Appeals Court Denies Norris’ Request

The State Court of Appeals upheld the eight-year sentence for a Putnam County man convicted on burglary charges.

Matthew Norris pled guilty to one count of burglary and two counts of theft over $2,500. A grandy jury indicted Norris on charges related to multiple thefts from storage facilities.

Norris said he should have been eligible for judicial diversion and alternative sentencing. Norris argued the the trial court erred in sentencing him to active time. The trial judge argued at the time of sentencing that Norris’ criminal record along with the fact that the crimes happened in multiple places on multiple dates weighed against any diversion.

Judge Robert Wedemeyer wrote in the Appeals Court decision that the trial court acted in its rights.

“We conclude that the Defendant has not established that the trial court abused its discretion by denying him an alternative sentence,” Wedemeyer wrote. “The Defendant is not entitled to relief.”