Opinion ID: 1259299
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: wood's sentence is legal and the trial court properly denied wood's motion to correct an illegal sentence

Text: Wood appeals from the trial court's order denying his motion to correct an illegal sentence. Although this motion was filed long after the 120 day time limit prescribed by I.C.R. 35 for motions to reduce a sentence, a motion for correction of an illegal sentence is not subject to this time constraint. I.C.R. 35; State v. Vetsch, 101 Idaho 595, 596, 618 P.2d 773, 774 (1980). An illegal sentence may be corrected at any time. State v. Lee, 116 Idaho 515, 516, 777 P.2d 737, 738 (Ct.App.1989). The determination of whether a sentence is illegal involves a question of law over which our appellate courts exercise free review. Id. Wood was sentenced to a term of not less than fourteen years nor more than twenty-two years upon his conviction for the crime of attempted first-degree murder. The term of imprisonment for an attempt to commit a crime, which is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for five years or more, may not exceed one-half the longest term of imprisonment prescribed upon conviction of the attempted offense. I.C. § 18-306. The longest term of imprisonment prescribed upon conviction of first-degree murder is life imprisonment. I.C. § 18-4004. Thus, the maximum term of imprisonment for attempted first-degree murder is one-half of a life sentence. Wood argues his sentence is illegal because his maximum term of imprisonment, twenty-two years, is in excess of one-half of a life sentence. In support of this argument, Wood cites King v. State, 93 Idaho 87, 93, 456 P.2d 254, 260 (1969), in which the Court stated sentences of thirty years or more must be treated for purposes of parole eligibility as effective life sentences. Wood argues that since thirty-year sentences are the equivalent of life sentences and attempted first-degree murder carries a maximum term of one-half of a life sentence, the maximum term of imprisonment for attempted first-degree murder is fifteen years. Wood incorrectly interprets King. King does not hold that a life sentence is the equivalent of a thirty-year sentence. Instead, King held that for purposes of parole eligibility under the former I.C. § 20-223, a sentence of thirty years or more must be treated as a life sentence thus making a defendant serving a sentence of thirty years or more eligible for parole after ten years. Moreover, the quote from King identified by Wood no longer has precedential value in light of the adoption of the Unified Sentencing Act in 1986, codified at I.C. § 19-2513. 1986 Sess.Laws, ch. 232, § 3, p. 638. The Court has previously recognized that a trial court is authorized to establish a base maximum sentence upon the conviction of an attempt to commit a crime punishable by life imprisonment. In State v. Hall, 88 Idaho 117, 397 P.2d 261 (1964), the defendant was convicted of attempted rape and he appealed arguing attempted rape is not a lesser included offense of the crime with which he was charged, assault with the intent to commit rape. The defendant argued that to hold otherwise would result in a situation where a greater penalty would be permitted for a lesser included offense; one-half of a life sentence for attempted rape is a greater sentence than one to fourteen years for assault with intent to commit rape. In response to this argument, the Court held: While a sentence of one-half of a life sentence cannot be calculated, a court is authorized to fix a base maximum sentence, for the offense of rape, at less than life, which base maximum may then be used as the basis to compute the sentence of one-half of such base to be imposed by the court for the offense of attempt to commit rape, and the actual sentence thus fixed may be less than the sentence imposed ... for the offense of assault with intent to commit rape. 88 Idaho at 123, 397 P.2d at 264. In calculating the sentence to be imposed upon conviction for an attempt to commit a crime punishable by life imprisonment, Hall authorizes our sentencing courts to fix a base maximum which may then be used to compute the sentence of one-half of this base. In the present case, the trial court correctly found that for the crime of attempted first-degree murder, the maximum penalty Wood faced was one-half of a life sentence. The trial court fixed a base maximum of forty-five years based upon Wood's age and life expectancy. The trial court advised Wood that the maximum penalty he faced for attempted first-degree murder was twenty-two years and six months, one half the base maximum. The trial court then offered Wood the opportunity to withdraw his plea which he declined. We find that the sentence of not less than fourteen years and not more than twenty-two years is within the statutory limits and is legal. The trial court properly denied Wood's motion to correct an illegal sentence.