Opinion ID: 2000808
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Whether the Sentencing Hearing and Sentencing Order Were Irregular and Contrary to Law.

Text: Finally, we consider defendant's contention that the sentencing hearing and the sentencing order were irregular and contrary to law. The alleged irregularities on which defendant relies are (1) the trial court's comments that in a prior felony trial defendant had been convicted of a lesser offense than the evidence would have warranted, and (2) several inaccuracies contained in the presentence investigation report concerning defendant's criminal history. In sentencing defendant to prison on the firearm violation, the court ordered that the sentence be served consecutively with the sentence imposed on a drug-related crime, which carried a mandatory minimum sentence. As reasons for the sentence, the court stated that defendant is a career criminal with little prospect of rehabilitation and a continuing threat to society. The court's reference to a prior felony trial in which defendant was convicted of second-degree robbery based on evidence that the sentencing judge (who had also presided at the prior trial) believed would have supported a greater offense was in connection with the expression of the court's conclusions about defendant being a career criminal. Those conclusions were reinforced by valid data in the presentence investigation report. That report did contain several inaccuracies concerning defendant's prior criminal history, which indicated more convictions and arrests than actually occurred. However, defendant's counsel pointed out each of these inaccuracies, the State made no effort to contradict those corrections, and the sentencing judge made no reference to the inaccurate material in imposing sentence. We find that the circumstances offer defendant no basis for relief from his sentence. As an additional complaint, defendant urges that the district court improperly ordered restitution for the amount of the court costs and defendant's court-appointed attorney fees without first making a determination of the defendant's ability to pay. We conclude that he may not advance that claim in this court on the present record for two reasons. First, it does not appear that the plan of restitution contemplated by Iowa Code section 910.3 was complete at the time the notice of appeal was filed. Second, Iowa Code section 910.7 permits an offender who is dissatisfied with the amount of restitution required by the plan to petition the district court for a modification. Until that remedy has been exhausted we have no basis for reviewing the issue that defendant raises. Defendant's contentions that the restitution provisions contained in Iowa Code chapter 910 violate both the title requirement and single-subject requirement of article 3, section 29 of the Iowa Constitution must be rejected. This statute was codified many years before his sentencing took place. See State v. Mabry, 460 N.W.2d 472, 475 (Iowa 1990) (codification of statute negates subsequent single subject or title challenge). We have considered all issues presented and conclude the judgment of the district court should be affirmed. AFFIRMED.