Opinion ID: 2378023
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: Issue 7: The Kansas hard 50 sentencing scheme is constitutional.

Text: McCaslin next challenges Kansas' hard 50 sentencing scheme. He cites Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556 (2002), Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), and Jones v. United States, 526 U.S. 227, 119 S.Ct. 1215, 143 L.Ed.2d 311 (1999). He argues the statute, K.S.A. 21-4635, is unconstitutional because it does not provide a criminal defendant the right to have a jury determine beyond a reasonable doubt all the facts that might increase the maximum penalty for first-degree murder. The State responds that we have rejected this argument previously. We review constitutional questions de novo. State v. Kirtdoll, 281 Kan. 1138, 1151, 136 P.3d 417 (2006); State v. Oliver, 280 Kan. 681, 707, 124 P.3d 493 (2005). As the State suggests, we have rejected this identical argument numerous times. See Richmond, 289 Kan. at 447, 212 P.3d 165; Reid, 286 Kan. at 526, 186 P.3d 713; Kirtdoll, 281 Kan. at 1151, 136 P.3d 417; Oliver, 280 Kan. at 708, 124 P.3d 493; State v. Engelhardt, 280 Kan. 113, 143, 119 P.3d 1148 (2005); State v. Wilkerson, 278 Kan. 147, 160, 91 P.3d 1181 (2004); State v. Hebert, 277 Kan. 61, 107-08, 82 P.3d 470 (2004). McCaslin has not advanced any reason for us to retreat from this position now, and we decline to do so.