Opinion ID: 2504769
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: State v. Hedrick[3]

Text: Appellant Jerry Lee Hedrick (hereinafter Mr. Hedrick) was found guilty by a jury of two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree. The general facts underlying the felony convictions are that when Mr. Hedrick was fifty-five years old he made uninvited and unwanted sexual advances to a twenty-five year old employee when she asked for a day off. As charged in the indictment, Mr. Hedrick subjected the employee to sexual contact by touching her buttocks and her breasts without her consent and by use of forcible compulsion. The August 10, 2009, order of the Circuit Court of Mineral County reflects that the convictions resulted in a sentence of one to five years in the penitentiary for each count of first degree sexual abuse, a fine totaling $20,000, and twenty-five years of supervised release upon completion of the jail term. The prison sentence and fine were made pursuant to the first degree sexual abuse statute (W.Va.Code § 61-8B-7), and the period of supervised release pursuant to the provisions of the extended supervision statute (W.Va.Code § 62-12-26). In his petition for appeal to this Court, Mr. Hedrick alleged various grounds for reversal. Appeal was granted solely as to the constitutionality of West Virginia Code § 62-12-26. Mr. Hedrick's constitutional arguments center on due process and cruel and unusual punishment concerns.