State v. Leadinghorse, 37984

Decision Date29 October 1971
Docket NumberNo. 37984,37984
Citation187 Neb. 386,191 N.W.2d 440
PartiesSTATE of Nebraska, Appellee, v. Victor LEADINGHORSE, Appellant.
CourtNebraska Supreme Court

Syllabus by the Court

1. Section 29--2308, R.R.S.1943, provides that this court may reduce the sentence rendered by the district court against an accused when in its opinion the sentence is excessive, in which event it renders such sentence as may be warranted by the evidence.

2. Where the punishment of an offense created by statute is left to the discretion of the district court to be exercised within certain prescribed limits, a sentence imposed within such limits will not ordinarily be disturbed where there is no abuse of such discretion.

Jeffrey L. Orr, Public Defender, Tye, Worlock, Tye, Jacobsen & Orr, Kearney, for appellant.

Clarence A. H. Meyer, Atty. Gen., Ralph H. Gillan, Asst. Atty. Gen., Lincoln, for appellee.

Heard before SPENCER, BOSLAUGH, SMITH, McCOWN, NEWTON, and CLINTON, JJ.

SPENCER, Justice.

Appellant appeals from a 15-year sentence in the Nebraska Penal and Correctional Complex for the offense of sodomy. The only question raised in the appeal is whether under the circumstances the sentence was excessive. We affirm.

The record would indicate that the offense was forcefully perpetrated on a teen-age boy while both parties were confined in the Buffalo County jail. Appellant at the time was waiting trial on two separate felony offenses, one of which involved assault on a 12-year-old boy. The presentence investigation is a part of the record herein. It indicates that appellant has previously been confined in the Nebraska Penal and Correctional Complex. Under order of the Buffalo County district court on the assault charge, a psychiatric evaluation was made of appellant. The report indicates appellant was considered dangerous and homicidal.

Section 29--2308, R.R.S.1943, provides that this court may reduce the sentence rendered by the district court against an accused when in its opinion the sentence is excessive, in which event it renders such sentence as may be warranted by the evidence. We have said that where the punishment of an offense created by statute is left to the discretion of the district court to be exercised within certain prescribed limits, a sentence imposed within such limits will not ordinarily be disturbed where there is no abuse of such discretion. See State v. Whitaker, 185 Neb. 57, 173 N.W.2d 397.

In view of appellant's past record and the...

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3 cases
  • State v. Gutierrez, 37978
    • United States
    • Nebraska Supreme Court
    • 29 d5 Outubro d5 1971
  • State v. Leadinghorse, 39434
    • United States
    • Nebraska Supreme Court
    • 24 d4 Outubro d4 1974
    ...to 15 years imprisonment in the Nebraska Penal and Correctional Complex. Judgment was affirmed on direct appeal. State v. Leadinghorse (1971), 187 Neb. 386, 191 N.W.2d 440. The trial court, after a hearing for that purpose, determined that no evidentiary hearing was required and denied defe......
  • State v. Meloy, 38181
    • United States
    • Nebraska Supreme Court
    • 3 d5 Março d5 1972
    ...imposed within statutory limits will not ordinarily be disturbed in the absence of an abuse of judicial discretion. State v. Leadinghorse, 187 Neb. 386, 191 N.W.2d 440. ...

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