Opinion ID: 2246121
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: issues

Text: Prior to trial, the defendant moved to dismiss the charge against him on the ground, inter alia, that the sentencing provisions of the Indiana Code allow the imposition of arbitrary penalties. The motion was denied and the defendant assigns error to that ruling. In support, he cites Furman v. Georgia, (1972) 408 U.S. 238, 92 S.Ct. 2726, 33 L.Ed.2d 346, for the proposition that the sentencing authority must follow adequate guidelines. Further, he contends that Indiana's sentencing scheme permits disparate sentences because there is no indication of the exact number of years a defendant will serve if one or more aggravating circumstances are found. Defendant's reliance on Furman is misplaced, and the contention is without merit. In Furman, the Supreme Court of the United States recognized the need for adequate guidelines in death penalty cases. The case now before us is not such a case. Second, while there are some guidelines present in the sentencing provisions of the Indiana Code, see, e.g., Ind. Code § 35-50-1A-7 (Burns 1979), a degree of flexibility is necessary so that the trial court can shape the sentence to fit both the crime and the criminal. Finally, even if the sentence enhancement statutes were deemed unconstitutional, they would be severable and the presumptive sentence would obtain. Perforce, the trial court did not err in denying the defendant's motion to dismiss.