Court Opinion

ID: 9529913
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:55:26.196345+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:27:57.077020
License: Public Domain

BAKER, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I agree with the majority's determination that our legislature's amendment of Indiana Code section 385-38-1-7.1 indicates an intention to change the common law as it existed before April 2005 regarding the requirement of "a sentencing statement anytime the trial court imposes a sentence other than the presumptive." Op. at 678 n. 2 (quoting McMahon v. State, 856 N.E.2d 743, 749 (Ind.Ct.App.2006)).
*682Hence, it is also my view that the pronouncement made by a different panel of this court in MceMahon would effectively resurrect the precise Sixth Amendment problems that the legislature sought to eliminate with its amendment of Indiana's sentencing scheme.
On the other hand, I cannot agree that a four-year sentence was appropriate in this cireumstance. Indeed, the State does not dispute Windhorst's contention that he had no criminal history. And Windhorst entered into a plea agreement with the State just two and one-half months after his arrest, Appellant's App. 4-6, 22-24, thus indicating an acceptance of responsibility for his actions. In my view, Windhorst's decision to plead guilty at such an early stage of the proceedings saved the State significant time and resources, thus affording it a substantial benefit. I would also note that even though the State dismissed two counts of class D felony dissemination of material harmful to minors with which Windhorst had been charged, only one of the photographs depicted Windhorst "in a full state of frontal nudity." Tr. p. 15-16. Windhorst was "apparently shirtless" in the other photo. Id.
Other significant mitigating factors that bear on Windhorst's character include that fact that he was depressed because his mother died in February 2005 and he had lost his job only a few months before committing the instant offense. Tr. p. 24. Additionally, there is no dispute that Win-dhorst showed remorse for his actions. Id. at 25. Furthermore, Windhorst maintained steady employment for nearly his entire adult life, served in the roilitary or reserves for more than two decades, was cooperative with the police throughout the case, and involved himself in various programs while in jail awaiting sentencing. Tr. p. 28-29.
In sum, given the numerous significant mitigating cireumstances in this case coupled with the absence of any aggravating factors, I would remand this cause to the trial court with instructions to impose a sentence of two years, with one year executed and one year suspended to probation.