Opinion ID: 1919281
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: the district court committed plain error with the sentence imposed on count ii

Text: The district court sentenced Davis to 4 to 5 years' imprisonment for his conviction of sexual assault of a child. Before July 1998, sexual assault of a child, as defined in § 28-320.01, was a Class IV felony. [14] In 1998, the Legislature reclassified it as a Class IIIA felony. [15] Thus, during the applicable time-frameFebruary 1993 to February 2002sexual assault of a child was both a Class IV and a Class IIIA felony. Because the State clearly charged and convicted Davis of the crime as a Class IV felony, we will review his sentence as a Class IV felony. Although not raised in Davis' brief, the State brings to our attention that during the applicable timeframe, the Legislature amended the Class IV felony sentencing statutes. Before July 1998, Davis' indeterminate sentence of 4 to 5 years' imprisonment for a Class IV felony conviction was a valid sentence. As of July 1998, however, the minimum portion of an indeterminate sentence imposed on a Class IV felony cannot exceed one-third of the maximum term provided by law; i.e., no more than 20 months' imprisonment. [16] Thus, during the applicable timeframe, the Legislature shortened the maximum minimum sentence for a Class IV felony. In State v. Urbano, [17] we analyzed the effect of a change in a sentencing statute after the criminal act was committed but before a final judgment is entered. We concluded that where a criminal statute is amended by mitigating the punishment, after the commission of a prohibited act but before final judgment, the punishment is that provided by the amendatory act unless the Legislature has specifically indicated otherwise. [18] In this case, there is not a final judgment until the entry of a final mandate by this court. [19] The charges filed against Davis and the jury instructions state that these crimes began before 1998. So, Davis is entitled to the benefit of the amendment, because the criminal statute was amended after the criminal act but before a final judgment. We modify the minimum portion of Davis' sentence so that it does not exceed the maximum minimum permitted by law for a Class IV felony indeterminate sentence. [20] Thus, we modify Davis' sentence to a term of 20 months' to 5 years' imprisonment.