Opinion ID: 1587058
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Absence of Firearm Interrogatory

Text: Chapter 784, Florida Statutes (2002), defines the crimes of assault and aggravated assault. Section 784.021(1) defines aggravated assault as an assault with (a) a deadly weapon without intent to kill; or (b) an intent to commit a felony. Section 784.021(2) provides that an aggravated assault is a third-degree felony punishable as provided in chapter 775. Chapter 775 prescribes the penalties for substantive crimes. Section 775.082(3)(d), Florida Statutes (2002), provides that a person convicted of a third-degree felony may be punished by a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years. Additionally, section 775.087 requires enhanced penalties when a firearm is used in the commission of certain felony crimes. Section 775.087(2)(a)(1) mandates a minimum three-year sentence of imprisonment if a person possesses a firearm during the commission of an aggravated assault. Specifically, section 775.087(2)(a)(1) states: [A] person who is convicted for aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a felon, or burglary of a conveyance shall be sentenced to a minimum term of imprisonment of 3 years if such person possessed a firearm or destructive device during the commission of the offense. In four cases over a fifteen-year period, beginning with Overfelt and concluding with Tucker, this Court has considered the sufficiency of a jury verdict to support application of the penalty enhancement mandated by section 775.087(2)(a)(1). See also State v. Hargrove, 694 So.2d 729 (Fla. 1997); State v. Tripp, 642 So.2d 728 (Fla. 1994). In Tucker, the Court acknowledged that the discussion of the issue in earlier cases was somewhat confusing. However, the Court concluded that in each of these decisions, the essential holding is the same: that the verdict form itself contain an express reference to the use of a firearm. Tucker, 726 So.2d at 772. Though we stated that the better practice is to include a specific question or special verdict addressed to the firearm issue, we reiterated our prior holdings in Hargrove and Overfelt that an enhanced sentence should be upheld if based on a jury verdict which specifically refers to the use of a firearm, either as a separate finding or by the inclusion of a reference to a firearm in identifying the specific crime for which the defendant is found guilty. Id. at 772. In each of the cases, we required that the application of the mandatory minimum sentence penalty in section 775.087(2)(a)(1) be predicated upon what was termed in Hargrove a clear jury finding that the defendant possessed a firearm during the commission of the felony. Id., (quoting Hargrove, 694 So.2d at 731); see also Tripp, 642 So.2d at 728; Overfelt, 457 So.2d at 1387. This requisite clear jury finding can be demonstrated either by (1) a specific question or special verdict form (which is the better practice), or (2) the inclusion of a reference to a firearm in identifying the specific crime for which the defendant is found guilty. See Tucker, 726 So.2d at 771-72; Overfelt, 457 So.2d at 1387. The requisite clear jury finding was made in this case. This jury's finding that Iseley was guilty of aggravated assault with a firearm as charged in the information is consistent with both the language of the information and the evidence adduced at trial. The information expressly charged that a firearm was used during the commission of the aggravated assault. Our review of the record establishes that the only deadly weapon involved in this case was the firearm referenced in the information and that there was no dispute that the weapon met the definition of a firearm. Consequently, we conclude that because the verdict form contained an express reference to the use of a firearm in the commission of the crime, the evidence supports that finding required by section 775.087, and the verdict of guilt of aggravated assault with a firearm constituted the clear jury finding necessary under our precedent.