Lawrence v. State

Beasley, Judge.

Having negotiated a plea agreement of fifteen years to serve six and a $90,000 fine, Renee Lawrence pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the State (OCGA § 16-10-21 (a)) and Medicaid fraud (OCGA § 49-4-146.1 (b) (2)). A few days later the court conducted a “presentence hearing” to allow the State to make its recommendation and to allow Lawrence to present mitigating or extenuating evidence. When the State recommended the terms of the negotiated plea, the court stated it found the sentence too lenient and it intended to require a substantially longer term than six years to serve.

B…