Opinion ID: 2054052
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Statements Considered by the Sentencing Court

Text: The sentencing court reviewed a written statement by the victim and the physician who treated her, and heard oral statements by the victim's father and stepmother. According to Fleming, these statements amounted to an illegal poll of the community as to an appropriate sentence. State v. Samson, 388 A.2d 60, 68 (Me.1978). In Samson, however, we concluded that the court actually polled the community. In Fleming's case, the court appropriately allowed the victim and her family to be heard and read a letter submitted by the victim's physician. As a general rule, the court has broad discretion in what information it considers when sentencing. Due process requires only that the information be factually reliable. State v. Dumont, 507 A.2d 164, 166-67 (Me.1986) (no abuse of discretion by court in considering affidavits from victim and victim of other, uncharged crimes). The crime's impact on the victim is a relevant consideration in sentencing, State v. Howard, 541 A.2d 1295, 1295 (Me.1988), and statements by the victim's family and physician are factually reliable information to help gauge that impact. The court neither abused its discretion nor violated Fleming's right to due process by considering the family's statements or the compassionate letter from the victim's doctor. See Williams v. New York, 337 U.S. 241, 249-52, 69 S.Ct. 1079, 1084-86, 93 L.Ed. 1337 (1949) (due process clause does not dictate that courts abandon efforts to seek additional information to impose a just sentence).