State v. Hamilton

The state initially charged defendant, Terri Lynn Hamilton, with second degree murder, but agreed to accept her guilty plea to one count of manslaughter, a violation of La. R.S. 14:31 punishable by imprisonment at hard labor for not more than 40 years. The court imposed a sentence of 12^ years at hard labor without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence and denied a timely motion for reconsideration. On appeal, defendant argues that her sentence is excessive. Because the applicable statutes do not provided for a denial of parole, we delete that portion denying the benefit of…