Orange v. State, 86-2439

Citation535 So.2d 691,14 Fla. L. Weekly 151
Decision Date27 December 1988
Docket NumberNo. 86-2439,86-2439
Parties14 Fla. L. Weekly 151 Lamar ORANGE, Jr. a/k/a "Juice", Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
CourtCourt of Appeal of Florida (US)

Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender and Elliot H. Scherker, Asst. Public Defender, for appellant.

Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen. and Charles M. Fahlbusch, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee.

Before BARKDULL, NESBITT and FERGUSON, JJ.

BARKDULL, Judge.

Appellant was charged with first degree murder in the beating death of one Marcia Bethel. He was found guilty of second degree murder. The sentencing guidelines recommended a sentence of 12-17 years imprisonment. The trial court imposed a 30-year sentence giving as grounds for exceeding the guidelines the following: (1) The crime was committed against a victim who was particularly vulnerable and defenseless. The evidence showed the victim was 5 feet tall, weighed 85 pounds, and was intoxicated from alcohol and cocaine at the time of her death. The defendant was a large well muscled man. (2) The offense was committed in a particularly outrageous or brutal manner as shown by the victim's injuries which included bruises and abrasions, 6 broken ribs, and a ruptured heart and a liver split in half by the force of the blows against her.

The appellant contends the trial court erred in departing from the guidelines in reliance on reasons which are inherent in the offense convicted of, and which cannot support said departure. We disagree and affirm the trial court on the authority of: State v. McCall, 524 So.2d 663 (Fla.1988); Coleman v. State, 515 So.2d 313 (Fla. 2d DCA 1987); Moore v. State, 468 So.2d 1081 (Fla. 3d DCA 1985); Compare Mayo v. State, 518 So.2d 458 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988).

The judgment of conviction under review, together with the sentence, be and the same are hereby affirmed.

AFFIRMED.

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6 cases
  • Jones v. State, 95-389
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • March 13, 1996
    ...can be a valid reason for departing from the sentencing guidelines. Carter v. State, 550 So.2d 1130 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989); Orange v. State, 535 So.2d 691 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988); Berry v. State, 511 So.2d 1075 (Fla. 1st DCA 1987). Particularly, when as in this case, the victim's vulnerability is th......
  • Wright v. State, 87-2054
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • January 31, 1989
    ...v. State, 510 So.2d 885 (Fla.1987), cert. denied, 485 U.S. 943, 108 S.Ct. 1123, 99 L.Ed.2d 284 (1988); Hansbrough; see Orange v. State, 535 So.2d 691 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988). Of course, the trial court may not use both victim injury and excessive force as grounds for departure from sentencing gu......
  • Miranda v. State, 3D02-156.
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • December 26, 2002
    ...3d DCA 1991); Vara v. State, 546 So.2d 1071 (Fla. 2d DCA 1989); Wright v. State, 538 So.2d 497, 499 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989); Orange v. State, 535 So.2d 691 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988). The defendant relies on Lamond v. State, 500 So.2d 342 (Fla. 5th DCA 1986), but that case is not on point. In Lamond the......
  • Delorme v. State, 88-2872
    • United States
    • Florida District Court of Appeals
    • June 5, 1990
    ...the Florida Supreme Court recognized excessive brutality as the basis to support a departure sentence. Further, in Orange v. State, 535 So.2d 691 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988), this court upheld a departure sentence based on the commission of a second degree murder in a particularly outrageous or brut......
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