Marcus Hightower Sentencing 11/30/16 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Changes to the sentencing guidelines were discussed and agreed upon in a Michigan court case involving multiple charges of murder and arson.

Key Insights

• 💼 Changes were made to the sentencing guidelines, including adjustments to offense variables in the Michigan case.
• 💼 There was a disagreement regarding the scoring of offense variable six, related to a stabbing incident, highlighting the importance of evaluating the circumstances of each case.
• 💯 Offense variable nine is scored at 100 points in cases involving multiple deaths, and this was applied to both counts of second-degree murder in the case.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What changes were agreed upon regarding the sentencing guidelines in the Michigan case?

The parties agreed on adjustments to various offense variables, including changes to offense variables one, two, and three. They also discussed the scoring of offense variable six related to the stabbing of a victim, but reached different conclusions on the appropriate points to be assigned.

Q: Why was there a disagreement regarding offense variable six?

The disagreement stemmed from differing interpretations of the facts surrounding the stabbing incident. One party argued for 10 points, stating that it occurred during an argument, while the other argued for 25 points, emphasizing the lack of evidence for any mitigating circumstances.

Q: How was the scoring of offense variable nine determined?

In cases involving multiple deaths, offense variable nine is scored at 100 points. The court clarified that since the defendant pled guilty to two counts of second-degree murder, 100 points should be scored for both counts in this case.

Q: Were there any changes to the pre-sentence report?

No changes were made to the pre-sentence report, but there was a discussion about a missing confirmation of the defendant's bipolar diagnosis while in jail. The court agreed to add this information to the report.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The parties involved in the case agreed on several changes to the sentencing guidelines, including adjustments to various offense variables.

• There was a disagreement regarding the scoring of offense variable six, related to the stabbing of a victim. One party argued for 10 points, while the other argued for 25 points.

• The court discussed the application of offense variable nine in cases involving multiple deaths, determining that 100 points should be scored for both counts of second-degree murder in this case.