Opinion ID: 1264813
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The Sentence Imposed Was Reasonable.

Text: The district court entered a judgment of conviction against Barnett for involuntary manslaughter and imposed a fixed term of incarceration of ten years. Barnett claims on appeal that his sentence is excessive. Where a sentence is within the statutory limits, it will not be reversed on appeal absent an abuse of the sentencing court's discretion. State v. Hedger, 115 Idaho 598, 768 P.2d 1331 (1989); State v. Toohill, 103 Idaho 565, 568, 650 P.2d 707, 710 (Ct.App.1982). Involuntary manslaughter is punishable by a sentence to the custody of the board of correction not to exceed ten years. I.C. § 18-4007. Thus, Barnett's sentence, which was the maximum sentence that could be imposed, was within the statutory limits. Upon further review of the record, focusing on the nature of the offense and the character of the offender, we are convinced that the sentence imposed by the district court was not excessively harsh. See State v. Nelson, 131 Idaho 210, 221, 953 P.2d 650, 661 (1998); State v. Reinke, 103 Idaho 771, 772, 653 P.2d 1183, 1184 (Ct.App.1982). Barnett delivered Jeffrey Towers to the cabin where they met Ryan Robertson, Michael Olivera and Chad Toney. Barnett put a dog collar on Towers and led him, tied with ropes, on a nighttime march in the woods where he was pushed into a stream, dragged out onto the banks and shot dead. Barnett took no action to help Towers or to deter the others from inflicting harm on Towers. Though Barnett did not have a gun, he watched the shooting and took part in transporting Towers' body and in digging a grave where the body was burned. In light of the extremely serious and violent nature of the crime, we cannot say that the district court abused its discretion when sentencing Barnett to serve a ten-year determinate term in the state penitentiary.