Samuel G. Devenish v. State of Florida
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
Date FiledMay 6, 2021
Docket1D19-1407
StatusPublished
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Full Opinion
FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL
STATE OF FLORIDA
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No. 1D19-1407
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SAMUEL G. DEVENISH,
Appellant,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
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On appeal from the Circuit Court for Leon County.
Angela C. Dempsey, Judge.
May 6, 2021
PER CURIAM.
Challenging his judgment and sentence for several offenses,
including burglary of a dwelling armed with a firearm and grand
theft of property valued at $300 or more, Appellant argues the trial
court erred in concluding during its Richardson ∗ inquiry that he
suffered no prejudice from the State’s discovery violation.
Appellant also asserts the trial court should have granted a
judgment of acquittal on the count of grand theft because the State
did not present evidence of the value of the stolen items at the time
of the offense. We affirm the first issue without comment. As to the
remaining issue, we reverse the conviction for grand theft because
∗
Richardson v. State, 246 So. 2d 771 (Fla. 1971).
the State failed to present sufficient evidence to establish the
requisite threshold value of the property beyond a reasonable
doubt.
At trial, to establish the value of the stolen property, the State
presented only the owner’s testimony of what he paid to purchase
the items, along with photographs of the property. This was
insufficient to prove the market value of the property was $300 or
more “at the time and place of the offense.” See §§ 812.012(10)(a)1.,
812.014(2)(c)1., Fla. Stat. (2016). “The value of tangible personal
property may be proved with evidence of the original purchase
price, together with the percentage or amount of depreciation since
the property’s purchase, its manner of use, and its condition and
quality.” Fritts v. State, 58 So. 3d 430, 431 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011)
(citing Pickett v. State, 839 So. 2d 860, 861–62 (Fla. 2d DCA)).
Although the State introduced evidence of what the owner paid for
the items and photographs documenting the visual condition of the
property—two wristwatches along with various electronic
equipment including headphones, a video game system, a laptop
computer, and a camera—there was no evidence establishing the
amount of depreciation in value since the owner purchased the
property. See, e.g., Lucky v. State, 25 So. 3d 691, 692 (Fla. 4th DCA
2010) (“Electrical components like televisions, computers, and
stereo systems are subject to accelerated obsolescence because
manufacturers are constantly releasing new, improved technology
at lower prices.”).
We reverse the conviction and sentence for grand theft and
remand with directions to enter judgment for the lesser included
offense of petit theft, and to resentence Appellant accordingly.
Appellant’s judgment and sentence are affirmed in all other
respects.
AFFIRMED in part, REVERSED in part, and REMANDED.
ROBERTS, MAKAR, and NORDBY, JJ., concur.
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Not final until disposition of any timely and
authorized motion under Fla. R. App. P. 9.330 or
9.331.
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Candice Kaye Brower, Regional Conflict Counsel, and Melissa Joy
Ford, Assistant Regional Conflict Counsel, Tallahassee, for
Appellant.
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, and Benjamin Louis Hoffman,
Assistant Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Appellee.
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