KIMO BRACHT
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA

Fla. 1st DCA | 2020-02-12
No. 19-2464
Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (2020)

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

The appellate court affirmed the denial of a motion to correct an illegal sentence. The court held that the defendant's claim challenging the factual basis of his mandatory-minimum sentence was not cognizable under the specific rule cited and did not meet the requirements to be treated as a motion under a different postconviction relief rule.


Holding

No, the defendant was not entitled to relief under rule 3.800(a) because a challenge to the factual basis of a mandatory-minimum sentence is not cognizable under that rule. Furthermore, the court properly declined to treat the motion under rule 3.850 because it did not state a prima facie claim sufficient for consideration under that rule.


Headnotes

[1] A challenge to the factual basis of a mandatory-minimum sentence, such as whether a defendant actually or constructively possessed a firearm, is not cognizable under Flor…

[2] A postconviction motion filed under Rule 3.800(a) may be treated as a motion under Rule 3.850 only where it is in the interest of justice to do so, the motion is timely,…

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Key Quotes

“Because the claim raised in Bracht’s motion was not cognizable under rule 3.800(a) and did not meet the requirements for the postconviction court to consider the motion under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850, Bracht’s motion was properly denied.”

This quote summarizes the appellate court's main conclusion regarding the denial of the defendant's motion.

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Facts & Procedural History

Kimo Bracht pleaded guilty to firearm possession by a convicted felon and marijuana possession, receiving a four-year sentence with a three-year manda…

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Opinion of the Court
Affirmed. Ray

PER CURIAM.

Kimo Bracht appeals an order denying his Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(a) motion to correct an illegal sentence. Because the claim raised in Bracht’s motion was not cognizable under rule 3.800(a) and did not meet the requirements for the postconviction court to consider the motion under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850, Bracht’s motion was properly denied.

Bracht pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of more than twenty grams of cannabis. He was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, with a three-year mandatory-minimum term. Following his conviction, Bracht moved for postconviction relief under rule 3.800(a), arguing that his three-year mandatory-minimum term was illegal because he

constructively, rather than actually, possessed the firearm. The postconviction court denied the motion, finding that Bracht’s claim was not cognizable under rule 3.800(a).

Bracht argues that the court reversibly erred because (1) Bracht was entitled to relief under rule 3.800(a); and (2) if not cognizable under rule 3.800(a), the postconviction court should have treated his motion as one filed under rule 3.850. We disagree.

First, the postconviction court properly denied Bracht’s motion because he sought to challenge the factual basis (possession of the firearm) of his mandatory-minimum sentence under rule 3.800(a). That type of challenge is not permitted under rule 3.800(a). See State v. Mancino, 705 So. 2d 1379, 1381 (Fla. 1998) (holding that a challenge to the factual basis of a firearm enhancement is not cognizable under rule 3.800(a)); cf. Haynes v. State, 106 So. 3d 481, 482 (Fla. 5th DCA 2013) (holding that challenges to mandatory-minimum terms imposed under a plea agreement are improper under rule 3.800(a)).

Second, the postconviction court properly declined to treat Bracht’s motion as one filed under rule 3.850. The general rule is that “a motion filed under rule 3.800(a) may be treated as a motion filed under rule 3.850 where it is in the ‘interest of justice to do so’ and the motion would be timely under rule 3.850.” Johnson v. State, 60 So. 3d 1045, 1052 (Fla. 2011) (citations omitted). Still, the motion must state a prima facie claim under rule 3.850 to be considered under that rule. Id. Bracht’s motion was timely filed, but did not satisfy the requirements of rule 3.850. See Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.850(c), (n)(2). For this reason, the court did not err when it declined to consider Bracht’s motion under rule 3.850.*

AFFIRMED.

RAY, C.J., and ROWE and TANENBAUM, JJ., concur. * Because two years have not passed since Bracht’s conviction became final, the time has not expired for Bracht to file a rule 3.850 motion.


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