Case Name: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Mark COOPER, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2004-11-24
Citations: 889 So. 2d 119
Docket Number: No. 4D03-2803
Parties: STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Mark COOPER, Appellee.
Judges: KLEIN and STEVENSON, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 889
Pages: 119–119

Head Matter:
STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Mark COOPER, Appellee.
No. 4D03-2803.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
Nov. 24, 2004.
Charles J. Crist, Jr., Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Melynda L. Melear, Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Terrence Moons, Jr., Fort Lauderdale, for appellee.

Opinion:
SHAHOOD, J.
We reverse appellant's downward departure sentence, and remand for resentenc-ing within the guidelines.
A mitigating factor which justifies a downward departure from the sentencing guidelines is, "the offense was committed in an unsophisticated manner and was an isolated incident for which the defendant has shown remorse." § 921.0026(2)(j), Fla. Stat. (2003). To justify departure on this basis, all three elements must be articulated by the trial judge and supported by the record. See State v. Thompson, 844 So.2d 814, 815 (Fla. 5th DCA 2003).
In this case, the trial court articulated these factors as the basis for the departure sentence; however, the record does not support the findings. Although there was some evidence that appellant had shown remorse, there was no evidence to show the manner in which the crime was committed. Moreover, the evidence clearly disputed the finding that this was an isolated event. See generally State v. Deleon, 867 So.2d 636, 637-38 (Fla. 5th DCA 2004) (holding that "where defendant's score-sheet reflected previous felonies and misdemeanors, his conduct could not have been characterized as isolated."). Thus, the trial court should have imposed a guidelines sentence.
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
KLEIN and STEVENSON, JJ., concur.