Case Title: State v. Bacon

Citation: 169 Vt. 268, 733 A.2d 50

Docket Number: 98-089

State: vermont

Court: Vermont Supreme Court

Date: 1999-05-14T00:00:00Z

Document:
State v. Bacon (98-089); 169 Vt. 268; 733 A.2d 50

[Filed 14-May-1999]

       NOTICE:  This opinion is subject to motions for reargument under
  V.R.A.P. 40 as well as formal  revision before publication in the Vermont
  Reports.  Readers are requested to notify the Reporter  of Decisions,
  Vermont Supreme Court, 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont 05609-0801 of
  any  errors in order that corrections may be made before this opinion goes
  to press.

                                 No. 98-089

State of Vermont	                           Supreme Court

                                                   On Appeal from
     v.		                                   District Court of Vermont,
                                                   Unit No. 1, Windham Circuit

Christopher Bacon	                           March Term, 1999

Paul F. Hudson, J.

Dan M. Davis, Windham County State's Attorney, and James E. Maxwell, Deputy
  State's Attorney, Brattleboro, for Plaintiff-Appellee.

Robert R. Bent of Zuccaro, Willis and Bent, St. Johnsbury, for
  Defendant-Appellant.

PRESENT:  Amestoy, C.J., Dooley, Morse, Johnson and Skoglund, JJ.

       JOHNSON, J.   Defendant appeals his sentence for felony murder arguing
  that: (1) the  disparity between defendant's sentence and that imposed on a
  co-perpetrator violates defendant's  right to equal protection of the laws,
  (2) the victim's standing in the community was improperly  considered by
  the sentencing judge, and (3) juror testimony was improperly excluded.  We
  affirm.

  

                                     I.

       Defendant was convicted of felony murder (FN1) and sentenced to life
  imprisonment  without possibility of parole.  Defendant's co-perpetrator,
  Charles Gundlah, was sentenced by a  different judge to sixty years to life
  with the possibility for parole for his participation in the same  crime. 
  See State v. Gundlah, 166 Vt. 518, 520,