Case Name: Eric Anthony BROWN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1984-12-19
Citations: 460 So. 2d 988
Docket Number: No. 84-427
Parties: Eric Anthony BROWN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: LETTS, DELL and WALDEN, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 460
Pages: 988–989

Head Matter:
Eric Anthony BROWN, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 84-427.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Dec. 19, 1984.
Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender, and Gary Caldwell, Asst. Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Richard G. Bartmon, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The only issue meriting discussion is whether the trial court erred in retaining jurisdiction over "the first third of the maximum sentence imposed" pursuant to Section 947.16(3), Florida Statutes (1983), of a life sentence.
We adopt the position of the Third and Fifth Districts that Section 947.16(3) is inoperable. Kosek v. State, 448 So.2d 57 (Fla. 5th DCA 1984); Woodson v. State, 439 So.2d 976 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983); Rodriguez v. State, 424 So.2d 892 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982), and Cordero-Pena v. State, 421 So.2d 661 (Fla. 3d DCA 1982). Where a trial court imposes a life sentence, it is improper for it to retain jurisdiction over the first one-third of a life sentence because it is impossible to calculate the length of time over which jurisdiction is retained.
Accordingly, we remand and direct the trial judge to strike that portion of the order retaining jurisdiction. In all other respects, the judgment is affirmed.
LETTS, DELL and WALDEN, JJ., concur.