Court Opinion

ID: 9784502
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 20:46:41.468125+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:35:55.403715
License: Public Domain

CUNNINGHAM, J„
dissenting:
I respectfully dissent. Let us remember that, in this case, the Appellant stood convicted of eight counts of robbery in the second degree and was being held on a whopping $100,000 bond. There were eight separate victims of his crimes. It is also important to point out the Appellant had originally been charged with eight counts of first-degree robbery and four counts of theft by unlawful taking. By plea agreement, the Commonwealth reduced the robberies to second degree and dismissed the theft charges.
Which of us sitting on this Court believe that on remand the trial judge is going to do anything different than he already has? What the majority does today is simply invite judges to participate in a judicial charade of prophylactic monologue. The sentencing judge can now say the magical words, “If you misbehave I will consider giving you 20 years”; and then when the hammer falls, “I’ve considered not doing this, but have decided that it is appropriate in your case.” With those words in this case, the hammer clause is still alive and well.
The adeptly crafted majority opinion by Justice Venters is well reasoned. However, it places upon the trial judges an artificial standard of judicial reflection and deliberation in sentencing. I advocate a totality of the circumstance test rather than a mere parroting of the sentencing statute.
The majority opines that the trial court imposed the twenty-year sentence without an independent exercise of discretion. In support of this claim, it is asserted that the trial court committed to the imposition of the higher sentence at the time it accepted the plea agreement which included the hammer clause. I disagree.
This Court buys into the argument by Knox that the manner in which the trial court imposed the sentence was condemned in McClanahan v. Commonwealth, 308 S.W.3d 694 (Ky.2010). In McClanahan, the defendant violated the terms of his pre-sentencing release, triggering a hammer clause contained in the plea agreement. Accordingly, instead of a ten-year sentence, the trial court imposed a thirty-five-year sentence as indicated in the hammer clause.
Though not condemning the use of hammer clauses in plea agreements, we reversed the judgment for two primary reasons. First, the thirty-five-year sentence imposed was not statutorily authorized and, therefore, was illegal. Id. at 702. In addition, we determined that the trial court failed to exercise its independent discretion in sentencing. We reached this conclusion largely based on the trial court’s statements at final sentencing which indicated that the judge would enforce the hammer clause regardless of counsel’s arguments.
By assuring [defendant] upon acceptance of his guilty plea that should he violate the terms of his release, the full force of the “hammer clause” would be dropped upon him, the judge committed to the imposition of a specific sentence in a way that precluded true compliance *902with KRS 532.050(1), KRS 532.110(1), KRS 533.010(1) and (2), and RCr 11.02.
Id. at 704.
The circumstances of this case are unlike those in McClanahan. The twenty-year sentence imposed in this case is within the statutorily authorized range. A pre-sentence investigation report was ordered and prepared, as required by KRS 532.050 and RCr 11.02. After hearing evidence as to whether a violation of the home incarceration program had occurred, the trial court asked for and considered the arguments of counsel. The sole focus of these arguments was whether the hammer clause should be enforced. Defense counsel emphasized that it was within the trial court’s discretion to impose the hammer clause, and the trial court indicated no disagreement with this proposition.
I have no doubt that the trial court was aware that the decision to enforce the hammer clause was within its discretion. It is also apparent that the trial court exercised that discretion. That the trial court expressed some reservations due to the severity of the hammer clause in this case is further indication of its due consideration of the matter. Moreover, because the hammer clause essentially imposed consecutive rather than concurrent sentences, the trial court complied with the requirements of KRS 532.110.
The majority narrowly focuses on certain statements made by the trial court, rather than a comprehensive look at the totality of the circumstances surrounding his sentencing. Indeed, during the plea colloquy, the trial court impressed upon Knox that a violation of the HIP conditions meant that his sentence “would be twenty years.” The trial court stated that it “would enforce the agreement” if Knox violated it “in any way.” We find these statements to be an attempt by the trial court to ensure that Knox fully comprehended the seriousness of the agreement and the severity of the potential consequences. In light of the full sentencing hearing that ultimately took place, I do not interpret these statements to be an indication that the trial court had committed to a sentence.
Lastly, the hammer clause was a part of the plea agreement. If, upon remand, the trial court chooses to retreat from the twenty years in spite of the fact the defendant violated the accord, it is only fair that the Commonwealth be given the option to withdraw the plea offer, reinstate the original charges, and proceed from there. Otherwise, the Commonwealth has been deprived of the benefit of its bargain.
I detect a drift of this Court of distinguished former trial judges toward micromanaging our trial judges. I’m furthermore afraid that we have used this case to further invade the sound discretion of the trial court in fairly managing their dockets. In doing so, we do injury to the interests of both the Commonwealth and criminal defendants.
Therefore, I must respectfully dissent.