Title: Lewis v. State
Citation: 419 So. 2d 337
Docket Number: 61269
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: September 2, 1982

419 So. 2d 337 (1982)
Richard John LEWIS, Petitioner,
v.
STATE of Florida, Respondent.
No. 61269.

Supreme Court of Florida.
September 2, 1982.
Richard L. Jorandby, Public Defender and Tatjana Ostapoff, Asst. Public Defender, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, West Palm Beach, for petitioner.
Jim Smith, Atty. Gen. and Russell S. Bohn, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for respondent.
OVERTON, Justice.
Pursuant to article V, section 3(b)(4), Florida Constitution, the Fourth District Court of Appeal has certified the following *338 question to be one of great public importance:
Under the instant facts, the trial court refused to instruct the jury on the minimum and maximum penalties for the primary offense charged. The district court at first reversed for a new trial on the authority of this Court's decision in Tascano v. State, 393 So. 2d 540 (Fla. 1980), but, on rehearing, withdrew its earlier opinion and affirmed the conviction. The district court reasoned that, because petitioner had been convicted of a lesser included offense, the trial court's refusal to give potential penalties was harmless error. Under the limited circumstances of this case, we accept the reasoning of the district court.
In its opinion, the district court stated:
399 So. 2d 473, at 474-75 (footnote omitted). We agree with the district court's conclusions. The inclusion of potential penalties for the main charge could not have benefitted petitioner because the jury in the instant case found petitioner guilty only of the least of the lesser included offenses. Reversible error could only occur if petitioner was found guilty of the offense charged.
We hold that, under the instant circumstances, the trial court's failure to give minimum and maximum penalties on the offense charged was harmless error. The instant district court decision is accordingly approved.
It is so ordered.
ADKINS, BOYD, SUNDBERG, McDONALD and EHRLICH, JJ., concur.
ALDERMAN, C.J., concurs in result only.