State v. Bushway

The defendant, James D. Bushway, appeals from the imposition of sentence upon his conviction for sexual assault. 13 V.S.A. § 3252(1)(A). After accepting a plea of nolo contendere, the trial court sentenced the defendant to eighteen to twenty years imprisonment. Defendant claims that two errors occurred during the course of his sentencing: first, that the sentencing court was improperly influenced by the victim’s emotional statement about the assault, and second, that the court erred in fashioning a sentence with the minimum and maximum terms differ ing only slightly. The defendant contends he…