2006 Ohio Revised Code - 2971.03. Sentencing of sexually violent offender with predator specification.

§ 2971.03. Sentencing of sexually violent offender with predator specification.
 

(A)  Notwithstanding divisions (A), (B), (C), and (F) of section 2929.14, section 2929.02, 2929.03, 2929.06, 2929.13, or another section of the Revised Code, other than divisions (D) and (E) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code, that authorizes or requires a specified prison term or a mandatory prison term for a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony or that specifies the manner and place of service of a prison term or term of imprisonment, the court shall impose a sentence upon a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violent sex offense and who also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a sexually violent predator specification that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging that offense, and upon a person who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a designated homicide, assault, or kidnapping offense and also is convicted of or pleads guilty to both a sexual motivation specification and a sexually violent predator specification that were included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging that offense, as follows: 

(1) If the offense for which the sentence is being imposed is aggravated murder and if the court does not impose upon the offender a sentence of death, it shall impose upon the offender a term of life imprisonment without parole. If the court sentences the offender to death and the sentence of death is vacated, overturned, or otherwise set aside, the court shall impose upon the offender a term of life imprisonment without parole. 

(2) If the offense for which the sentence is being imposed is murder or an offense other than aggravated murder or murder for which a term of life imprisonment may be imposed, it shall impose upon the offender a term of life imprisonment without parole. 

(3) (a) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(3)(b), (c), or (d) or (A)(4) of this section, if the offense for which the sentence is being imposed is an offense other than aggravated murder, murder, or an offense for which a term of life imprisonment may be imposed, it shall impose an indefinite prison term consisting of a minimum term fixed by the court from among the range of terms available as a definite term for the offense, but not less than two years, and a maximum term of life imprisonment. 

(b) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(4) of this section, if the offense for which the sentence is being imposed is kidnapping that is a felony of the first degree, it shall impose an indefinite prison term consisting of a minimum term fixed by the court that is not less than ten years, and a maximum term of life imprisonment. 

(c) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(4) of this section, if the offense for which the sentence is being imposed is kidnapping that is a felony of the second degree, it shall impose an indefinite prison term consisting of a minimum term fixed by the court that is not less than eight years, and a maximum term of life imprisonment. 

(d) Except as otherwise provided in division (A)(4) of this section, if the offense for which the sentence is being imposed is rape for which a term of life imprisonment is not imposed under section 2907.02 of the Revised Code or division (A)(2) of this section, it shall impose an indefinite prison term consisting of a minimum term fixed by the court that is not less than ten years, and a maximum term of life imprisonment. 

(4) For any offense for which the sentence is being imposed, if the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violent sex offense and also to a sexually violent predator specification that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging that offense, or previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a designated homicide, assault, or kidnapping offense and also to both a sexual motivation specification and a sexually violent predator specification that were included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging that offense, it shall impose upon the offender a term of life imprisonment without parole. 

(B)  If the offender is sentenced to a prison term pursuant to division (A)(3) of this section, the parole board shall have control over the offender's service of the term during the entire term unless the parole board terminates its control in accordance with section 2971.04 of the Revised Code. 

(C) (1)  Except as provided in division (C)(2) of this section, an offender sentenced to a prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole pursuant to division (A) of this section shall serve the entire prison term or term of life imprisonment in a state correctional institution. The offender is not eligible for judicial release under section 2929.20 of the Revised Code. 

(2) For a prison term imposed pursuant to division (A)(3) of this section, the court, in accordance with section 2971.05 of the Revised Code, may terminate the prison term or modify the requirement that the offender serve the entire term in a state correctional institution if all of the following apply: 

(a) The offender has served at least the minimum term imposed as part of that prison term. 

(b) The parole board, pursuant to section 2971.04 of the Revised Code, has terminated its control over the offender's service of that prison term. 

(c) The court has held a hearing and found, by clear and convincing evidence, one of the following: 

(i) In the case of termination of the prison term, that the offender is unlikely to commit a sexually violent offense in the future; 

(ii) In the case of modification of the requirement, that the offender does not represent a substantial risk of physical harm to others. 

(3) An offender who has been sentenced to a term of life imprisonment without parole pursuant to division (A)(1), (2), or (4) of this section shall not be released from the term of life imprisonment or be permitted to serve a portion of it in a place other than a state correctional institution. 

(D)  If a court sentences an offender to a prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole pursuant to division (A) of this section and the court also imposes on the offender one or more additional prison terms pursuant to division (D) of section 2929.14 of the Revised Code, all of the additional prison terms shall be served consecutively with, and prior to, the prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole imposed upon the offender pursuant to division (A) of this section. 

(E)  If the offender is convicted of or pleads guilty to two or more offenses for which a prison term or term of life imprisonment without parole is required to be imposed pursuant to division (A) of this section, divisions (A) to (D) of this section shall be applied for each offense. All minimum terms imposed upon the offender pursuant to division (A)(3) of this section for those offenses shall be aggregated and served consecutively, as if they were a single minimum term imposed under that division. 

(F)  If an offender is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violent sex offense and also is convicted of or pleads guilty to a sexually violent predator specification that was included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging that offense, or is convicted of or pleads guilty to a designated homicide, assault, or kidnapping offense and also is convicted of or pleads guilty to both a sexual motivation specification and a sexually violent predator specification that were included in the indictment, count in the indictment, or information charging that offense, the conviction of or plea of guilty to the offense and the sexually violent predator specification automatically classifies the offender as a sexual predator for purposes of Chapter 2950. of the Revised Code. The classification of the offender as a sexual predator for purposes of that chapter is permanent and continues until the offender's death as described in division (D)(2) of section 2950.09 of the Revised Code. 
 

HISTORY: 146 v H 180. Eff 1-1-97; 150 v H 473, § 1, eff. 4-29-05.
 

The effective date is set by section 3 of HB 180. 

See provisions, § 4 of HB 180 (146 v  - ) following RC § 2921.34. 

 

Effect of Amendments

150 v H 473, effective April 29, 2005, rewrote (A) and (F).