State v. Beasley

The question before this court is whether the trial court’s erroneous imposition of a sentence less severe than the statutory minimum, and later correction of that sentence, violated the defendant’s constitutional guarantee against double jeopardy. This guarantee serves an individual’s interest in the finality of his sentence and protects against multiple punishments, as well as multiple prosecutions, for the same offense. Benton v. Maryland (1969), 395 U.S. 784. For the following reasons, however, we hold that jeopardy has not attached in this case, and that society’s interest in enforcing…