On Point: 6. New factor

State v. Peter C. Ramuta, 2003 WI App 80, PFR filed 4/3/03
For Ramuta: Peter M. Koneazny, Richard D. Martin, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶21. Further, Ramuta’s obesity-related health problems and his resulting shorter-than-normal life expectancy are also not new factors. See Michels, 150 Wis. 2d at 99-100, 441 N.W.2d at 280-281 (defendant’s health and its post-sentence worsening not new factors).

State v. Peter C. Ramuta, 2003 WI App 80, PFR filed 4/3/03
For Ramuta: Peter M. Koneazny, Richard D. Martin, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate

Issue/Holding: Subsequent sentences on charges pending at the time of this sentencing didn’t amount to a new factor, State v. Norton, 2001 WI App 245, distinguished:

¶20.

State v. Peter C. Ramuta, 2003 WI App 80, PFR filed 4/3/03
For Ramuta: Peter M. Koneazny, Richard D. Martin, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶8. The law appropriately recognizes that sentences may be based on what is unknowingly incomplete information, and, if they are, that there should be some mechanism to correct a resulting injustice. Thus, if after sentencing it turns out that there was something that would have been important to the sentencing court but was either unknown or unknowingly overlooked,

State v. Jonathan R. Torres, 2003 WI App 199, PFR filed 9/18/03
For Torres: Michael Yovovich, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue: Whether reclassification of Torres’ offense by TIS-II, 2001 Wis. Act 109 §§545-559, which substantially reduced the maximum penalty, amounts to a new factor that would support reduction of his sentence imposed under the prior, TIS-I regime.

Holding:

¶7 First, we conclude that a change in the classification of a crime,

State v. Randy D. Stafford, 2003 WI App 138
For Stafford: Robert G. LeBell

Issue/Holding:

¶12. … To obtain sentence modification, a defendant must establish that (1) a new factor exists, and (2) the new factor justifies sentence modification. State v. Franklin, 148 Wis. 2d 1, 8, 434 N.W.2d 609 (1989). Whether a fact or set of facts constitutes a new factor presents a legal issue which we decide de novo. 

State v. Dawn M. Champion, 2002 WI App 267, PFR filed 12/2/02
For Champion: Patricia L. Arreazola

Issue: Whether the defendant’s early completion of all available rehabilitation programs is a new factor justifying reduction of the confinement portion of her sentence.

Holding:

¶13. Our review of the legislative history of 1997 Wis. Act 283 demonstrates that the legislature intended something inconsistent with Champion’s proposal.

State v. Michael A. Grindemann, 2002 WI App 106, PFR filed 5/23/02
For Grindemann: Leonard D. Kachinsky

Issue/Holding: Defendant’s new-found realization that his behavior was caused by childhood sexual exploitation isn’t a new factor justifying sentence reduction: “¶25 … Just as a new expert opinion based on previously known or knowable facts is nothing more than the newly discovered importance of existing evidence … not newly discovered evidence for purposes of plea withdrawal,

State v. Kelley L. Hauk, 2002 WI App 226
For Hauk: David D. Cook

Issue/Holding: Reversal of defendant’s conviction in another case is new factor (where remaining, valid sentence was concurrent to vacated sentence) upon which trial court may, but is not required, to reduce sentence.

State v. Steve Norton, 2001 WI App 245
For Norton: Peter M. Koneazny, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate

Issue: Whether an unanticipated, post-sentencing revocation amounted to a new factor justifying modification of sentence.

Holding:

¶10. Although we agree with the State that, in general, revocation of probation in another case does not ordinarily present a new factor, the specific facts involved in this case require an exception to the general rule.

State v. Andre D. Crockett, 2001 WI App 235, PFR filed
For Crockett: David D. Cook

Issue:Whether facts suggesting that the defendant might have been less culpable than his codefendants amounted to a new factor justifying modification of sentence.

Holding: A new factor may be relate to facts “unknowingly overlooked” at sentencing; here, although the asserted new factor may have been unknowingly overlooked by the sentencing court,