Ohio court rejects claim that judge's sentence vindictive

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a defendant's argument that a judge was being vindictive when he sentenced him to a prison term longer than he would have received if he'd taken a plea deal.

The court's 5-2 ruling today also said there is no presumption that judges are being vindictive when defendants receive longer sentences after rejecting plea bargains.

At issue before the court was the 2014 case of Malik Rahab. A Hamilton County judge in Cincinnati had sentenced Rahab to six years in prison after a jury convicted him on a burglary charge.

Court records show Rahab turned down a plea deal that included a three-year prison sentence.

Rahab said in an appeal he was being punished by the judge for turning down the lesser sentence.