ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
Kurt A. Young Steve Carter
Nashville, Indiana Attorney General of Indiana
George P. Sherman
Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
In the
Indiana Supreme Court
_________________________________
No. 49S05-0603-CR-105
LARRY D. MITCHELL,
Appellant (Defendant below),
v.
STATE OF INDIANA,
Appellee (Plaintiff below).
_________________________________
Appeal from the Marion Superior Court, No. 49G01-0110-CF-198307
The Honorable Tanya Walton-Pratt, Judge
_________________________________
On Petition to Transfer from the Indiana Court of Appeals, No. 49A05-0312-CR-00625
_________________________________
March 23, 2006
Shepard, Chief Justice.
Larry Mitchell challenges his sentence for the robbery and felony murder of three people.
Mitchell argues that the aggravators used to enhance his sentence were not properly found under
the standards set forth in Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296 (2004). Mitchell did not need to
make a specific Blakely challenge at trial to preserve the issue, and he is entitled to review of
that question. We conclude the trial court’s sentence should be affirmed.
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Facts and Procedural History
On October 5, 2001, Larry Mitchell, Brian K. Baxter, and Terrance L. Thomas broke into
the residence of Latanya Ashmore in order to rob Edward Green. During the course of the
robbery, Latanya’s brother Anthony Ashmore saw three men in the apartment. During the
robbery, Anthony Ashmore heard Green say: “You’ve already shot me,” and “I already gave you
everything,” and then saw Green struggle with Thomas before Thomas fatally shot him in the
head. (Tr. 149, 152-54.) Ashmore then saw Thomas shoot and kill Edward Gilbert, Green’s
cousin. Thomas then began shooting at Ashmore and Antonio McGregor. McGregor was
killed, and Ashmore suffered wounds to his face and shoulder. Although Ashmore never
identified Mitchell, he did identify Baxter and Thomas.
Early the next morning police apprehended Baxter and Thomas after pursuing them for
an unrelated vehicle theft. Police found in their possession a white bag containing what later
turned out to be the handguns used in the robbery. During questioning, both Thomas and Baxter
identified Mitchell as the third participant in the robbery and indicated that he too had shot
Green, although not fatally. On October 10, 2001, the State charged Baxter, Thomas, and
Mitchell for their involvement in the robbery and murders. The information specified nine
counts against Mitchell, including both murder and felony murder counts for the killing of
Green, Gilbert, and McGregor; the attempted murder of Ashmore; conspiracy to commit
robbery; robbery; possession of a handgun as a serious violent felon; and carrying a handgun
without a license. The State later sought enhancement of the carrying without a license charge,
based on a prior felony, and asked that Mitchell be sentenced as a habitual offender.
Following a trial in October 2003, a jury found Mitchell guilty on three counts of felony
murder, the count of attempted murder, the count of robbery, and the count of carrying a
handgun without a license. It acquitted him on conspiracy to commit robbery. Mitchell
stipulated to the enhancement on the charge for carrying the handgun without a license, and the
State dismissed the charge for the possession of a handgun as a serious violent felon and the
habitual offender enhancement.
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In imposing sentence, the trial judge found no mitigating circumstances. The court found
the existence of three aggravators: 1) Mitchell’s criminal history; 2) that he was on probation at
the time of the offense; and 3) the nature and circumstances of the crime. (Tr. at 462-63.) It
sentenced Mitchell to sixty-five years on each of the three felony murder counts, fifty years on
the attempted murder, twenty years on the robbery, and eight years on the carrying a handgun
without a license. The court ordered consecutive sentences for one of the murders, the robbery,
and the handgun charge, for a total executed sentence of ninety-three years. The other sentences
were concurrent.
On appeal, Mitchell challenged both his conviction and his sentence. He claimed error
on certain instructions, on admission of certain testimony, and on sufficiency grounds. He
challenged his sentence by arguing that the aggravating circumstances used to enhance his
sentence were neither admitted to nor found by a jury as required by Blakely v. Washington. 1
The Court of Appeals rejected each of these arguments, holding among other things that
Mitchell’s Blakely claim was forfeited because he had not raised an objection to the sentencing
at the time of trial. Mitchell v. State, 821 N.E.2d 390, 398-99 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004) vacated.
We hold that Mitchell is entitled to raise the Blakely claim despite not having raised an
objection at trial, and review its merits. 2
Mitchell Can Raise Blakely Claim
We recently noted that both this “Court and the Court of Appeals [review] many claims
of sentencing error . . . without insisting that the claim first be presented to the trial judge.”
Kincaid v. State, 827 N.E.2d 1008, 1010 (Ind. 2005). In that case, we addressed whether an
appellant could challenge his sentence on Blakely grounds without having first raised a specific
Sixth Amendment objection at the sentencing hearing. In holding that he could, we stated that
1
542 U.S. 296 (2004).
2
We otherwise affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals. Ind. Appellate Rule 58(A).
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the defendant need only “raise a particular sentencing claim in his or her initial brief on direct
appeal in order to receive review on the merits.” 3 Id. Because Kincaid had challenged his
sentence on Blakely grounds in his initial appellant brief, we determined that he had adequately
preserved the issue for review. Id.
Like Kincaid, Mitchell challenged his sentence on Blakely grounds in the initial brief on
direct appeal and thus, adequately preserved this issue for appellate review. 4 (Br. of Appellant at
26-32.)
Sentence Properly Enhanced
Mitchell argues that his sentence was improperly enhanced because the aggravating
factors used by the trial court to impose terms above the presumptive sentences were neither
found by a jury, nor admitted by the defendant. In support of its decision to impose an enhanced
sentence, the trial court used three aggravators: 1) Mitchell’s criminal history; 2) that he was on
probation at the time of the offense; and 3) the nature and circumstances of the crime. (Tr. at
462-63.)
Starting with the third of these, we recently held that except when they are supported by
facts otherwise properly found, and meant as concise descriptions of the moral or penal weight of
those facts in assessing criminal culpability, aggravators such as “the nature and circumstances
of the crime” run afoul of the Sixth Amendment. Morgan v. State, 829 N.E.2d 12, 17-18 (Ind.
2005); Trusley v. State, 829 N.E.2d 923, 926-27 (Ind. 2005). The trial court’s description of this
aggravator focused on Mitchell’s role as “a major participant” in the crime, observing that
without his participation “none of this would have happened,” and, most notably, that he and the
others had “planned and conspired to commit a robbery.” (Tr. at 462-63.) These could well
3
We also noted that when addressing Blakely issues, this Court has relaxed the ordinary rules of preservation.
Specifically, we noted that our holding in Smylie v. State permits the review of Blakely claims for appeals filed
prior to our decision in that case provided that some sentencing issue was raised in the initial brief, and that a
specific Blakely claim was added later. Kincaid, 837 N.E.2d at 1010. We also noted that for appeals filed after
Smylie, a defendant must make a specific Blakely claim in their initial appeal or that issue cannot be reviewed. Id.
4
We commend Mitchell’s appellate counsel for addressing this issue in a coherent, thorough, and thoughtful
manner.
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serves as aggravators had they been admitted by the defendant, or found by a jury, but they were
not. In fact, the conspiracy charge was specifically not found. The nature and circumstances
aggravator is impermissible.
The remaining aggravators are permissible. A defendant’s criminal history, or “fact of
prior convictions,” was specifically exempted from the Sixth Amendment jury trial requirement
by Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 490 (2000). That exemption was reaffirmed in
Blakely. 542 U.S. at 301. The only question regarding the permissibility of this aggravator here
is whether the trial court properly considered Mitchell’s juvenile record in finding this
aggravator.
We recently addressed this issue in Ryle v. State, 842 N.E.2d 320 (Ind. 2005). In that
case, we held that because juvenile adjudications afford individuals sufficient procedural
safeguards, they may be considered as a “prior conviction” for the purposes of sentencing under
Blakely. Id. at 322-23. Consequently, the trial court properly considered Mitchell’s juvenile
record as part of his criminal history.
In Ryle we also addressed whether the fact that a defendant was on probation at the time
of the offense needed to be proven before a jury before it could be considered in aggravation. Id.
at 323-24. We held that because the “requirements governing probation officers and their
presentation of information to the sentencing court ensure their work product’s reliability,” and
because the documents they rely on in creating pre-sentencing reports are “judicial records”
sufficient to pass constitutional muster, the fact that a defendant is on probation at the time of the
offense is so closely related to the fact of prior conviction that it need not be submitted to a jury.
Id. at 324. The pre-sentence investigation report clearly indicates that Mitchell was on probation
at the time of the offense, so the trial court could properly consider this aggravator.
The only question that remains is whether the permissible aggravators are sufficient to
justify the imposition of the enhanced sentences. Mitchell’s criminal history, as his attorney at
sentencing accurately noted, is “bad.” (Tr. at 461.) He has true findings in juvenile proceedings
for resisting law enforcement, criminal trespass, theft, and three counts of robbery arising out of
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a single incident. (Appellant’s App. at 222-23.) His adult record is hardly less extensive. He
has been found guilty of criminal trespass, two counts of auto theft, and carjacking. (Id. at 223-
24.) This history, particularly his repeated resort to violence, when combined with his violation
of probation, is sufficient to warrant the enhanced sentences.
Conclusion
Mitchell’s sentence is appropriate. We affirm the trial court.
Dickson, Sullivan, Boehm, and Rucker, JJ., concur.
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