State of Iowa
v.
Amy Lois Rasmussen
Amy Rasmussen entered an Alford plea to two counts of assault causing bodily injury in exchange for dismissal of a related simple misdemeanor charge. The district court sentenced Rasmussen to one year on each count to be served consecutively and entered no contact orders. On appeal, Rasmussen argued the district court considered improper factors at sentencing and otherwise abused its discretion in imposing the maximum sentence. Rasmussen further argued the district court erred in imposing a no contact order on the dismissed charge. The court of appeals affirmed. Rasmussen seeks further review.
Resister
State of Iowa
Applicant
Amy Lois Rasmussen
Attorneys for the Resister
Nick Siefert
Kyle Hanson
Kelly Lynch
Attorney for the Applicant
Maria Ruhtenberg
Supreme Court
Oral Argument Schedule
15-15-5
Feb 21, 2024 1:30 PM
Briefs
Supreme Court Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Boone County, Stephen A. Owen, District Associate Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Schumacher, P.J., Chicchelly, J., and Gamble, S.J. Opinion by Gamble, S.J. (8 pages)
Amy Rasmussen appeals her sentences for two counts of assault causing bodily injury following an Alford plea. She claims the district court abused its discretion when reaching a sentencing determination and the court imposed an illegal sentence by issuing a no contact order in connection with a dismissed charge. OPINION HOLDS: The district court did not abuse its discretion when reaching a sentencing determination. Issuance of the no contact order did not result in an illegal sentence because Rasmussen consented to the no contact order as part of the plea agreement and the district court’s authority to enter the no contact order.