Case Name: Brenda JOHNSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1987-05-19
Citations: 508 So. 2d 443
Docket Number: No. BK-186
Parties: Brenda JOHNSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: BOOTH, C.J., and WENTWORTH, J., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 508
Pages: 443–447

Head Matter:
Brenda JOHNSON, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. BK-186.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
May 19, 1987.
Rehearing Denied June 19, 1987.
T. Whitney Strickland, Jr., Tallahassee, for appellant.
Jim Smith, Atty. Gen., and John W. Tied-emann, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, for appellee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
This cause is before us on appeal from a guideline departure sentence imposed pursuant to a plea of nolo contendere on a charge of manslaughter. We affirm.
Two of the four reasons for departure are valid. Restated, those reasons are: (1) excessive use of force, and (2) abdication of a position of trust. See Mincey v. State, 460 So.2d 396 (Fla. 1st DCA 1984), and Ross v. State, 478 So.2d 480 (Fla. 1st DCA 1985). After reviewing the record, we find beyond a reasonable doubt that even in the absence of the impermissible reasons, the sentence would be the same. Albritton v. State, 476 So.2d 158 (Fla.1985).
We also find that if it was error for the trial court to allow counsel for a separately tried codefendant to comment during the sentencing hearing, then it was harmless error. Accordingly, we affirm.
BOOTH, C.J., and WENTWORTH, J., concur.
ZEHMER, J., dissents with written opinion.