Opinion ID: 2520725
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Court Shall Afford... An Opportunity

Text: ¶ 21 We believe that the shall afford language in the statute requires the court to affirmatively provide the defense an opportunity to present mitigating information concerning sentencing. Since rule 22 stems from the common-law right of allocution, cases regarding the court's treatment of allocution are instructive in defining the statute's terms. The United States Supreme Court interprets language similar to the Utah statute in the federal rules as instructing trial courts to affirmatively provide an opportunity for mitigating information. [T]rial judges should leave no room for doubt that the defendant has been issued a personal invitation to speak prior to sentencing. Green v. United States, 365 U.S. 301, 303 n. 1, 305, 81 S.Ct. 653, 5 L.Ed.2d 670 (1961) (interpreting the predecessor to the current Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure dealing with allocution, which in pertinent part read, [b]efore imposing sentence the court shall afford the defendant an opportunity to make a statement in his own behalf and to present any information in mitigation of punishment.) ¶ 22 The weight the Supreme Court places upon affirmatively providing an opportunity for the defendant to speak before sentencing is mirrored in the language of the current federal rule regarding mitigating information at sentencing. The rule reads: Before imposing sentence, the court must: (i) provide the defendant's attorney an opportunity to speak on the defendant's behalf; (ii) address the defendant personally in order to permit the defendant to speak or present any information to mitigate the sentence; and (iii) provide an attorney for the government an opportunity to speak equivalent to that of the defendant's attorney. Fed.R.Crim.P. 32(i)(4)(A)(i)-(iii). The federal system clearly envisions the court affirmatively furnishing the defense, both the defendant and counsel, an opportunity to speak, and does not require that a request be made before the opportunity is afforded. See United States v. Sisti, 91 F.3d 305, 310 (2d Cir.1996); United States v. Byars, 290 F.2d 515, 517 (6th Cir.1961); State v. Koon, 190 W.Va. 632, 440 S.E.2d 442, 451 (1993). Importantly, the prosecution is also guaranteed an opportunity to present information to the court relevant to sentencing, ensuring fairness and balance in the sentencing process. Utah R.Crim. P. 22(a). ¶ 23 This court need not, of course, follow the application of federal rules or federal case law. However, when we are asked to define terms found in our rules and statutes, we often look to other jurisdictions with similar language for guidance. It seems clear, from both the plain language of rule 22 and the approach of other jurisdictions with similar rules, that the shall afford language requires trial courts to affirmatively provide the defense an opportunity to address the court and present reasonably reliable and relevant information in the mitigation of a sentence. A simple verbal invitation or question will suffice, but it is the court which is responsible for raising the matter. As stated in Byars, [t]he defendant, himself, must be given such opportunity and some conduct of the court must let the defendant know that he, as well as counsel, has this right. Byars, 290 F.2d at 517 (emphasis added). Thus, we affirm the court of appeals' ruling, and hold that both the defendant and counsel shall be affirmatively afforded an opportunity to make a statement, present any information in mitigation of punishment, or show any legal cause why sentence should not be imposed; we further note that the same affirmative obligation exists vis-a-vis the prosecution. Utah R.Crim. P. 22(a).