State v. Cowles

HECHT, Justice.

We are asked, on further review of a decision of the court of appeals, to decide whether the district court erred in concluding it imposed an illegal mandatory minimum sentence. We conclude the sentence was not illegal under the circumstances presented here, and the district court therefore erred in correcting it. Accordingly, we vacate the decision of the court of appeals affirming the “correction” of the sentence, reverse the district court’s ruling, and remand for entry of a judgment reinstating the mandatory minimum sentence.

I. Factual and Procedural Background.

On March 14,…