DONEEL MCNEAL, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 5th DCA | 2003-11-21
No. 5D03-3101
PETERSON and ORFINGER, JJ., concur.
859 So. 2d 579 Florida District Court of Appeal, Fifth District (2003)

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Synopsis

Doneel McNeal appeals the denial of his second Rule 3.850 motion (post-conviction relief) challenging his habitual offender sentence for cocaine trafficking. The court holds that McNeal could not be legally habitualized under the 1997 version of the sentencing statute for his offense, but affirms in part and reverses in part, allowing the State to choose between resentencing him under the Criminal Punishment Code or withdrawing from the plea agreement.


Holding

McNeal could not legally be habitualized for trafficking in cocaine of 200-400 grams under the 1997 version of section 893.135(l)(b)1, Florida Statutes. The court reversed the denial of his claim regarding the illegal habitual offender sentence and remanded with the State given the option to either agree to resentencing under the Criminal Punishment Code or withdraw from the plea agreement and proceed on the original charge.


Headnotes

[1] A defendant convicted of trafficking in cocaine in an amount of more than 200 grams, but less than 400 grams, under the 1997 version of section 893.135(1)(b)1, Florida St…

[2] A state is not bound to accept a sentence it did not bargain for when a plea agreement is found to be based on a misconception.

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Key Quotes

“under the 1997 version of section 893.135(l)(b)l, Florida Statutes, a criminal defendant convicted of trafficking in cocaine in an amount of more than 200 grams, but less than 400 grams had to have been sentenced pursuant to the sentencing guidelines, and could not be sentenced as an habitual felony offender”

Establishes the legal standard that prohibits habitual offender sentencing for McNeal's specific trafficking offense

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Facts & Procedural History

McNeal pled guilty to trafficking in 200-400 grams of cocaine, a lesser included offense to the originally charged trafficking in 400+ grams. He was s…

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Opinion of the Court
MONACO, J.

MONACO, J.

Doneel McNeal appeals the summary denial of his second rule 3.850 motion. All of the grounds contained for reversal alleged by Mr. McNeal are either successive, time barred, or barred by the law of the case doctrine, except for his assertion that his habitual offender sentence is illegal. Because Mr. McNeal could not legally be habitualized under the version of the statute under which he was convicted, we reverse.

Mr. McNeal pled guilty to trafficking in 200 grams or more of cocaine, but less than 400 grams, an included offense to the charged crime of trafficking in 400 grams or more of cocaine. He was sentenced to ten years in state prison as an habitual felony offender, pursuant to a plea bargain. His previous appeals left his judgment and sentence intact.1

Mr. McNeal’s most recent rule 3.850 motion alleged, among other things, that his habitual offender sentence is illegal because he could not lawfully be habitualized for a trafficking offense. As the State acknowledges, this court held in Washington v. State, 814 So. 2d 1187 (Fla. 5th DCA), review dismissed, 831 So. 2d 675 (Fla.2002), that under the 1997 version of section 893.135(l)(b)l, Florida Statutes, a criminal defendant convicted of trafficking in cocaine in an amount of more than 200 grams, but less than 400 grams had to have been sentenced pursuant to the sentencing guidelines, and could not be sentenced as an habitual felony offender. See also Haynes v. State, 765 So. 2d 928 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000).

The State argues, however, that since Mr. McNeal was sentenced in accordance with a plea bargain in which the State agreed to allow him to plea to a lesser included offense, it should on remand be given the option of either agreeing to Mr. McNeal being resentenced under the Criminal Punishment Code, or withdrawing from the plea agreement and either entering into a new agreement or trying Mr. McNeal for the originally charged offense. As the case law clearly supports this position, we agree. See, e.g., Clay v. State, 750 So. 2d 153 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000); Rainey v. State, 741 So. 2d 1207 (Fla. 1st DCA 1999). In the words of one of our sister courts, “Just as a defendant is not bound by a misconceived bargain, the state likewise is not bound to accept a sentence it did not bargain for.” Forshee v. State, 579 So. 2d 388, 389 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991).

We, therefore, affirm the trial court’s order denying Mr. McNeal’s rule 3.850 motion, except with respect to his claim that his habitual offender sentence is illegal. In that regard we reverse the trial court’s order and remand. Upon remand, the State shall be given the option of either agreeing to the resentencing of Mr. McNeal under the Criminal Punishment Code on the lesser charge, or withdrawing from the plea bargain and proceeding against Mr. McNeal under the charge as originally brought.

AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part.

PETERSON and ORFINGER, JJ., concur. . See McNeal v. State, 751 So. 2d 596 (Fla. 5th DCA 2000); McNeal v. State, 791 So. 2d 488 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001), review dismissed, 805 So. 2d 808 (Fla.2002).


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