Court Opinion

ID: 9700619
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 21:37:51.056905+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:12.346703
License: Public Domain

WIEAND, Judge,
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent. Not only do I disagree with the majority’s concept of waiver, but I believe the sentence of probation imposed upon appellee in this case was outside the sentencing guidelines and unreasonable. The conviction for robbery was appellee’s third felony conviction and his second robbery conviction within a six year period. He has yet to be sentenced to prison, primarily, it seems, because he is a drug abuser. Drug abuse, however, is not a *109mitigating factor; in most cases it is an aggravating circumstances. It should not be an adequate reason for departing from sentencing guidelines. This is particularly so where, as here, appellee has refused to cooperate with prior efforts designed to achieve his drug rehabilitation. Under these circumstances I would find that the applicable sentencing court abused its discretion by departing from the sentencing guideline which, in order to protect the public, recommended a sentence of imprisonment.1 I would remand for re-sentencing.

. The applicable guideline was contained in Section 5 of the Act of November 26, 1978, P.L. 1316, 42 Pa.C.S. § 2155 (note), which recommended a sentence of "not less than four years imprisonment” for a second conviction of robbery.