Case Name: Freddie WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1992-04-08
Citations: 596 So. 2d 791
Docket Number: No. 90-1641
Parties: Freddie WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: HERSEY and GUNTHER, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 596
Pages: 791–792

Head Matter:
Freddie WILLIAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 90-1641.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
April 8, 1992.
Clarification and Rehearing Denied May 4, 1992.
Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and Margaret Good, Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Patricia G. Lampert, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Freddie Williams appeals both his conviction for possession of cocaine with the intent to sell within one thousand feet of a school and his life sentence as a habitual felony offender under section 775.-084(4)(a)l, Florida Statutes (1989). We affirm in all respects, but remand the case to the trial court for reconsideration of Williams's life sentence.
Until recently, a conflict existed among the district courts of this State whether section 775.084(4)(a)1 required a mandatory life sentence. E.g., Henry v. State, 581 So.2d 928, 929 (Fla. 3d DCA 1991) (holding that a life sentence is permissive); State v. Allen, 573 So.2d 170, 171 (Fla. 2d DCA 1991) (holding that a life sentence is mandatory). In Burdick v. State, 594 So.2d 267 (Fla.1992), the Florida Supreme Court resolved the conflict. The court held "that sentencing under sections 775.084(4)(a)1 and 775.084(4)(b)1 is permissive, not mandatory." Id. at 271.
Because the trial judge in the subject action was unsure whether he had discretion to sentence Williams to life imprisonment once he determined Williams was a habitual felony offender, this case is remanded for the trial judge to reconsider Williams's sentence in light of the supreme court's decision in Burdick.
AFFIRMED, BUT REMANDED FOR SENTENCING RECONSIDERATION.
HERSEY and GUNTHER, JJ., concur.
FARMER, J., concurring specially with opinion.