Opinion ID: 2585418
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: 60 months' probation

Text: Whitesell argues that the trial court erred in sentencing him to 60 months' probation instead of the presumptive sentence of 24 months. K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 21-4716 governs imposition of departure sentences. The statute provides in pertinent part: (a) The sentencing judge shall impose the presumptive sentence provided by the sentencing guidelines ... unless the judge finds substantial and compelling reasons to impose a departure. If the sentencing judge departs from the presumptive sentence, the judge shall state on the record at the time of sentencing the substantial and compelling reasons for the departure. K.S.A. 21-4721 provides for the appellate review of departure sentences and provides in pertinent part: (d) In any appeal from a judgment of conviction imposing a sentence that departs from the presumptive sentence prescribed by the sentencing grid for a crime, sentence review shall be limited to whether the sentencing court's findings of fact and reasons justifying a departure: (1) Are supported by the evidence in the record; and (2) constitute substantial and compelling reasons for departure. .... (f) The appellate court may reverse or affirm the sentence. If the appellate court concludes that the trial court's factual findings are not supported by evidence in the record or do not establish substantial and compelling reasons for a departure, it shall remand the case to the trial court for resentencing. This court has jurisdiction to consider departure sentences. K.S.A. 21-4721(a). A clearly erroneous standard applies to a claim that the evidence was insufficient to justify a departure. State v. Cox, 258 Kan. 557, 575, 908 P.2d 603 (1995). A claim that the departure factors relied upon by the court are not substantial and compelling presents a question of law and is reviewed de novo. State v. Gideon, 257 Kan. 591, Syl. ś 20, 894 P.2d 850 (1995). The term substantial means something that is real, not imagined, something with substance and not ephemeral. The term compelling implies that a court is forced, by the facts of the case, to leave the status quo or go beyond what is ordinary. State v. Rhoads, 20 Kan. App.2d 790, 799, 892 P.2d 918 (1995). Substantial evidence is such legal and relevant evidence as a reasonable person might accept as being sufficient to support a conclusion. State v. Grady, 258 Kan. 72, 79, 900 P.2d 227 (1995). If any of the factors cited by the trial court are substantial and compelling reasons for departure, we will affirm that determination. State v. Zuck, 21 Kan. App.2d 597, 606, 904 P.2d 1005, rev. denied 258 Kan. 863 (1995). The court's comments at the time of sentencing govern as to the reasons for departure. Gideon, 257 Kan. 591, Syl. ś 21. Whitesell's conviction for stalking carried a presumptive guidelines sentence of 2 years' probation. K.S.A. 21-3438(a); K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 21-4611(c)(1). Prior to sentencing, the State filed a motion for a 60-month duration of probation. The trial court granted the motion, sentencing Whitesell to 60 months of probation instead of the presumptive 24 months. In departing from the presumptive sentence, the court merely stated: I agree with [counsel for Whitesell] that the law of the state of Kansas is, is that extending probation beyond the statutorily presumed length of time is a departure. I find [the State's] motion to be an appropriate reflection of that requirement, and I find the motion to be both factually and legally sufficient and I'll adopt the findings of [the State] that are set forth in [the] motion as the findings of the court. I'll find that the facts of this case are substantial and compelling reason for a departure to a 5 year probationary period. The trial court is required to state for the record the substantial and compelling reasons for the departure at the time of sentencing. In this case, the trial court referenced the State's motion but did not state for the record its reasons for departure. K.S.A. 1999 Supp. 21-4716(a) specifically requires that the court state for the record the substantial and compelling reasons for departure at the time of sentencing. Merely referencing the motion filed by the State does not satisfy the requirements of 21-4716(a). This court will not review the record for aggravating factors which might have justified departure but which the district court failed to articulate. State v. Salcido-Corral, 262 Kan. 392, 415, 940 P.2d 11 (1997). We must, therefore, vacate the sentence and remand for resentencing. See Rhoads, 20 Kan. App.2d at 800-01 (where court failed to articulate reasons why it imposed departure sentence, proper procedure is to vacate sentence and remand for resentencing); State v. Peterson, 22 Kan. App.2d 572, 576, 920 P.2d 463 (1996) (vacating sentence and remanding for resentencing where court failed to state on the record at the time of sentencing its reasons for departing). On remand, the sentencing court may cite appropriate reasons justifying the imposition of a departure sentence and impose such a sentence even though it fail[ed] to meet the requirements for the imposition of a departure sentence the first time. State v. Peterson, 25 Kan. App.2d 354, 358, 964 P.2d 695 (1998). The conviction is affirmed, the sentence vacated, and the case remanded for resentencing.