Case Name: Cornelius WILSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1984-01-25
Citations: 449 So. 2d 822
Docket Number: No. AT-293
Parties: Cornelius WILSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: LARRY G. SMITH, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 449
Pages: 822–826

Head Matter:
Cornelius WILSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. AT-293.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Jan. 25, 1984.
On Rehearing March 19, 1984.
Rehearing Denied May 10, 1984.
Glenna Joyce Reeves, Asst. Public Defender, Tallahassee, for appellant.
Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., and Richard A. Patterson, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, for appellee.

Opinion:
WIGGINTON, Judge.
Appellant pled guilty to an amended two-count information charging sexual battery with a firearm and kidnapping with a firearm. He was sentenced to two consecutive thirty-year sentences with consecutive three-year mandatory minimum sentences. The court retained jurisdiction under section 947.16(3), Florida Statutes (Supp.1982) for the first one-half of each sentence for review of a parole commission release order. On appeal, appellant raises three points, contending (I) the trial court failed to state sufficient reasons for retention of jurisdiction; (II) the trial court erred in retaining jurisdiction over appellant for one-half of each of the consecutive sentences imposed instead of the total of those sentences; and (III) the trial court erred in imposing cumulative three-year mandatory minimum sentences for multiple offenses arising out of the same criminal episode. We reverse on all three points and remand for resentencing in accordance with this opinion.
As to point I, the trial court articulated the following reason for its retaining jurisdiction for the first one-half of each of appellant's sentences:
The express reason for that being that the present status of the Parole Commission and its policies and philosophies relative to release from incarceration does not meet with the approval of the trial judiciary of this state, particularly to this Court, and, therefore, this Court feels that a judicial officer, and a judicial officer elected by the people alone, should make the determination as to when you are eligible for parole.
By no stretch of the imagination does that articulated reason satisfy the requirements of specificity and particularity set forth in section 947.16(3)(a), Florida Statutes (Supp. 1982). See Saname v. State, 427 So.2d 1083 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983); and Abbott v. State, 421 So.2d 24 (Fla. 1st DCA 1982). Because the statement is statutorily deficient, on remand the trial court is instructed either to relinquish retention of jurisdiction or to enter an order setting forth the particular facts and circumstances of the crime, or the particular characteristics and propensities of the appellant, which justify a retention of jurisdiction. Abbott.
Regarding point II, we hold the trial court erred in retaining jurisdiction to review any parole commission release order for one-half of each of the consecutive thirty-year sentences. As recognized by our sister courts in the second and third districts in Adams v. State, 435 So.2d 953 (Fla.2d DCA 1983) and Goree v. State, 411 So.2d 1352 (Fla.3d DCA 1982), the trial court has the authority under section 947.-16(3) to retain jurisdiction over one-half of the total consecutive sentences imposed, but not over the first one-half of each of the consecutive sentences imposed.
The state relies on the supreme court's decision in Harmon v. State, 438 So.2d 369 (Fla.1983), decided subsequent to Adams and Goree. In Harmon, however, the issue was not precisely that which is raised under this point, but rather whether the imposition of six consecutive 100-year terms, with the trial court's retaining jurisdiction for one-third of each sentence violates the constitutional prohibition against indefinite terms of imprisonment contained in article I, section 17, Florida Constitution, and whether the retention of jurisdiction for a period of 200 years imposes a greater penalty than if the court had imposed consecutive life sentences. Language in Harmon suggests the supreme court would condone the trial court's action challenged here; and we note that whether the trial court reserves jurisdiction for one-third or one-half of each consecutive sentence, or for one-third or one-half of the total consecutive sentences, the result is numerically equal. Nevertheless, we are compelled to reverse by the plain meaning of section 947.16(3) which authorizes a trial court judge to reserve jurisdiction for one-half "of the total consecutive sentences imposed." [Emphasis added.] Therefore, on remand the court is directed to reconsider the period of retention in accordance with section 947.16(3).
Finally, as to point III, the trial court erred in imposing two consecutive mandatory minimum sentences. See Palmer v. State, 438 So.2d 1 (Fla.1983); and Sams v. State, 441 So.2d 180 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983). Accordingly, on remand the trial court is directed to correct the sentences so that the two mandatory minimum sentences will be served concurrently.
LARRY G. SMITH, J., concurs.
NIMMONS, J., concurs with written opinion.
. Harmon, Adams and Goree were decided under the 1981 version of section 947.16(3) which authorizes the trial court judge to reserve jurisdiction for one-third of the total consecutive sentences. Section 947.16(3) was amended in 1982 by chapter 82-171, Laws of Florida, to allow retention of jurisdiction for one-half of the sentences imposed.