State v. Monick

• Decision Date: 03 April 1980
• Docket Number: CA-CR,Nos. 1,s. 1
• Citation: 125 Ariz. 593,611 P.2d 946
• Parties: STATE of Arizona, Appellee, v. James Harold MONICK, Appellant. 4303, 1 4392.
• Court: Arizona Court of Appeals

Page 946

611 P.2d 946

125 Ariz. 593

STATE of Arizona, Appellee, v. James Harold MONICK, Appellant.

Nos. 1 CA-CR 4303, 1 CA-CR 4392.

Court of Appeals of Arizona, Division 1, Department C.

April 3, 1980.

Rehearing Denied May 8, 1980.

Review Denied May 28, 1980.

Robert K. Corbin, Arizona Atty. Gen. by William J. Schafer, III, Chief Counsel, Criminal Division, and David R. Cole, Asst. Attys. Gen., Phoenix, for appellee

Ross P. Lee, Maricopa County Public Defender by Paul J. Prato, Deputy Public Defender, Phoenix, for appellant.

OPINION

OGG, Chief Judge:

On June 21, 1979, appellant Monick pled guilty to one count of third degree burglary, a class 5 felony, and one count of theft, a class 3 felony, arising out of a burglary of Montgomery Ward's department store. In exchange for the plea, the state agreed to dismiss a third count of criminal damage and an unrelated charge of theft of a motorcycle. ¹

Because of appellant's youth (he was 21 years old at the time of sentencing), and the fact that he had no prior convictions, the trial court determined that probation was warranted. On July 30, 1979, the imposition of sentence was suspended and appellant was placed on probation for concurrent terms of three and four years for the burglary and theft charges, respectively. As a condition of probation, he was ordered to pay $3,476.85 in restitution. Appellant objected to the amount of restitution both at sentencing and in a later motion to alter conditions of probation, arguing that the amount of restitution to Montgomery Ward was based on uncertain evidence, and restitution to the victims of the stolen motorcycle was inappropriate because that charge had been dismissed. After a hearing on the issue, the trial court modified its order by requiring restitution to Montgomery Ward in a total amount of $620.75, reflecting the actual loss of merchandise and damage to the store. An additional $2,176.85 was ordered to be paid through the clerk of the court as restitution to the owners of the motorcycle for their loss in the unrelated, dismissed charge.

In these consolidated appeals from the judgment, sentence, and order denying modification of conditions of probation, appellant raises the single question of whether restitution to the victims of the unrelated crime was lawful. In support of his argument, appellant cites State v. Reese, 124 Ariz. 212, 603 P.2d 104 (1979), in which this Court held, under similar facts, that "it is an abuse of discretion for a sentencing judge to require restitution by a defendant for a crime in which there is no admission or adjudication of guilt or liability, unless the defendant, in a plea agreement or otherwise, consents to such restitution." 603 P.2d at 106.

In its answering brief, the state concedes that there was no admission or adjudication of guilt in the unrelated motorcycle case nor any consent by appellant to pay such restitution, and therefore that portion of the order was unlawful under Reese. However, the state argues that because this portion of restitution was an integral part of the trial judge's overall sentencing considerations, the matter should be remanded for new sentencing, including the possibility of conducting further investigation into the appellant's involvement in the unrelated motorcycle case to support restitution to that victim.

At the outset, it should be noted that Reese involved restitution as a condition of probation under former A.R.S. § 13-1657. Appellant's conviction falls within Arizona's Revised Criminal Code, effective October 1, 1978. The new criminal code provides the trial court...