RAPPSODI RHAHAVI ALI, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Defendant Rappsodi Rhahavi Ali appeals the trial court's denial of his motion to correct sentencing error. Ali challenged his sentences as illegal under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(b), claiming lack of notice of enhanced penalties and improper application of habitual offender enhancement. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's denial.
The trial court properly denied the motion because Rule 3.800(b) was inapplicable when the sentences had become final and there was no pending appeal. The lack of notice claim may not be raised in a motion to correct an illegal sentence and is time-barred. Ali received notice of enhanced penalties as reflected in the plea colloquy. Ali was not sentenced as a habitual offender for violating probation, and Apprendi does not apply when enhancement is based on prior convictions.
[1] A motion to correct sentencing error under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(b) is inapplicable when sentences have become final and there is no pending appeal of…
[2] A claim regarding lack of notice of intent to seek enhanced penalties may not be raised in a motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Pr…
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Rule 3.800(b) authorizes a motion to correct sentencing error before, or during, a direct appeal of a sentencing order.”
Establishes the limited scope of Rule 3.800(b) and why it did not apply to Ali's motion when his sentences were final.
Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceOn August 14, 2001, Ali entered a negotiated plea and received concurrent sentences of twelve and a half years: one for possession of a firearm by a v…
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ROTHENBERG, Judge.
The defendant appeals the trial court’s denial of his Motion to Correct Sentencing Error pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(b). We affirm.
On August 14, 2001, the defendant entered into a negotiated plea and was sentenced: (1) to twelve and a half years incarceration as a Habitual Violent Offender for the offense of possession of a firearm by a violent career criminal in case number 00-21823; and (2) to twelve and a half years incarceration for violating his probation in case number 98-20088(B), concurrent to the sentence imposed in CO-21823.
The defendant claims that his sentences were “illegal” because he was never served with a Notice of Intent to Seek Enhanced Penalties; he was improperly sentenced as a habitual offender in case number 98-20099 (his possession case) when he was not placed on probation as a habitual offender; and under Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000), any factor that increases the penalty of a crime beyond the prescribed sentence must be submitted to a jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rule 3.800(b) authorizes a motion to correct sentencing error before, or during, a direct appeal of a sentencing order. See Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.800(b)(l)(motion before appeal); Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.800(b)(2)(motion pending appeal). In this case the defendant’s sentences had become final and there was no pending appeal of the sentencing orders. It follows that Rule 3.800(b) was inapplicable. The trial court properly declined to entertain the motion as a Rule 3.800(b) motion and instead exercised its discretion to treat the motion as a motion for postconviction relief.
We conclude that the trial court correctly denied the defendant’s claim regarding lack of notice as this claim may not be raised in a motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800, Carter v. State, 786 So. 2d 1173 (Fla.2001), and La-Mar v. State, 823 So. 2d 231 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002), and is time-barred under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850. Additionally, while the defendant only provided page eleven of the plea colloquy, the portion provided reflects that the defendant did receive notice:
Ms. Anton: Judge, the defendant was noticed that the State was intending to seek enhanced penalties on the defendant and it was served upon the defendant and defense counsel on July 18, 2000.
A review of the record also reflects that on June 14, 2004, the defendant previously raised this claim, which was denied by the trial court on October 19, 2004, and is thus procedurally barred by collateral estoppel. See Topps v. State, 865 So. 2d 1253 (Fla.2004).
We find the defendant’s remaining two claims to likewise lack merit as he was not sentenced as a habitual offender for violating his probation in case number 98-20088(B), and Apprendi does not apply when the enhancement imposed was based upon prior convictions. See Apprendi, 530 U.S. at 490, 120 S.Ct. 2348.
Affirmed.
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Citator
Cited By
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Pace v. State (Fla. 3d DCA 2023)
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Pace v. State (Fla. 3d DCA 2023)…ffirmed. See State v. McBride, 848 So. 2d 287, 290 (Fla. 2003) (“Although res judicata may not apply to motions filed under rule 3.800, the similar, but more narrow, doctrine of collateral estoppel, or issue preclusion, does apply.”); Ali v. State, 911 So. 2d 164, 166 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005) (“[T]he trial court correctly denied the defendant’s claim regarding lack of notice as this claim may not be raised in a motion to correct an illegal sentence pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800 . . . .”).…
Authorities Cited
- Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (U.S. 2000)
- Carter v. State, 786 So. 2d 1173 (Fla. 2001)
- Topps v. State, 865 So. 2d 1253 (Fla. 2004)
- Stanford LaMAR v. State, 823 So. 2d 231 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002)