Case Name: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Jorge CHAVES-MENDEZ, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2002-03-15
Citations: 809 So. 2d 910
Docket Number: No. 5D01-1996
Parties: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Jorge CHAVES-MENDEZ, Appellee.
Judges: THOMPSON, C.J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 809
Pages: 910–911

Head Matter:
STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Jorge CHAVES-MENDEZ, Appellee.
No. 5D01-1996.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
March 15, 2002.
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Pamela Roller, Assistant Attorney General, Daytona Beach, for Appellant.
James B. Gibson, Public Defender, and Brynn Newton, Assistant Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for Appellee.

Opinion:
PALMER, J.
The State appeals the sentences imposed by the trial court on Jorge Chaves Mendez ("defendant") . We reverse.
The defendant was charged by two count information with committing the crimes of capital sexual battery on a person less than 12 years of age, and lewd and lascivious molestation. When the case was called for trial, the trial court sua sponte initiated plea negotiations with the defendant. This negotiation contemplated that, in exchange for the defendant's agreement to enter a plea of nolo conten-dere to both charges, the trial court would impose a sentence of probation. Over the objection of the State and the victim's family, the defendant accepted the trial court's plea offer. Thereafter, the trial court entered judgment on the defendant's plea and sentenced him accordingly. The State appeals arguing that the defendant's sentences are illegal because the trial court lacked the authority to initiate plea negotiations with the defendant. We agree.
The trial court's initiation of plea negotiations with the defendant was per se reversible error. As the Supreme Court cautioned in State v. Warner, 762 So.2d 507, 513 (Fla.2000), "the trial court must not initiate a plea dialogue; rather, at its discretion, it may (but is not required to) participate in such discussions upon request of a party."
Here, since the trial court sua sponte initiated plea negotiations with the defendant, we must reverse the defendant's sen tences and remand this case to the trial court. Upon remand, defendant may withdraw his plea. See State v. Ellis, 715 So.2d 364 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998)(allowing a defendant to withdraw his plea upon reversal of his sentence imposed on a plea agreement).
Sentence REVERSED and case REMANDED.
THOMPSON, C.J., concurs.
SAWAYA, J., concurs and concurs specially, with opinion.
. See Fla. R.App. P. 9.140(c)(l)(J)(authorizing the State to appeal an order imposing an unlawful or illegal sentence, or imposing a sentence outside the range permitted by sentencing guidelines).
. § 794.011(2); 800.04(5), Fla. Stat. (2001).
. Upon remand, we direct the court's attention to the fact that the only sentence that can be imposed for a conviction on capital sexual battery is life imprisonment with a minimum mandatory of twenty five years. See Wilson v. State, 630 So.2d 1186 (Fla. 5th DCA 1994).