Opinion ID: 1454512
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the fixed life sentence

Text: In part IX of its opinion the majority finds no abuse of discretion in the trial judge's sentence of a fixed life term with no indeterminate period and no possibility of parole. Considering the evidence presented on the defendant's background, psychological makeup, amenability to treatment and rehabilitation, all sentencing goals would be satisfied here by imposing a term of years less than the fixed life term. There was an abuse of discretion, and this case should be remanded for resentencing if it is not to be remanded for a new trial. Dr. Lebegue, a forensic psychiatrist, testified that the defendant was diagnosed as having an anti-social personality disorder of moderate degree. Tr. Vol. V, 1012. He testified that the criminal behavior of those diagnosed as having anti-social personality disorder diminishes with age, and that the drop in criminality is rather precipitous and generally occurs between age 40 and 50. Tr. Vol. V, 1013-15, 1035. Dr. Lebegue testified that the defendant's severe alcoholism was largely the result of genetic loading over which the defendant had no control. Tr. Vol. V, 1016-18. He stated that the defendant's history suggested that he was unlikely to be involved in violent crimes in the future, and that this particular crime was an isolated incident and occurred from a combination of intoxication, anti-social personality disorder, and a response to the severe physical abuse he had experienced as a child. The killing resulted largely from the defendant's suppressed anger from the severe abuse he received. The personality disorder allowed him to act outside of the boundaries established by society in releasing that anger, and defendant's extreme intoxication facilitated release of that anger. With appropriate treatment the suppressed anger could be dealt with. The personality disorder could not be treated, but would decline to the point that it would not pose a significant risk to society at some point in the future. The alcoholism could not be corrected, but could be controlled. Tr. Vol. V, 1038-39, 1055-57, 1070. Mr. Newman, the supervisor for the Department of Probation and Parole for the Sixth District, with credentials of fourteen years of corrections education and training, provided the district court with his opinion that the defendant could be considered for parole at some point in the future, adding that Enno would not be released if he displayed any significant problems while incarcerated or did not receive a favorable report on his psychological condition. Tr. Vol. V, 1086-94. Thus it is seen that Barrette Enno, an eighteen year old man at the time of this crime, is thought to be capable of being rehabilitated. Prior to this incident, at an earlier age, any of his brushes with the law were minor, and there was no history of aggressive behavior. Without doubt, as murder cases come and go, and we have seen many in the past ten or twelve years, this was a bad murder, which is not to say that there are any good murders. Nonetheless, keeping an eighteen year old in prison for the rest of his life entails a huge cost to society, and it is a cost that will unnecessarily be incurred since the defendant in this case is capable of being rehabilitated.