Opinion ID: 456182
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Constitutional Contention

Text: 17 Nor are we persuaded by Bonnet's contention that the imposition on him of two consecutive five-year prison terms for the two counts to which he pleaded guilty constituted cruel and unusual punishment because the prison terms run consecutively and because his codefendant received a less severe sentence. [T]he Eighth Amendment requires that 'a criminal sentence must be proportionate to the crime for which the defendant has been convicted.'  United States v. Ortiz, 742 F.2d 712, 714 (2d Cir.) (quoting Solem v. Helm, 463 U.S. 277, 290, 103 S.Ct. 3001, 3009, 77 L.Ed.2d 637 (1983)), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 105 S.Ct. 573, 83 L.Ed.2d 513 (1984)). However, [i]n view of the substantial deference that must be accorded legislatures and sentencing courts, a reviewing court rarely will be required to engage in extended analysis to determine that a sentence is not constitutionally disproportionate. Ortiz, 742 F.2d at 714 (quoting Solem v. Helm, 463 U.S. at 290 n. 16, 103 S.Ct. at 3009 n. 16). 18 Bonnet has not shown that his sentence to two five-year prison terms was disproportionately severe. The maximum penalty that he could have received for each count to which he pleaded guilty was five years' imprisonment plus a $5,000 fine. Although he received the maximum jail sentence, he did not receive the maximum penalty, since no fines were imposed. Further, at the sentencing hearing, when the court imposed a lighter sentence on Bonnet's codefendant, it stated that it viewed Bonnet as the more culpable of the two. Giving the required deference to the legislature, which has established the maximum penalty, and to the sentencing court, which has broad discretion to mete out penalties at or below the statutory maximum, we reject Bonnet's contention that his sentence was impermissibly severe. 19 We have considered all of Bonnet's arguments on appeal and have found them meritless.