Opinion ID: 1698162
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Spann's postconviction petition likewise fails to present a proper challenge to his consecutive sentence.

Text: I also agree with Justice Russell Anderson that an appeal waiver does not waive the right of a defendant to challenge an illegal sentence. Thus, Spann had the right in this postconviction petition to claim that his consecutive sentence was not authorized by law. But, Spann's petition fails to make or support that claim. First, Spann did not challenge his consecutive sentence in the briefs filed on his direct appeal. The only sentencing issue raised in those briefs was a challenge to the upward departures. Those departures were eliminated when Spann was resentenced. Even if Spann's failure to challenge his consecutive sentence on direct appeal did not preclude doing so by a postconviction petition, Spann's petition fails because he did not bring it within 90 days of the sentence, as required by Minn. R.Crim. P. 28.05. The only exception to this 90-day requirement is to correct a sentence this is not authorized by law, in a proceeding pursuant to Minn. R.Crim. P. 27.03. But Spann does not claim that his consecutive sentence is not authorized by law. The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines specifically make a consecutive sentence permissive under these circumstances. Minn. Sent. Guidelines II.F. Accordingly, I would conclude that Spann's petition is insufficient to meet the threshold for an evidentiary hearing. I would affirm.             -521