Title: Rondell Walker v. State of Indiana

State: indiana

Issuer: Indiana Supreme Court

Document:

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT  
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE 
Derick W. Steele 
 
 
 
 
 
Gregory F. Zoeller 
Kokomo, Indiana 
 
 
 
 
 
Attorney General of Indiana 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gary R. Rom 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deputy Attorney General 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Indianapolis, Indiana 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
 
 
In the 
Indiana Supreme Court  
_________________________________ 
 
No. 34S02-1206-CR-346 
 
 
RONDELL WALKER, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Appellant (Defendant below), 
 
v. 
 
STATE OF INDIANA,  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Appellee (Plaintiff below). 
_________________________________ 
 
Appeal from the Howard Superior Court 
No. 34D01-0904-FA-358 
The Honorable William C. Menges, Judge 
  
_________________________________ 
 
On Petition To Transfer from the Indiana Court of Appeals, No. 34A02-1101-CR-612 
_________________________________ 
 
June 20, 2012 
 
Per Curiam. 
 
Rondell Walker was charged with four counts of drug crimes and two related offenses 
after he was stopped by police for a traffic infraction within 1,000 feet of a family housing 
complex.  He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine as a Class B felony and was initially 
referred to Drug Court.  His participation in that program was later terminated, and the trial court 
FILED
CLERK
of the supreme court,
court of appeals and
tax court
Jun 20 2012, 1:37 pm
2 
 
sentenced him to twenty years, the maximum term.  He appealed, claiming that he was deprived 
of due process during his drug court termination and sentencing hearings and that his sentence 
was inappropriate in light of the nature of the offense and his character.  The Court of Appeals 
affirmed the termination and the sentence in a Memorandum Decision. See Walker v. State, No. 
34A02-1101-CR-612, slip op. (Ind. Ct. App. March 13, 2012).   
 
 
Having reviewed the matter, we grant transfer of jurisdiction, and direct revision of the 
sentence from twenty years to twelve years.  See Abbott v. State, 961 N.E.2d 1016, 1017-1019 
(Ind. 2012) (“but for the police officer’s choice of location in stopping the car in which Abbott 
was a passenger, he would have received no more than the maximum three-year sentence for his 
possession of less than three grams of cocaine.”); Ind. Appellate Rule 7(B).  In all other respects, 
the decision of the Court of Appeals is summarily affirmed.  See Ind. Appellate Rule 58(A). 
 
Dickson, C.J., and Sullivan, Rucker, and David, JJ., concur. 
Massa, J., would deny transfer.