State of Idaho v. Jacob Thomas Fisher

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF IDAHO

Docket No. 50560

STATE OF IDAHO, )
) Filed: December 27, 2023
Plaintiff-Respondent, )
) Melanie Gagnepain, Clerk
v. )
) THIS IS AN UNPUBLISHED
JACOB THOMAS FISHER, ) OPINION AND SHALL NOT
) BE CITED AS AUTHORITY
Defendant-Appellant. )
)

Appeal from the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, State of Idaho, Ada
County. Hon. Cynthia Yee-Wallace, District Judge.

Judgment of conviction and unified sentence of ten years, with a minimum period
of confinement of six years, for felony domestic violence or battery, affirmed;
order denying I.C.R. 35(b) motion for reduction of sentence, affirmed.

Erik R. Lehtinen, Interim State Appellate Public Defender; Justin M. Curtis,
Deputy Appellate Public Defender, Boise, for appellant.

Hon. Raúl R. Labrador, Attorney General; Kale D. Gans, Deputy Attorney
General, Boise, for respondent.
________________________________________________

Before LORELLO, Chief Judge; GRATTON, Judge;
and HUSKEY, Judge
________________________________________________

PER CURIAM
Jacob Thomas Fisher pled guilty to felony domestic violence or battery, Idaho Code §§
18-918(2), 18-903(a). In exchange for his guilty plea, additional charges were dismissed. The
district court imposed a unified term of ten years with six years determinate. Fisher filed an
Idaho Criminal Rule 35(b) motion, which the district court denied. Fisher appeals, asserting that
the district court abused its discretion by imposing an excessive sentence and by denying his
Rule 35(b) motion.

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Sentencing is a matter for the trial court’s discretion. Both our standard of review and the
factors to be considered in evaluating the reasonableness of the sentence are well established.
See State v. Hernandez, 121 Idaho 114, 117-18, 822 P.2d 1011, 1014-15 (Ct. App. 1991); State
v. Lopez, 106 Idaho 447, 449-51, 680 P.2d 869, 871-73 (Ct. App. 1984); State v. Toohill, 103
Idaho 565, 568, 650 P.2d 707, 710 (Ct. App. 1982). When reviewing the length of a sentence,
we consider the defendant’s entire sentence. State v. Oliver, 144 Idaho 722, 726, 170 P.3d 387,
391 (2007). Our role is limited to determining whether reasonable minds could reach the same
conclusion as the district court. State v. Biggs, 168 Idaho 112, 116, 480 P.3d 150, 154 (Ct. App.
2020). Applying these standards, and having reviewed the record in this case, we cannot say that
the district court abused its discretion.
Next, we review whether the district court erred in denying Fisher’s Rule 35(b) motion.
A motion for reduction of sentence under Rule 35 is essentially a plea for leniency, addressed to
the sound discretion of the court. State v. Knighton, 143 Idaho 318, 319, 144 P.3d 23, 24 (2006);
State v. Allbee, 115 Idaho 845, 846, 771 P.2d 66, 67 (Ct. App. 1989). In presenting a Rule 35
motion, the defendant must show that the sentence is excessive in light of new or additional
information subsequently provided to the district court in support of the motion. State v.
Huffman, 144 Idaho 201, 203, 159 P.3d 838, 840 (2007). Upon review of the record, including
any new information submitted with Fisher’s Rule 35(b) motion, we conclude no abuse of
discretion has been shown.
Therefore, Fisher’s judgment of conviction and sentence, and the district court’s order
denying Fisher’s Rule 35(b) motion, are affirmed.

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