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Lacey v. State
Citations: 755 N.E.2d 576; 2001 Ind. LEXIS 898; 2001 WL 1144136Docket: 49S00-0002-CR-111
Court: Indiana Supreme Court; September 28, 2001; Indiana; State Supreme Court
Original Court Document: View Document
Michael Lacey, the appellant, was convicted of felony murder, burglary, and confinement after a home invasion incident on May 15, 1997. During the invasion, armed intruders entered Wajibu Wynn's apartment, where Wynn's sister was attacked. Wynn intervened, fatally shooting one of the intruders, identified as Guy Simpson. Lacey was later found nearby, with evidence linking him to the crime, including mace and a Halloween mask. He appealed his conviction, arguing insufficient evidence and that his sixty-year sentence was unreasonable. The court upheld the conviction, stating that the circumstantial evidence supported a reasonable inference of guilt and affirmed the sixty-year sentence based on Lacey's criminal history, pending charges, and need for rehabilitative treatment. Lacey did not contest the trial court’s findings regarding sentencing. The trial court recognized Lacey's young age as a mitigating factor but determined that the aggravating factors outweighed it. Lacey, not disputing the existence of additional mitigating factors, argued that his sixty-year sentence was manifestly unreasonable and requested it be reduced to the presumptive fifty-five years. The court has the constitutional authority to review sentences but will only do so if the sentence is deemed manifestly unreasonable based on the nature of the offense and the offender's character. Lacey's offense involved an armed home invasion where he took a woman hostage, and his accomplice was killed by the homeowner. At nineteen, Lacey had a juvenile criminal history that included aggravated battery, carrying a handgun without a license, and resisting law enforcement, and was on bond for two other cases at the time of the offense. The court found Lacey did not demonstrate that his sentence was manifestly unreasonable and affirmed the trial court's judgment. Additionally, Lacey did not contest the applicability of the felony murder statute, which holds individuals accountable for deaths resulting from their participation in specific felonies, regardless of whether they were the direct cause of the death.