Opinion ID: 1481170
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Coleman Trial

Text: In July 2003, a jury convicted Mr. Coleman of conspiracy to commit breaking and entering, breaking and entering, simple assault, and driving a motor vehicle without the consent of the owner. Mr. Coleman was sentenced to serve a total of twenty years imprisonment, including: (1) ten years on the conspiracy charge (five years to be served at the ACI and five years suspended, with probation); (2) fifteen years on the breaking and entering charge (twelve-and-a-half to be served and two-and-a-half suspended, with probation); (3) one year on the simple assault charge; and (4) five years on the charge of driving a motor vehicle without consent of the owner (eighteen months to serve, and three-and-a-half years suspended, with probation). Like Mr. Alston, Mr. Coleman also was sentenced to serve consecutive sentences. Mr. Coleman appealed his convictions on several grounds, none of which were successful. See Coleman, 909 A.2d at 934. On December 4, 2006, Mr. Coleman moved to reduce his sentence pursuant to Rule 35, arguing that: (1) his sentence was disproportionate to that of his confederate, Mr. Alston; (2) his sentence for breaking and entering exceeded the recommended sentence as set forth in the Superior Court Sentencing Benchmarks; and (3) that his sentences should run concurrently rather than consecutively.