences but reversed as to an attempted first-degree murder sentence that violated the plea terms, reducing it from a guidelines life sentence to 25 years.
The court held that first-degree murder sentences properly carried parole eligibility after 25 years under the applicable statute. However, the attempted first-degree murder sentence was an illegal guidelines life sentence without parole that violated the plea agreement and must be reduced to 25 years. The court rejected the State's timeliness defense by treating the motion as a correction of illegal sentence rather than a postconviction relief motion.
[1] A life sentence for first-degree murder, imposed for crimes committed prior to statutory amendments eliminating parole eligibility, carries parole eligibility after twent…
[2] A guidelines life sentence for attempted first-degree murder does not carry parole eligibility.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Under the statutes in effect at the time of the crimes, a life sentence for first degree murder carries parole eligibility after twenty-five years.”
Establishes that the first-degree murder sentences complied with the plea agreement and applicable law
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceHurd was indicted for first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder in two separate cases (crimes dated January 11, 1994 and March 25, 1994). …
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COPE, J.
Carl E. Hurd appeals an order denying his motion for postconviction relief. We affirm in part and reverse in part. Defendant-appellant Hurd was indicted for first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, and other offenses in Miami-Dade County circuit court case number 94-1017. The crime date was March 25, 1994.
Defendant was indicted for first degree murder and another offense in Miami-Dade County circuit court case number 94-1018. The crime date was January 11, 1994.
In exchange for a waiver of the death penalty on the first degree murder charges, defendant entered into a plea bargain in both cases. As outlined in the plea colloquy, defendant was to be sentenced to life imprisonment and would be eligible for parole after serving twenty-five years.
While serving his sentences, defendant was advised by an inmate law clerk that his sentences for first degree murder carried the life penalty without eligibility for parole. Defendant filed his motion for postconviction relief. He argued that he should be relieved from the pleas because the terms of the pleas could not be carried out.
With respect to the sentences for first degree murder, the defendant and the inmate law clerk are in error. Under the statutes in effect at the time of the crimes, a life sentence for first degree murder carries parole eligibility after twenty-five years. See § 775.082(1), Fla. Stat. (1993).1
There is, however, a problem with defendant’s sentence for count II, attempted first degree murder, in circuit court case number 94-1017. Defendant received a life sentence on that count. That is a guidelines life sentence, and there is no parole for a guidelines life sentence. See § 921.001(10), Fla. Stat. (1993); Wemett v. State, 567 So. 2d 882, 884 (Fla.1990).
There is no doubt that the plea agreement in this case was for parole eligibility after twenty-five years. Defendant is entitled to have the sentence on count II amended in order to carry out the terms of the plea agreement. We therefore direct that the sentence on count II be reduced to twenty-five years. Defendant need not be present.
The State acknowledges that the plea agreement was for parole eligibility after twenty-five years. The State opposes postconviction relief, however, arguing that the defendant had to seek postconviction relief within two years after imposition of the sentences in this case. Defendant was sentenced in 1996, and more than two years have elapsed.
We reject the State’s argument on this point. Where a sentencing order fails to carry out the terms of a pleg bargain, the matter can be treated as a motion to correct illegal sentence. Ferguson v. State, 778 So. 2d 387 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001). We therefore treat the defendant’s Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850 motion as a motion brought under Rule 3.800(a).
For the reasons stated, we reverse the trial court order in part and remand for modification of sentence on count II of circuit case number 94-1017. We affirm the denial of the defendant’s remaining claims for relief.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for modification of sentence.
. The statute was subsequently amended by chapter 94-228, Laws of Florida, to eliminate parole on a life sentence for a capital felony, but the statutory change did not become effective until after the date of the defendant’s crimes. Thus, chapter 94-228 does not apply to the defendant.
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Saint-Fleur v. State, 840 So. 2d 261 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002)…fenses are covered by the sentencing guidelines. Under the guidelines, a life sentence is for a term of natural life without the possibility of parole. See § 921.001(10), Fla. Stat. (1991); Wemett v. State, 567 So. 2d 882 (Fla.1990); Hurd v. State, 807 So. 2d 753 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002). Since the defendant is serving a life sentence and there is no prospect for release, the deportation order is entirely immaterial. Further, where a defendant enters a plea in exchange for a sentence of life imprisonment without…
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Williams v. State, 8 So. 3d 1276 (Fla. 4th DCA 2009)…PER CURIAM. The denial of appellant’s rule 3.850 motion is affirmed. Nevertheless, based on the date of appellant’s offenses, it appears he is in fact eligible for parole. See Duffy v. State, 874 So. 2d 1242 (Fla. 2d DCA 2004); Hurd v. State, 807 So. 2d 753, 754 (Fla. 3d DCA 2002); Johnson v. State, 679 So. 2d 9 (Fla. 4th DCA 1996); Dolan v. State, 618 So. 2d 271, 272 (Fla. 2d DCA 1993). Although he has no absolute right to parole, he is entitled to proper consideration for parole. See Moore v. Fla. Pa…
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Previewing 3 of 4 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Wemett v. State, 567 So. 2d 882 (Fla. 1990)
- Ferguson v. State, 778 So. 2d 387 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001)