Opinion ID: 887906
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Participation in Psychosexual Evaluation

Text: ¶ 40 Rogers' second argument is that his refusal to cooperate at the presentence psychosexual evaluation was used against him in violation of the Fifth Amendment. Rogers argues that Lemons recommended, and the District Court imposed, a harsher sentence solely because Rogers refused to admit responsibility or express remorse at the psychosexual evaluation. ¶ 41 Rogers' assertion is not supported by the record. As a preliminary matter, Rogers' lack of cooperation was not limited to only those instances in which he could have incriminated himself. Rather, Lemons noted that Rogers was extremely closed and defensive in providing a social and sexual history, and Rogers was only minimally cooperative in completing probation and parole's presentence investigation report. This lack of cooperation does not fall within the Fifth Amendment umbrella. ¶ 42 In accordance with § 46-18-115(6), MCA, the District Court articulated the reasons for its sentence. As discussed previously, the District Court first noted that the mandatory minimum sentence was four years for a violation of § 45-5-502(3), MCA, and that the exception was inapplicable because no treatment options were available within the community which would address Rogers' issues of sexual abuse. The District Court observed that, contrary to Rogers' argument that Lemons recommended a harsher sentence based solely upon his refusal to incriminate himself, Lemons' recommendation for treatment was based on an interview with Rogers, administration of a number of tests and screening tools, and a review of the background information and court documents related to the specific offense. In fact, Lemons did not comment on Rogers' refusal to respond to questions posed to him during testing, and the District Court correctly noted that there was no indication that the failure to complete these tests in any way affected Mr. Lemons [sic] recommendation for treatment. ¶ 43 The District Court summarized the reasons for its sentence as follows: The correctional policy to provide an opportunity for rehabilitation and reintegration of a defendant into the community has to be balanced against the issue of public safety. Based on the serious nature of these crimes, the ages and number of victims affected, the considerations submitted in the testimony presented at the sentencing hearing, and [sic] the recommendations of the State and Defense Counsel, the Pre-Sentence Investigation Report and the letters attached to that Report, the evaluation of Mr. Lemons, and the memoranda provided by Counsel, the Court finds that the safety of the victims and the community require that the defendant be incarcerated. Also, in order to protect the public safety, as well as to provide for rehabilitation, the Court finds that sex offender treatment has to be required, and it is not available outside of the prison in this case. In order to ensure that sex offender treatment is completed, the defendant will be restricted from parole until Phases I and II of the sex offender treatment program at the prison have been successfully completed. . . . The District Court's considerations in its Reasons for Sentence were many, and, notably, did not even reference Rogers' refusal to answer incriminating questions during the psychosexual evaluation. Because nothing in the record supports Rogers' claim that his refusal served as a basis for his sentence, we decline to address Rogers' argument that the Fifth Amendment permits a defendant to refuse to participate in a court-ordered psychosexual evaluation. The District Court's sentence was within the parameters provided by statute, and is therefore affirmed. We concur: W. WILLIAM LEAPHART, PATRICIA COTTER and BRIAN MORRIS, JJ.