JONATHAN WILLIAMS, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE

Fla. 2d DCA | 2015-05-22
No. 2D12-6172
CASANUEVA and SALARIO, JJ., Concur.
164 So. 3d 739 Florida District Court of Appeal, Second District (2015) Caution
Cited by 8 cases

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

Jonathan Williams appeals his convictions for sexual battery with a deadly weapon and robbery with a weapon. The trial court sentenced him to life plus thirty years on consecutive sentences, expressly relying on his failure to show remorse and his assertion of innocence. The appellate court affirms the convictions but reverses the sentences for resentencing before a different judge because the trial court relied on impermissible sentencing factors.


Holding

The trial court violated Williams' due process rights by expressly considering impermissible sentencing factors—his assertions of innocence, refusal to admit guilt, and failure to show remorse—in imposing sentences. Such reliance constitutes fundamental error requiring reversal of the sentences and resentencing before a different judge.


Headnotes

[1] A sentencing court commits fundamental error and denies due process when it expressly considers improper factors such as a defendant's assertions of innocence, refusal to…

[2] A trial court's reliance on a defendant's lack of remorse or assertion of innocence as a basis for imposing a sentence constitutes a denial of due process.

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Key Quotes

“When a sentencing court expressly considers the improper factors of a defendant's assertions of innocence and refusal to admit guilt, the truthfulness of his testimony, or the failure to show remorse, fundamental error and a denial of due process occur.”

States the legal standard prohibiting consideration of these factors at sentencing

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Facts & Procedural History

Jonathan Williams was convicted of sexual battery with a deadly weapon and robbery with a weapon. The evidence against him was described as overwhelmi…

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Opinion of the Court
LaROSE, Judge.

LaROSE, Judge.

Jonathan Williams appeals his judgments and sentences for sexual battery with a deadly weapon, as charged, and robbery with a weapon, a lesser included offense of robbery with a firearm. The trial court sentenced Mr. Williams to life in prison on the sexual battery charge, followed by thirty years in prison for the robbery. We have jurisdiction. See Fla. R. App. P. 9.140(b)(1)(A). The trial court imposed the consecutive sentences on the impermissible basis that Mr. Williams failed to show remorse and advanced an incredible defense. We affirm the judgments without further discussion but reverse for resentencing before a new judge.1

Mr. Williams’ criminal punishment code scoresheet called for a minimum allowable prison sentence of 174.9 months (14.575 years) up to a maximum prison sentence of life. In rejecting Mr. Williams’ request for the minimum allowable prison sentence, the trial court expressly noted the overwhelming evidence against Mr. Williams and his implausible defense. The trial court stated, “[Tjhen you stand before this court and say in the face of the evidence which is overwhelming that you’re not guilty, you have absolutely no remorse whatsoever. [] And that is more of an impact on this court’s reasoning for the sentence that I’m about to impose than any other reason.”

When a sentencing court expressly considers the improper factors of a defendant’s assertions of innocence and refusal to admit guilt, the truthfulness of his testimony, or the failure to show remorse, fundamental error and a denial of due process occur. See Gage v. State, 147 So.3d 1020, 1022 (Fla. 2d DCA 2014) (reiterating that trial court’s reliance on impermissible sentencing factors in deciding to impose statutory maximum sentence for battery and sexual battery denied defendant due process and was fundamental error; impermissible factors include lack of remorse, assertions of innocence, failure to accept responsibility, and alleged untruthfulness at trial); Johnson v. State, 120 So.3d 629, 631-32 (Fla. 2d DCA 2013) (finding trial counsel ineffective for failing to object to trial court’s improper consideration at sentencing of defendant’s claims of innocence, his refusal to admit guilt, and the truthfulness of his testimony; remanding for new sentencing hearing before a different judge); Diaz v. State, 106 So.3d 515, 516 (Fla. 2d DCA 2013) (holding that trial court was not permitted to consider truthfulness of defendant’s guilt phase testimony as sentencing factor); Smith v. State, *74162 So.3d 698, 699-700 (Fla. 2d DCA 2011) (express consideration of such improper factors in sentencing denies due process and constitutes fundamental error requiring reversal and resentencing before a different judge); Brown v. State, 27 So.3d 181, 182-83 (Fla. 2d DCA 2010) (reversing sentences for sentencing before a different judge when original judge expressly relied on lack of remorse, thus violating defendant’s due process rights); Hannum v. State, 13 So.3d 132, 135-36 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009) (finding fundamental error where trial court expressly considered defendant’s assertions of innocence and truthfulness of his trial testimony); Bracero v. State, 10 So.3d 664, 665-66 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009) (finding violation of due process when trial court used protestation of innocence against defendant; due process guarantees right to maintain innocence even when faced with overwhelming evidence of guilt).

The record reflects that the trial court relied on improper factors in sentencing Mr. Williams. We reverse and remand for resentencing before a different judge. See Smith, 62 So.3d at 700.2

Judgments affirmed, sentences reversed, and case remanded with directions.

CASANUEVA and SALARIO, JJ., Concur.


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