WILLIE SOL v. STATE OF FLORIDA , 268 So. 3d 749 ( 2019 )


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  •        DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
    FOURTH DISTRICT
    WILLIE SOL,
    Appellant,
    v.
    STATE OF FLORIDA,
    Appellee.
    No. 4D17-1312
    [January 9, 2019]
    Appeal from the Circuit Court for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Palm
    Beach County; John S. Kastrenakes, Judge; L.T. Case No. 50-2015-CF-
    011094-AXXX-MB.
    Carey Haughwout, Public Defender, and Nancy Jack, Assistant Public
    Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
    Ashley Brooke Moody, Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Alexandra A.
    Folley, Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellee.
    CONNER, J.
    Willie Sol appeals his sentence after entering an open plea to burglary
    of a structure, grand theft, and possession of burglary tools. Sol asserts
    four issues of trial court error, one of which the State concedes. Because
    three of the issues raised by Sol are without merit, we affirm the trial
    court’s ruling as to those issues without discussion. As to the fourth issue,
    we agree with Sol and the State that we should remand for correction of
    Sol’s sentence on the burglary charge.
    The trial court sentenced Sol as a habitual felony offender on the
    burglary count, but did “not believe that it is necessary for the protection
    of the public to sentence [Sol] to an enhanced sentence.” However, the
    written sentencing order for the burglary count stated that:
    The Defendant is adjudicated a habitual felony offender and
    has been sentenced to an extended term in accordance with
    the provisions of section 775.084(4)(a), Florida Statutes. The
    requisite findings by the Court are set forth in a separate order
    or stated on the record in Open Court.
    (emphasis added).
    Section 775.084, Florida Statutes, states that a “habitual felony
    offender” is “a defendant for whom the court may impose an extended term
    of imprisonment.” § 775.084(1)(a), Fla. Stat. (2015) (emphasis added).
    Section 775.084 also states that the trial “court must sentence the
    defendant as a habitual felony offender . . . unless the court finds that
    such sentence is not necessary for the protection of the public.”
    § 775.084(3)(a)6., Fla. Stat. (2015) (emphases added).
    “Any difference between the trial court’s oral pronouncement and its
    written order is resolved in favor of the oral pronouncement.” Harder v.
    State, 
    14 So. 3d 1291
    , 1293 (Fla. 1st DCA 2009). Therefore, as the State
    agrees, the case is remanded for the trial court to correct the error in the
    written sentence and delete the language for an enhanced sentence as a
    habitual felony offender. We agree with the State that Sol’s presence is
    not necessary to correct this scrivener’s error. See Frost v. State, 
    769 So. 2d
    443, 444 (Fla. 1st DCA 2000) (“Accordingly, this case is remanded with
    instructions for the written sentence to be conformed to the oral
    pronouncement. Upon remand, appellant need not be present for the
    correction of the sentence since correction is merely a ministerial act.”).
    Affirmed and remanded with instructions.
    TAYLOR and KUNTZ, JJ., concur.
    *        *         *
    Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.
    2
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 17-1312

Citation Numbers: 268 So. 3d 749

Filed Date: 1/9/2019

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 1/9/2019