Opinion ID: 1591751
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Length of the Sentences

Text: To reiterate, we conclude that the trial court erred in enhancing the sentences for aggravated assault on the basis of Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 40-35-114(3) and -114(16). We must now determine whether the elimination of these enhancement factors warrants a reduction in the length of the sentences. See Winfield, 23 S.W.3d at 284. Such a determination requires review of the evidence supporting any remaining enhancement factors, as well as the strength and substance of the evidence supporting any mitigating evidence. Id. An appellate court should not refuse to modify a sentence simply because one or more enhancement factors remain supported by the record. In this case, we agree with the Court of Criminal Appeals' conclusion that several other enhancement factors were supported by the record: the defendant's prior criminal history, consisting of two misdemeanor drug offenses and a driving under the influence offense that occurred after the offenses in this case; the personal injuries inflicted upon one of the victims, Jamar Hensley, were particularly great; and the defendant had no hesitation about committing a crime when the risk to human life was high. See Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 40-35-114(1), (6), and (10) (1997 & Supp.2001). We also agree that the trial court gave proper consideration to mitigating evidence such as the defendant's minimal criminal record, willingness to make amends, and troubled life. We conclude, however, that a reduction in the length of the defendant's sentences for aggravated assault is not appropriate. First, the facts that purported to support the multiple victims and potential bodily injury factors, i.e., the presence of and injuries to other individuals involved in the accident, overwhelmingly supported the proper application of the risk to human life factor set forth in Tenn.Code Ann. § 40-35-114(10). Moreover, the range of punishment in this case was two to four years and the trial court imposed three-year sentences that fell precisely in the middle of the range. We believe that the three-year sentences were entirely appropriate given the evidence of the remaining enhancement factors and the mitigating evidence. See Winfield, 23 S.W.3d at 284.