Echeverria v. State

OPINION

By the Court,

Rose, J.:

In this appeal, we consider whether a harmless-error analysis applies to the State’s breach of a plea agreement and whether such a breach requires reassignment to a different district court judge for sentencing. We conclude that a harmless-error analysis does not apply and that reassignment is required, and we vacate the judgment of conviction and remand this case for a new sentencing hearing before a different district court judge.

FACTS

Ricardo Ventura Echeverria was charged with lewdness with a child under the age of fourteen. Echeverria and the State entered…