State v. Moultrie

Full title: STATE of Florida, Petitioner, v. Phillip Lee MOULTRIE, Respondent.

Court: Supreme Court of Florida

Date published: Feb 5, 1987

12 Fla. L. Weekly 98 (Fla. 1987)

12 Fla. L. Weekly 98

Opinion

503 So.2d 892 (Fla. 1987) 12 Fla. L. Weekly 98 STATE of Florida, Petitioner, v. Phillip Lee MOULTRIE, Respondent. No. 68945. Supreme Court of Florida. February 5, 1987

       Rehearing Denied April 9, 1987.

       Application for Review of the Decision of the District Court of Appeal--Direct Conflict of Decisions; Fifth District--Case No. 85-968.

       Robert A. Butterworth, Jr., Atty. Gen., and Margene A. Roper, Asst. Atty. Gen., Daytona Beach, for petitioner.

       James B. Gibson, Public Defender, Seventh Judicial Circuit, and Michael L. O'Neill, Asst. Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for respondent.

       EHRLICH, Justice.

       We have for review Moultrie v. State, 488 So.2d 558 (Fla. 5th DCA 1986), which expressly and directly conflicts with decisions of other district courts of appeal on the issue of whether habitual offender status, under section 775.084, Florida Statutes (1985), is a valid reason for departure from a presumptive guidelines sentence. We have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 3(b)(3), Fla. Const.

       Consistent with our recent decision in Whitehead v. State, 498 So.2d 863 (Fla.1986), the district court below held that it is not. Accordingly, on the authority of Whitehead, we approve the decision below.

       It is so ordered.        McDONALD, C.J., SHAW and BARKETT, JJ., and ADKINS, J. (Ret.), concur.

       OVERTON, J., dissents.