Case Name: Michael L. GRAY, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1999-07-09
Citations: 742 So. 2d 805
Docket Number: No. 98-1789
Parties: Michael L. GRAY, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: DAUKSCH, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 742
Pages: 805–809

Head Matter:
Michael L. GRAY, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 98-1789.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
July 9, 1999.
On Motion for Rehearing and/or Certification Sept. 17, 1999.
James B. Gibson, Public Defender, and Susan A. Fagan, Assistant Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for Appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Kristen L. Davenport, Assistant Attorney General, Daytona Beach, for Appellee.

Opinion:
THOMPSON, J.
Michael L. Gray argues that his sentence, pursuant to section 775.082(8), Florida Statutes (1997), the Prison Release Reoffender Act, is unconstitutional. Gray was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole or early release because he was convicted of armed robbery within three years of being released from a facility operated by the Department of Corrections or a private vendor. He contends the statute violates the United States Constitution and Article II, Section 3 of the Florida Constitution, which require separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. He also argues application of the statute to him violates the Florida and United States Constitutions' prohibition against ex post facto criminal statutes. We affirm.
The Fourth District Court of Appeal has reviewed section 775.082, Florida Statutes, and has held that it does not violate the ex post facto provisions of the state and federal constitutions. See Plain v. State, 720 So.2d 585 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998), rev. denied, 727 So.2d 909 (Fla.1999); Young v. State, 719 So.2d 1010 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998), rev. denied, 727 So.2d 915 (Fla.1999). We agree with the court's analysis.
Gray also argues that the statute has in effect removed sentencing discretion in such cases from the judicial branch, where it constitutionally should reside, to the prosecutor or state attorney's office. The Florida Constitution gives the executive branch the responsibility and complete discretion to decide whether to charge and to prosecute a crime, but it cannot impose a sentence. Young v. State, 699 So.2d 624 (Fla.1997); State v. Bloom, 497 So.2d 2 (Fla.1986). Under the statutory scheme, the prosecution has the sole discretion to seek imposition of the minimum mandatory minimum provisions of section 775.082(8). If it does, the judge must impose the greater sentence. Only one other statutory exception is provided. The mandatory sentence shall not be imposed if the victim does not want the higher prison sentence and provides a written statement to that effect. Gray argues that this violates the constitutional division between the executive and judicial branches of government. See Perkins v. State, 576 So.2d 1310, 1312 (Fla.1991).
We agree that the trial court has no discretion once the state files a notice of enhancement. However, we do not agree that the statute violates the separation of powers doctrine. Moreover, the legislature has not usurped the sentencing duties of the court by enacting this legislation. We see no difference between this statute and others that require the court to enter a specific sentence or to enhance a sentence if certain criteria are met. It is within the province of the legislature to determine the penalties for crimes, as long as the penalties are not cruel and unusual. Lightbourne v. State, 438 So.2d 380 (Fla.1983) (citing Sowell v. State, 342 So.2d 969 (Fla.1977)). Further, "[o]ur supreme court has said that a statute which requires the imposition of a mandatory minimum sentence if certain conditions are met does not violate the separation of powers clause by virtue of the fact that it removes sentencing discretion from the judiciary." Woods v. State, 740 So.2d 20 (Fla. 1st DCA 1999) (citing Scott v. State, 369 So.2d 330 (Fla.1979)). We agree with the reasoning of our sister court, the Third District, which addressed the same issue in McKnight v. State, 727 So.2d 314 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999), and affirm. See also Speed v. State, 732 So.2d 17 (Fla. 5th DCA 1999).
AFFIRMED.
DAUKSCH, J., concurs.
W. SHARP, J., dissents, with opinion.
. See Art. I, § 1; Art. II, § 1; Art. Ill, § 1.
. Art. I, § 10, Fla. Const.; Art. I, § 9, Art. I, § 10, U.S. Const.
. See e.g., § 921.001—.0016, Fla. Stat. (1997); see also § 775.0823 (mandatory minimum for violent offenses committed against law enforcement officers, correctional officers, state attorneys, assistant state attorneys, justices, or judges), 775.0845 (reclassification for wearing a mask while committing offense), 775.087 (mandatory minimum/reclassification for possession or use of a weapon, aggravated battery), 775.0875 (mandatory minimum for capital felonies), Fla. Slat. (1997).