NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING
MOTION AND, IF FILED, DETERMINED.
IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
OF FLORIDA
SECOND DISTRICT
ANTHONY RAY CASEY, )
(
Appellant, )
(
v. ) Case No. 2D10-598
(
STATE OF FLORIDA, )
(
Appellee. )
(
Opinion filed December 29, 2010.
Appeal from the Circuit Court for Pasco
County; Pat Siracusa, Judge.
James Marion Moorman, Public Defender,
and Cynthia J. Dodge, Assistant Public
Defender, Bartow, for Appellant.
Bill McCollum, Attorney General,
Tallahassee, and Ronald Napolitano,
Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, for
Appellee.
WHATLEY, Judge.
Anthony Ray Casey appeals an order revoking his probation and
sentencing him to a previously suspended term of five years in prison. Casey was
originally charged with and entered a plea to
grand theft and was sentenced to five
years in prison, suspended, and five years of probation. He thereafter admitted – 2 -
violating his probation and was given the suspended sentence. Casey argues, and the
State correctly concedes, that his sentence must be reversed because the trial court
mistakenly believed that it was required to impose the suspended portion of his
sentence.
At the original sentencing hearing for grand theft, the trial court told Casey
that if he violated the terms of his probation, “you’re going to get five years Florida State
Prison because I’ve suspended it. . . . Because I’ve suspended it, so I won’t have any
discretion. Unless the State agrees, I’ve pretty much bound my hands.” Thereafter,
follows:
Is it your intention to admit your violation of probation today
with the understanding that this is an open plea; I can
sentence you to any lawful sentence, up to five years in
prison – I believe, actually, you have five years in prison
suspended, so there’s not a lot of mystery about what’s
going to happen here, I don’t think.
Here, as in Nadzo v. State, 24 So. 3d 690, 691-92 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009), the
trial court was under the mistaken belief that it was mandatory to impose the previously
suspended prison term. In Nadzo, 24 So.3d at 692, this court noted that the trial court
could have continued, modified, or revoked the appellant’s probation and that, after
deciding to revoke the probation, the trial court could impose a sentence less than the
original sentence. See also Cowart v. State, 860 So. 2d 1041, 1042 (Fla. 5th DCA
2003); Lacey v. State, 831 So. 2d 1267, 1270 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002).
Because the trial court appears to have believed it was required to
sentence Casey to five years in prison, we reverse and remand the case for
reconsideration. – 3 -
CASANUEVA, C.J., and BLACK, J., Concur.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION AND, IF FILED, DETERMINED. IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF FLORIDA SECOND DISTRICT ANTHONY RAY CASEY, ) ( Appellant, ) ( v. ) Case No. 2D10-598 ( STATE OF FLORIDA, ) ( Appellee. ) ( Opinion filed December 29, 2010. Appeal from the Circuit Court for Pasco County; Pat Siracusa, Judge. James Marion Moorman, Public Defender, and Cynthia J. Dodge, Assistant Public Defender, Bartow, for Appellant. Bill McCollum, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Ronald Napolitano, Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, for Appellee. WHATLEY, Judge. Anthony Ray Casey appeals an order revoking his probation and sentencing him to a previously suspended term of five years in prison. Casey was originally charged with and entered a plea to grand theft and was sentenced to five years in prison, suspended, and five years of probation. He thereafter admitted – 2 -violating his probation and was given the suspended sentence. Casey argues, and the State correctly concedes, that his sentence must be reversed because the trial court mistakenly believed that it was required to impose the suspended portion of his sentence. At the original sentencing hearing for grand theft, the trial court told Casey that if he violated the terms of his probation, “you’re going to get five years Florida State Prison because I’ve suspended it. . . . Because I’ve suspended it, so I won’t have any discretion. Unless the State agrees, I’ve pretty much bound my hands.” Thereafter, before accepting Casey’s admission to the violation of probation, the trial court stated as follows: Is it your intention to admit your violation of probation today with the understanding that this is an open plea; I can sentence you to any lawful sentence, up to five years in prison – I believe, actually, you have five years in prison suspended, so there’s not a lot of mystery about what’s going to happen here, I don’t think. Here, as in Nadzo v. State, 24 So. 3d 690, 691-92 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009), the trial court was under the mistaken belief that it was mandatory to impose the previously suspended prison term. In Nadzo, 24 So.3d at 692, this court noted that the trial court could have continued, modified, or revoked the appellant’s probation and that, after deciding to revoke the probation, the trial court could impose a sentence less than the original sentence. See also Cowart v. State, 860 So. 2d 1041, 1042 (Fla. 5th DCA 2003); Lacey v. State, 831 So. 2d 1267, 1270 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002). Because the trial court appears to have believed it was required to sentence Casey to five years in prison, we reverse and remand the case for reconsideration. – 3 -CASANUEVA, C.J., and BLACK, J., Concur.
Courtesy of David Edelstein