Case Title: Michael Brown v. State of Florida

Citation: 

Docket Number: SC99-102

State: florida

Court: Florida Supreme Court

Date: 2002-04-18T00:00:00Z

Document:
Supreme 
Court 
of 
Florida
____________
No. SC99-102
____________
MICHAEL BROWN,
Petitioner,
vs.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Respondent.
[April 18, 2002]
PER CURIAM.
We have for review the decision in Brown v. State, 24 Fla. L. Weekly D2753
(Fla. 1st DCA Dec. 8, 1999), in which the First District held that section
775.082(8)(a)2.a., Florida Statutes (1997), which provides for a life sentence for
prison releasee reoffenders who commit “a felony punishable by life,” applies both
to life felonies and first degree felonies punishable by imprisonment for a term of
years not exceeding life.  The district court also upheld the constitutionality of
section 775.082(8), and certified that issue for our review.  We have jurisdiction. 
-2-
See art. V, § 3(b)(4), Fla. Const.  
We upheld the statute’s constitutionality in State v. Cotton, 769 So. 2d 345,
349-50 (Fla. 2000).  We have also recently approved of the district court’s holding
in Brown in Knight v. State, 27 Fla. L. Weekly S81 (Fla. Jan. 24, 2002), a case
presenting the same issue.  
Accordingly, we approve the decision of the district court on the authority of
Cotton and Knight.    
It is so ordered.
WELLS, C.J., and SHAW, HARDING, ANSTEAD, PARIENTE, LEWIS, and
QUINCE, JJ., concur.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND IF
FILED, DETERMINED.
Application for Review of the Decision of the District Court of Appeal - Certified Great
Public Importance
First District - Case No. 1D99-475 
(Duval County)
Nancy A. Daniels, Public Defender, and Richard M. Summa, Assistant Public
Defender, Second Judicial Circuit, Tallahassee, Florida,
for Petitioner
-3-
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, James W. Rogers, Bureau Chief, Criminal
Appeals, and Daniel A. David, Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee, Florida,
for Respondent