Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

620 S.W.2d 399

State v. Williams

Missouri Court of Appeals

Decided July 14, 1981

Missouri Court of Appeals · decided 1981-07-14

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently June 1986

3 state decisions

Key passage — most relied on by later courts

“You are further instructed that if you find the defendant guilty of Stealing Without Consent, as submitted in Instruction No. 5, the court may, under the law, sentence the defendant to either: 1. Imprisonment for a term fixed by the court, but not to exceed the term assessed and declared by the jury in its verdict, or 2. The payment of a fine, the amount of which would be determined by the court in accordance with applicable statutes, or 3. Both such imprisonment and the payment of such a fine. In your deliberations your duty is to determine whether the defendant is guilty or innocent, and, if you find him guilty, to assess and declare the punishment as directed in other instructions given to you. (Emphasis added.)”

quoted by 1 later decision, including State v. Summerhill

Relies on State v. Hunter · State v. Grady · State v. Lomack

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1981-07-14

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

CRIST, Presiding Judge.

¶1Defendant appeals from a conviction of burglary second degree, in violation of § 569.170, RSMo. 1978 for which he was sentenced to a fifty-four (54) month term of imprisonment as a “persistent offender.” We affirm.

¶2On September 29, 1979, defendant and co-burglar gained entry to a service station by prying open a window. Although the co-burglar surrendered immediately upon being observed by a police officer, defendant made an unsuccessful attempt to escape. At trial, a jury found defendant guilty of burglary second degree and assessed punishment at two (2) years in the Department of Corrections. The trial court determined that defendant was a “persistent offender” within the meaning of § 558.-016.2, RSMo. 1978 and sentenced him to a fifty-four (54) month term of imprisonment. Sections 558.016.4 and 558.021, RSMo. 1978.

¶3Defendant complains that the trial court erred in giving the jury an instruction, MAI-CR.2d 2.60, which states in pertinent part:

... the court may, under the law, sentence the defendant to ...
1. Imprisonment for a term fixed by the court, but not to exceed the term assessed and declared by the jury in its verdict ...

¶4We find no error. MAI-CR.2d 2.60 was a mandatory instruction and the trial court was, therefore, required to give it to the jury. MAI-CR.2d 2.60, Note on Use 2; State v. Grady, 577 S.W.2d 930, 931 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Lomack, 586 S.W.2d 90, 94 (Mo.App.1979). Pursuant to their instructions, the jury assessed punishment at two (2) years. Despite the fact that defendant was ultimately sentenced to fifty-four (54) months, the jury was not misled on any issue of substantive law. See, State v. Hunter, 586 S.W.2d 345, 348 (Mo.banc 1979). The trial court did not err either in giving the jury MAI-CR.2d 2.60 or in sentencing defendant, as a “persistent offender,” to fifty-four (54) months. MAI-CR.2d 2.60; §§ 558.016 and 558.021, RSMo. 1978.

¶5Judgment affirmed.

REINHARD and SNYDER, JJ., concur.
/620/sw2d/399 · .json · Public domain