62. What finding regarding the defendant's possession of a deadly weapon is necessary for the court to impose a 10-year sentence?

D is correct. If a substantive law provides that a sentence may be increased beyond the statutory maximum for a crime if additional facts are proved, proof of the facts must be submitted to the jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt. In other words, any fact that increases the penalty for a crime is considered an element that must be submitted to the jury. Judicial findings of such facts would violate the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial. In this case, a statute allows the sentence for assault to be increased to 10 years if the additional fact of possession of a deadly weapon is proved. Because the additional fact of possession of a weapon would increase the penalty, it must be treated as an element of the crime and found by a jury.

A is incorrect. Any fact that increases the penalty for a crime is considered an element that must be submitted to the jury, not merely the judge, so as not to violate the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial.

B is incorrect. Proof of the additional facts that increase the punishment for a crime must be submitted to the jury and proved beyond a reasonable doubt, not by a preponderance of the evidence.

C is incorrect. As stated above, judicial findings of facts that increase the punishment for a crime would violate the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial.