Court Opinion

ID: 9717842
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:11:19.080398+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:55.785043
License: Public Domain

SABERS, Justice
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent on issue 2 because the trial court erred in its written sentence of defendant in that it impermissibly increased the valid oral sentence. I agree with the majority opinion that it is settled law in this state that the oral sentence is the only sentence and the written sentence must conform to it. State v. Ford, 328 N.W.2d 263 (S.D.1982). See other cases cited in majority opinion.
In Ford, supra at 267, we stated:
We note that our state rules of criminal procedure, SDCL ch. 23A, were adopted from the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. While we have not before ruled on this issue, federal courts have held that the oral sentence is the only sentence, and that the written judgment must conform to it.
The Ninth Circuit Court dealt with ambiguous oral pronouncements in United States v. Munoz-Dela Rosa, 495 F.2d 253 (9th Cir.1974), and was cited by the Rhode Island Supreme Court in State v. O’Rourke, 463 A.2d 1328, 1332 (R.I.1983), as follows:
Generally, when a discrepancy exists between an unambiguous oral pronouncement and a written judgment, the oral pronouncement will control. See United States v. Marquez, 506 F.2d 620 (2d Cir.1974); United States v. Munoz-Dela Rosa, 495 F.2d 253 (9th Cir.1974). Only if the pronouncement from the bench is ambiguous may the written judgment be relied on to clarify the ambiguity. See United States v. Munoz-Dela Rosa, 495 F.2d at 255. (emphasis added)
I agree with the majority opinion that we must first ascertain whether the trial courts’ oral pronouncements were ambiguous. However, I disagree with the majority opinion at that juncture because I am convinced that an ambiguity, if any, must relate to the maximum sentence imposed. *834In this case the maximum sentence imposed was clear, not ambiguous. It was eighty-five years in the state penitentiary. Although there is an ambiguity in the trial court’s oral pronouncement, there is no ambiguity in the maximum sentence imposed. The trial court may have been operating under a misconception of the law, but the sentence is clear. In fact, questioned by the State’s attorney, the court stated as follows:
THE COURT: The habitual offender overrides the other three counts and so actually he is being sentenced as a habitual offender and so there is no need to pronounce a sentence on the other separate felonies.
In other words, any ambiguity previously existing concerning the maximum sentence imposed was clearly clarified and resolved by the trial court at that juncture. Moreover, the State’s attorney agreed and stated:
“I understand what you are saying.”
Whereupon the court stated:
“Hearing is adjourned.”
As of that point the maximum sentence of eighty-five years was unambiguously orally pronounced and cannot be extended by subsequent written judgment.*
In my view and under the view of the federal cases, an unambiguous oral pronouncement of sentence cannot be increased by a subsequent written judgment. I would reverse and remand for imposition of an eighty-five year maximum sentence in the South Dakota State Penitentiary.

 See State v. Bucholz, 403 N.W.2d 400 (S.D.1987), which supports the rule but is distinguishable because there, after the oral pronouncement of sentence, the trial court discovered that it had been lied to by the defendant and his wife and therefore brought the defendant back and imposed an increased sentence. This increased sentence was ruled impermissible. Bucholz, supra.