Opinion ID: 2520887
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Imposing Sentences for Multiple Offenses

Text: When an offender is convicted of more than one offense, you must not only determine the appropriate sentence for each offense, but you also must determine whether the sentences should run concurrently or consecutively. State law generally establishes what you must find to impose sentences consecutively. Therefore, when faced with an offender with multiple offenses, after determining the appropriate sentence for each, you should determine whether, under the circumstances, you should impose a concurrent or consecutive sentence. Generally, to impose consecutive sentences, you must make some finding of an aggravating circumstance that the legislature has established. It is recommended that you specify the exact statutory reasons that a consecutive, rather than a concurrent, sentence has been imposed for all the reasons illustrated above. Penny J. White, Sentencing Guide for State Trial Judges, at 43-44, The National Judicial College (1998). [¶ 14] On remand, the district court made no findings that would support a conclusion that the sentences at issue should have been imposed consecutive to the earlier sentence. It is clear that at the time the sentences were originally imposed, the district court did not consider the issue at all, but rather determined that it was a question for the parole board. At the 2002 sentencing hearing, the prosecutor did not focus the attention of the sentencing court on the factors that counseled in favor of a finding that the sentences should be consecutive. Rather, the prosecutor's argument was given over to an emotional attack on the functions of the parole board and executive clemency, essentially exhorting the district court to punish Jones for the perceived sins of the parole board and the Governor. Given these circumstances, we are unable to effectively perform a meaningful review of the provision that the sentences be consecutive to the previous sentence. We are compelled to remand for another hearing at which the district court should enumerate the sources of its information, receive all information that may guide its decision, and make findings as appropriate. While such detailed findings are always beneficial to the review process, they are not always mandated. However, here, we remain as uncertain as to the foundation for imposition of consecutive sentences as we were prior to the remand. We conclude that a remand for further development of the record and the rendition of detailed findings is necessary under the unique circumstances of this case.