Opinion ID: 2590193
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Russell J. Hunter

Text: On February 14, 2001, Hunter pleaded guilty to second degree attempted robbery. The State initially calculated Hunter's offender score as a 5 based on five prior out-of-state convictions. Hunter disputed his offender score arguing that two of his Oregon convictions were not comparable to Washington State crimes. At Hunter's March 9, 2001 sentencing hearing, the prosecutor conceded that the State could not prove that one of Hunter's Oregon drug convictions compared to a Washington State felony and thus, recommended that the sentencing court calculate Hunter's offender score as 4. In reply, Hunter's counsel conceded that Hunter's second challenged Oregon drug conviction was properly included in his offender score. Consequently, the court calculated Hunter's offender score as 4. Hunter appealed to Division One of the Court of Appeals. On appeal, Hunter argued that the sentencing court miscalculated his offender score by including prior out-of-state convictions that the State had failed to prove were comparable to Washington State felony crimes. The Court of Appeals rejected Hunter's argument holding that the sentencing court correctly calculated his offender score since his counsel affirmatively acknowledged that his prior out-of-state convictions were properly included. State v. Hunter, 116 Wash.App. 300, 301, 65 P.3d 371 (2003) (citing Ford, 137 Wash.2d at 483 n. 5, 973 P.2d 452). Hunter petitioned for review to this court asserting that the Court of Appeals erred when it held that the sentencing court had properly calculated his offender score. He also argues that due process and the Sentencing Reform Act (SRA) of 1981, chapter 9.94A RCW, requires that the State prove by a preponderance of the evidence that his out-of-state convictions compare to Washington State felony crimes. We granted review and consolidated his case with Ross' case.