Court Opinion

ID: 9747855
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-27 15:39:00.330978+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:25:27.945106
License: Public Domain

Jim Hannah, Justice, concurring.- I concur with the majority’s decision. I agree that State v. Stephenson, 340 Ark. 229, 9 S.W.3d 495 (2000), is directly on point and determinative of the present case. I write separately only to point out that confusion may arise when the decision in this case is read in conjunction with Vanesch v. State, 343 Ark. 381, 37 S.W.3d 196 (2001), and Buckley v. State, 341 Ark. 864, 20 S.W.3d 331 (2000), both of which were decided after Stephenson, supra. All three cases rely directly or indirectly on Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-401 (Supp. 2001). Section 5-64-401 sets criminal penalties for manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance. Where section 5-64-401 alone is violated, the felony is treated as a Class Y felony, “[f]or all purposes other than disposition. . . .” Because Ark. Code Ann. § 5-64-401 states that a violation of the statute is a Class Y felony except for purposes other than disposition, probation for section 5-64-401(a) crimes is an alternative sentence. Vanesch, supra; Buckley, supra. However, Hardiman was charged not only with possession of drugs, which would be a violation of section 5-64-401, but she was also in simultaneous possession of a firearm; therefore, she was charged under Ark. Code Ann. § 5-74-106 (Repl. 1997). Section 5-74-106 makes simultaneous violation of section 5-64-401 and possession of a firearm a Class Y felony for all purposes, including disposition. Ark. Code Ann. § 5-74-106(a)(b) (Repl. 1997). Section 5-74-106 contains no exception for purposes of disposition. Violation of section 5-74-106, is a Class Y felony, and the sentence is not subject to suspension. Ark. Code Ann. § 5-4-301(a)(1)(C) (Supp. 2001). Therefore, Vanesch and Buckley have no application to sentencing in this case.