State v. Sanders

LETTS, Judge.

The sentencing judge departed downward from the guidelines because the defendant had no prior arrests or record1 and because the judge believed the instant defendant should receive the same sentence as had been meted out earlier to a code-fendant, after a plea bargain. Both defendants had participated in the same purse-snatching incident. We reverse.

We are of the opinion that the lack of prior criminal convictions should be a sufficient reason to “take it easy” on a defendant, but are equally sure that it cannot be done under the sentencing guidelines, which, by implication, have…