State v. Holdcraft

Summary

The Ohio Third District Court of Appeals reversed David L. Holdcraft’s sentence and remanded the case. The court held that the trial court violated R.C. 2929.19 and R.C. 2950.03 by failing to provide mandatory sex-offender registration notifications at sentencing, despite imposing concurrent life-without-parole sentences.

Holdings

1. A sentencing court must provide the mandatory R.C. 2950.03 notification of sex-offender registration duties at the time of sentencing even when the defendant is sentenced to life without parole under R.C. 2907.02(B).
2. The sentence was contrary to law because the trial court failed to provide the mandatory R.C. 2950.03 notification at sentencing.

Questions Presented

1. Whether a sentencing court must provide the R.C. 2950.03 sex-offender registration notification at the time of sentencing when the defendant is sentenced to life without parole under R.C. 2907.02(B).
2. Whether failure to provide that mandatory notification renders the sentence contrary to law and requires reversal.

Disposition

reversed_and_remanded