Court Opinion

ID: 9535760
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:52:38.517681+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:19.571727
License: Public Domain

LANE, Judge,
dissenting.
¶ 1 I dissent to our determination that the State should be allowed to maintain this appeal. The scenario in the trial court is as follows: The defendant entered a plea of not guilty. The court conducted a trial and the parties stipulated to the evidence. The trial court then found the defendant not guilty by reason of jeopardy. At no time did the State formulate or reserve a question of law as required by State v. Shepherd, 1992 OK CR 69, 840 P.2d 644. Since the majority concedes that the other grounds for a State appeal do not exist, I would not decide the case on its merits.
¶ 2 However, recognizing that I have been out-voted, I next address the primary issue of this appeal, the issue of jeopardy. Here, I contend that the prosecution should not be barred by the Department of Corrections action in imposing disciplinary proceedings. There is no question but what the State was trying to impose two punishments upon the appellee when it prosecuted him after prison disciplinary proceedings had imposed sanctions. Both 21 O.S.1991 § 443 and § 443a allow the imposition of punishment.
¶ 3 In Ellis v. State, 1992 OK CR 35, 834 P.2d 985, 991 we stated: “Indeed, where the legislature has explicitly authorized multiple punishment the judicial inquiry is at an end, ...” The legislature intended multiple punishment. Section 443 defines the crime of *995escape from a penal institution and sets the limits of punishment for the crime, which is then followed by § 443a which states:
In addition, all prisoners who escape from either of the aforesaid prisons either while confined therein, or while at large as a trusty, when apprehended and returned to the prison, shall be punishable by the prison authorities in such manner as may be prescribed by the rules and regulations of the prison provided that such punishment shall not be cruel or unusual. (Emphasis supplied.)
The use of the word “shall” indicates to me that the legislature wants the escapee prosecuted under § 443 and punished under § 443a. Since there is no question that the legislature intended additional punishment, our inquiry must end.