Robinson v. State

The issue raised on appeal is the trial court’s consideration of Robinson’s continued protestation of innocence and lack of remorse at sentencing. Acknowledging the State’s implicit concession of error, we reverse for resentencing before a different judge.

Robinson represented himself at trial on a charge of selling cocaine within 1000 feet of a place of worship.1 A review of the transcript reflects the trial judge was immensely patient with an obstreperous defendant. Despite the fact that Robinson had been convicted of the first-degree felony and had been dealing drugs since the mid-1980s,…