Opinion ID: 1495537
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The failure to exercise discretion rendered Mr. Chaney's sentence illegal and/or Mr. Chaney's sentence was imposed in an irregular manner.

Text: C. If the Sentence imposed in this case is not illegal or imposed in an irregular manner, this court can still grant Mr. Chaney a new sentencing hearing pursuant to the Post Conviction Procedure Act. The first two of Chaney's formulated queries were presented by him, as Appellant there, to the Court of Special Appeals. The third, (C), is new and not properly before us for two reasons. First, it was not raised in the trial court. See Maryland Rule 8-131(a)(ordinarily the appellate court will not decide an issue not raised in or decided by the trial court); Walker v. State, 338 Md. 253, 262-63, 658 A.2d 239, 243 (1995). Second, this issue was not raised by way of cross-petition in this Court, nor was it included in our order granting the writ. See Gonzales v. State, 322 Md. 62, 69, 585 A.2d 222, 226 (1991)(issue not presented in petition for writ will not be addressed); Maus v. State, 311 Md. 85, 106, 532 A.2d 1066, 1077 (1987). Additionally, appellate counsel for Chaney, during oral argument before us, affirmatively withdrew any argument that this case involves an illegal sentence; thus we shall not address his question (C). [2] Our reading of the opinion of the Court of Special Appeals reveals that the intermediate appellate court reversed the trial court because it viewed the trial judge as having imposed the sentence in 1978 under the mistaken assumption that he did not have the power to suspend any portion of the life sentence. We therefore limit our review to the question of whether, on this record, the trial judge failed to recognize that he had the discretion to suspend all or a portion of the life sentence imposed in this case, and if so, does that error require a new sentencing proceeding.