Opinion ID: 867402
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Aggravated Manslaughter Sentence

Text: ¶ 66 Hampton argues that the superior court violated the rule of Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296, 124 S.Ct. 2531, 159 L.Ed.2d 403 (2004), by imposing a twelve and one-half year sentence for the manslaughter conviction based upon findings by the judge that a weapon was used in the commission of the crime and that other aggravators were proven. ¶ 67 Other than the fact of a prior conviction, any fact that increases the penalty for a crime beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be submitted to a jury, and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 490, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). [T]he `statutory maximum' for Apprendi purposes is the maximum sentence a judge may impose solely on the basis of the facts reflected in the jury verdict or admitted by the defendant.  Blakely, 542 U.S. at 303, 124 S.Ct. 2531. In this case, the statutory maximum for manslaughter, a class two felony, see A.R.S. § 13-1103(B), was the presumptive term of five years, see A.R.S. § 13-701(C)(1), in the absence of factual findings required to impose an aggravated or enhanced sentence. See State v. Anderson ( Anderson III ), 211 Ariz. 59, 60 ¶ 3, 116 P.3d 1219, 1220 (2005). We must therefore determine what other factual findings were necessary to impose the aggravated sentence of twelve and one-half years. ¶ 68 The first question is under which statutes Hampton was sentenced. The sentencing minute entry states that the manslaughter conviction was a Class 3 Felony [17] found to be dangerous pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-604 (2001), and references §§ 13-604(P), -701, and -702. Immediately before the judge imposed sentence, however, defense counsel stated that my review of the file would indicate that the manslaughter conviction is a non-dangerous, non-repetitive offense. The judge agreed: And after reviewing the file I believe that's correct. ¶ 69 The manslaughter was in fact charged as a dangerous offense because either a weapon was used or serious injury was inflicted. See A.R.S. § 13-604(P) (defining dangerous offense). In addition, the presentence report stated that the manslaughter conviction carries a presumptive sentence of 10.5 years; a minimum sentence of 7 years, and a maximum sentence of 21 years. These numbers correspond to the sentencing range for a class two dangerous felony pursuant to § 13-604(I). ¶ 70 The jury, however, was never asked to make any finding of dangerousness as required by § 13-604(P), which states that an enhanced sentence under § 13-604 shall be imposed only if the dangerous nature of the offense is admitted or found by the trier of fact. We therefore agree with the trial judge's characterization of the conviction as one for a non-dangerous and non-repetitive offense. ¶ 71 Because the offense was non-dangerous and non-repetitive, a twelve and one-half year sentence was possible only upon the finding of at least two aggravating factors. See A.R.S. § 13-702.01(A) (2001) (governing sentences for defendants with no prior felony convictions). The judge relied on three aggravators: (1) use of a weapon, A.R.S. § 13-702(C)(2) (2001); (2) the heinous and depraved nature of the murder of Ramsdell, A.R.S. § 13-702(C)(5); and (3) the fact that two other murders were committed at the same time that the manslaughter offense occurred, which presumably fell under former A.R.S. § 13-702(C)(18) ([a]ny other factor that the court deems appropriate to the ends of justice). [18] The jury did not make any finding as to the existence of any of these aggravators with respect to the manslaughter count. Hampton thus claims Blakely error. ¶ 72 Blakely error, however, can be harmless if no reasonable jury, on the basis of the evidence before it, could have failed to find the minimum number of aggravators necessary to expose the defendant to the sentence imposed. Henderson, 210 Ariz. at 569 ¶ 28, 115 P.3d at 609. [19] In this case, no reasonable jury could have failed to find that a deadly weapon was used in the commission of the offense. The autopsy expert testimony made clear that Ramsdell was killed by a bullet wound to her head. The death of Ramsdell, in turn, clearly caused the death of the fetus. ¶ 73 Similarly, the finding that two other murders were committed at the same time as the fetal manslaughter also was, at worst, harmless error. The evidence on this point was not disputed. Moreover, this aggravation finding is arguably implicit in the jury's finding of the multiple homicides aggravator with respect to the murder of Ramsdell. [20] ¶ 74 Two aggravators were sufficient to expose Hampton to the twelve and one-half year sentence imposed under A.R.S. § 13-702.01(A). See State v. Martinez, 210 Ariz. 578, 584 ¶ 21, 115 P.3d 618, 624 (2005). Therefore, any Blakely error was harmless.