Opinion ID: 2634776
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: defendant has a right to be sentenced to the basic sentence absent a jury finding of aggravating circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt

Text: {66} In State v. Wilson, 2001-NMCA-032, ¶¶ 18-21, 130 N.M. 319, 24 P.3d 351, Judge Pickard concisely set forth the historical evolution and intent of the Legislature in enacting Section 31-18-15.1. Important to this history was the noble goal of the Legislature to promote uniformity in sentencing by specifying a basic sentence and then requiring a sentencing judge to articulate findings of aggravating circumstances to justify increasing the period of confinement beyond the basic sentence. The majority concludes that a defendant does not have a right to be sentenced to the basic sentence. Majority Opinion ¶ 54. This appears to me to be the polestar rationale for its conclusion that the Sixth Amendment does not preclude a sentencing judge from finding aggravating circumstances, which may lead to an increased period of incarceration. I respectfully disagree. {67} In my opinion, under a plain reading of the sentencing statutes, a defendant has a right to expect that he or she will receive the basic sentence, unless and until there is an articulated finding of either mitigating or aggravating circumstances. This is how the Legislature sought to accomplish uniformity in sentencing  by requiring an explanation of the findings justifying a departure from the basic sentence. If a sentencing judge finds mitigating circumstances, (s)he may reduce the basic sentence by up to one-third. This reduction does not have to be based on a jury finding of mitigating circumstances because the jury verdict during the guilt phase already authorizes a greater sentence, the basic sentence. {68} If a sentencing judge finds aggravating circumstances, (s)he may increase the basic sentence by up to one-third. As with mitigating circumstances, the sentencing judge must articulate the findings in the record. NMSA 1978, § 31-18-15.1(A). Requiring the sentencing judge to articulate the findings allows the appellate courts to determine whether the findings are supported by the record. See State v. Wilson, 117 N.M. 11, 19, 868 P.2d 656, 664 (Ct.App.1993) (We will uphold the trial court's aggravation of a sentence if the circumstances relied on are supported in the record and constitute proper factors to consider under the enhancement statute.). As demonstrated by appellate court opinions, aggravating circumstances require findings of fact and not simply the consideration of sentencing factors. See e.g. Swafford v. State, 112 N.M. 3, 17, 810 P.2d 1223, 1237 (1991) ([W]e save for later the question of the reliability of a lack of remorse as a significant factor in sentencing. In the interests of justice, in any event, future sentence enhancements based on a lack of remorse will merit specific findings, and where not so supported will be subject to careful scrutiny on review. (emphasis added)). Because findings of fact which constitute aggravating circumstances are required to permit a sentencing judge to increase the basic sentence, I agree with the United States Supreme Court that the Sixth Amendment requires a jury to make these specific findings. This is because the jury verdict alone does not authorize the increased sentence. The basic sentence is the maximum authorized by the jury verdict. Additional findings are required to increase the basic sentence. These findings should be made by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt following the guilt phase. Of course, the defendant may stipulate to the facts that constitute aggravating circumstances or waive a jury finding of such aggravating circumstances, in which case the Sixth Amendment is not implicated.