Court Opinion

ID: 9756691
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 21:48:09.257511+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:28.195989
License: Public Domain

WILLIAM RAY PRICE, JR., Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent insofar as the majority holds that section 195.218 creates a separate offense. In 1996, this Court concluded that section 195.218 is a punishment-enhancement provision and, therefore, does not create a separate offense. State v. Hatton, 918 S.W.2d 790, 794 (Mo. banc 1996). The majority does not cite any legislative action or judicial opinion in the intervening twelve years that suggests a need to revisit this settled conclusion. In fact, the General Assembly reenacted section 195.218 in 2003, adding further weight to this Court’s prior interpretation. See, e.g., 2B SUTHERLAND Statutory Construction section 49:9 (7th ed.). Because Hatton controls, I would affirm the circuit court’s judgment.