State v. Ezell

Summary

The court affirmed the denial of Ezell's motion to disqualify the trial judge and upheld his aggregate 96-to-116-year sentence. It held that review of the disqualification ruling was proper after final judgment, that Ezell did not waive the issue by entering no contest pleas, and that a judge's spouse's law-enforcement employment did not require recusal absent a direct personal connection to the proceeding. The court also held that the sentences were within statutory limits and were not an abuse of sentencing discretion or cruel and unusual punishment.