State of Iowa, Appellee v. Mark Aaron Thompson, Appellant

Summary

The court held that a sentencing judge must state the reasons for a sentence either orally on the record or in the written sentencing order, and a defendant who waived reporting of the sentencing hearing did not waive appellate review when the order omitted those reasons. Because the plea agreement only required the State to recommend a sentence and was not conditioned on the district court's concurrence, the court could impose a different sentence without allowing Thompson to withdraw his plea. The court affirmed in part and vacated in part the court of appeals' decision, vacated the sentence, and remanded for resentencing.