State v. Davis

The State of Florida appeals the probationary sentence imposed on Charles F. Davis, following his plea to a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Davis scored a minimum sentence of 21.3 months in prison on his Criminal Punishment Code scoresheet. Over the State’s objection, the trial court departed downward, explaining that: “Given Mr. Davis’s almost complete absence of a prior record, a downward departure is appropriate in this case.... ” This is not a valid basis for departure. State v. Stephenson, 973 So.2d 1259, 1264 (Fla. 5th DCA 2008) (“The trial court lacks discretion to…