WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1998
State of Florida vs Stacy Gantorius

No. 90,677

Place of Origin
Dade County

Facts
Gantorius was arrested on a variety of charges including four counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer. On Nov. 15, 1995, a Dade County jury convicted her of attempted second-degree murder. Using a "law-officer enhancement statute" as grounds, the trial court sentenced her to four concurrent life sentences with 25-year minimum mandatories, even though the usual sentence would have been 30 years on each count. The Florida Supreme Court in a separate case held that the "enhancement statute" only could be used when the defendant is convicted of first-degree attempted murder of a law officer. Gantorius asked the trial court to lower her sentence. It refused, but the Third District reversed on appeal and certified a question to the Supreme Court regarding the enhancement statute.