Opinion ID: 2629704
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Apprendi Contention

Text: Beasley contends that K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 21-4704a(h) is unconstitutional because the fact he used a firearm in the commission of his crimes must be proven to a jury beyond a reasonable doubt before that fact can be used to impose a prison term rather than probation. Beasley argues that because the district court here made the required firearm finding by a preponderance of the evidence, his sentence violates Apprendi and must be vacated. We disagree. Beasley's argument requires interpretation of the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines Act (KSGA), K.S.A. 21-4701 et seq., and is a question of law subject to unlimited review. State v. Crow, 266 Kan. 690, Syl. ¶ 2, 974 P.2d 100 (1999). K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 21-4704a(h) provides that offenders who use a firearm in the commission of a felony shall receive presumptive prison sentences. In Apprendi, the United States Supreme Court held: Other than the fact of a prior conviction, any fact that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be submitted to a jury, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. 530 U.S. at 490. The question becomes whether the district court's conclusion that Beasley used a firearm in the commission of his crimes, triggering a presumptive prison sentence, increased the penalty for his crimes beyond the statutory maximum. In State v. Carr, 274 Kan. 442, 53 P.3d 843 (2002), we considered whether Apprendi applies to upward dispositional departures under the KSGA. The majority reasoned that [p]robation and parole are dispositions alternate to the serving of a sentence, and neither probation nor parole increase or decrease the sentence required to be imposed by statute. 274 Kan. 442, Syl. ¶ 3. A majority of this court concluded that because imposition of a prison term in a presumptive probation case does not increase the sentence beyond the statutory maximum, Apprendi does not apply to dispositional departures under K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 21-4716. 274 Kan. 442, Syl. ¶ 5. We have not considered the question of whether Apprendi applies to K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 21-4704a(h). However, in State v. Garcia (No. 87,691, this day decided), we relied on Carr in holding that Apprendi does not apply to K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 21-4704a(k) (presumptive prison term for gang-related crimes). The district court here, after finding that Beasley used a handgun to commit the crimes, imposed a presumptive prison term. Following the reasoning of Garcia, the prison term does not exceed the statutory maximum punishment for Beasley's crime, and Apprendi does not apply. We also note that the jury here found beyond a reasonable doubt that Beasley used a firearm to commit the aggravated assault. The complaint charged that Beasley did unlawfully, feloniously, willfully and intentionally place another, to-wit: Jeffrey Jackson in reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm, committed with a deadly weapon, to-wit: handgun, contrary to K.S.A. 21-3410(a). The jury convicted Beasley of aggravated assault after being instructed that it must find, among other things, that the defendant used a deadly weapon[,] to wit: a handgun. Affirmed. LARSON, S.J., assigned. [1] Six, J., concurring: I continue to adhere to the Apprendi analysis expressed by my dissent in State v. Carr, 274 Kan. 442, 53 P.3d 843 (2002). However, I recognize my analysis did not persuade a majority of this court. Carr controls Garcia, and our discussion in Garcia requires affirmance of the second issue here.