People of Michigan v. David Lamont Croskey

CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 18, 2016
Docket327724
StatusUnpublished

This text of People of Michigan v. David Lamont Croskey (People of Michigan v. David Lamont Croskey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People of Michigan v. David Lamont Croskey, (Mich. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

STATE OF MICHIGAN

COURT OF APPEALS

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, UNPUBLISHED October 18, 2016 Plaintiff-Appellee,

v No. 327724 Oakland Circuit Court DAVID LAMONT CROSKEY, LC No. 2014-252611-FC

Defendant-Appellant.

Before: SAAD, P.J., and JANSEN and M. J. KELLY, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

The jury convicted defendant of three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (“CSC-I”), MCL 750.520b(1)(f), and one count of assault by strangulation, MCL 750.84(1)(b). The court sentenced defendant as a fourth-habitual offender, MCL 769.12, to serve 50 to 75 years’ imprisonment for his CSC-I convictions and 25 to 37½ years’ imprisonment for his assault by strangulation conviction. We affirm his convictions but remand for further proceedings related to sentencing.

Defendant’s convictions arise from a sexual assault of the complainant in the city of Pontiac on the morning of October 7, 2014. At the time of trial, defendant attempted to establish that the sexual contact between him and the complainant was a consensual transaction. In his Standard 4 brief, defendant raises several issues related to his convictions; in his brief on appeal, defendant challenges his sentences. We will initially consider the issues related to defendant’s convictions because if any of these challenges prove meritorious and he were entitled to relief, the challenges to his sentences likely become moot.

I. STANDARD 4 BRIEF

A. DOUBLE JEOPARDY

Defendant argues that the three CSC-I convictions violate his double jeopardy protections. Defendant never raised this issue at the trial court. Thus, our review of this unpreserved constitutional issue is for plain error affecting substantial rights. People v Vandenberg, 307 Mich App 57, 61; 859 NW2d 229 (2014).

“The double jeopardy clauses of the United States and Michigan Constitutions protect against governmental abuses for both (1) multiple prosecutions for the same offense after a

-1- conviction or acquittal and (2) multiple punishments for the same offense.” People v Calloway, 469 Mich 448, 450; 671 NW2d 733 (2003). It is the latter protection, multiple punishments for the same offense, that defendant asserts was violated. We disagree.

A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct pursuant MCL 750.520b(1)(f) if he engages in sexual penetration with another person and “the actor causes personal injury to the victim and force or coercion is used to accomplish the sexual penetration.” Defendant admitted to three separate penetrations. However, he contends that because complainant’s mental anguish was the only personal injury suffered, and there is no evidence that the mental anguish was attributable to any one of the three penetrations, he is being punished multiple times for the same personal injury in violation of his double jeopardy protections. Despite defendant’s representation to the contrary, mental anguish was not the only personal injury suffered by complainant. Testimony established that complainant had bruising on her neck and back, and there were small lacerations in the vulva area that were noted during the forensic examination. Also, prior to the penetrations, defendant struck complainant three times in the face, causing pain and a bloody nose. Moreover, assuming there was only one identifiable personal injury, in light of the three separate penetrations, this would still be enough to support the three separate CSC-I convictions. See People v Martinez, 190 Mich App 442, 443-445; 476 NW2d 641 (1991) (holding that an initial physical assault before two separate acts of penetration may satisfy the personal injury element of both penetrations). Thus, defendant’s double jeopardy challenge must fail as he cannot demonstrate that he was subject to multiple punishments for the same offense.

B. EVIDENTIARY CHALLENGES

Defendant says that the trial court erred in admitting the testimony of registered nurse Diane Zalecki-Bertalan. We review this unpreserved evidentiary issue for plain error affecting defendant’s substantial rights. People v Carines, 460 Mich 750, 763-764; 597 NW2d 130 (1999). Although defendant spends considerable time citing to legal platitudes relating to the admission of expert testimony and scientific evidence, the crux of his argument is that Zalecki- Bertalan was not qualified to testify regarding the mechanics of strangulation. Defendant contends that “[t]o properly assess strangulation an expert should have education in forensic pathology or forensic medicine for the testimony to be based on reliable principles.” Defendant further contends that the witness was improperly permitted to give an opinion that the assaults occurred in the manner described by complainant. After reviewing the record, we find that nurse Zalecki-Bertalan was properly qualified to testify regarding the mechanics of strangulation and, contrary to defendant’s assertions, the witness never testified that complainant was strangled.

MRE 702, which addresses the admissibility of expert testimony, provides that an expert may be qualified “by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education.” Here, Zalecki- Bertalan testified that she was a registered nurse and the program director of Haven START1 facilities. In this role, Zalecki-Bertalan functioned as a forensic nurse for domestic violence and sexual assault cases in Oakland County. With respect to specialized training, Zalecki-Bertalan testified that she took courses in forensics that specialized in sexual assault. She was also

1 START is the acronym for Safe Therapeutic Assault Response Team.

-2- certified by the International Forensics Association after passing a certification examination. Regarding strangulation issues in particular, the witness testified that she was certified by the National Strangulation Institute. Zalecki-Bertalan also completed a course in advanced strangulation given by the Family Justice Center in San Diego. Based on the foregoing, the witness was qualified to provide expert testimony related to the mechanics of strangulation in light of her testimony regarding her experience, knowledge, and training in the area of forensic science, and strangulation, in particular.

Further, we find no record support for defendant’s assertion that the witness opined that the strangulation occurred in the manner described by complainant. In general, Zalecki-Bertalan testified to the actions she took in collecting evidence for a rape kit and to her physical examination of complainant. In addition, Zalecki-Bertalan testified to the physical elements that are typically present and consistent with the act of strangulation. Zalecki-Bertalan did not give an ultimate opinion on whether complainant was strangled. She simply testified that there appeared to be light bruising around complainant’s jawline. She did not opine that the bruising was caused by strangulation. Indeed, Zalecki-Bertalan explained that bruising or redness is seen in fewer than 50% of reported strangulation cases. Moreover, if the witness had testified to this ultimate conclusion, such testimony would not have been objectionable. See MRE 704. Considering the foregoing, we conclude that the admission of Zalecki-Bertalan’s testimony did not constitute plain error.

Defendant also contends that the trial court erred when it admitted the testimony of Deputy Michael Richardson because the testimony was not reliable. Again, after citing to various legal platitudes related to the admissibility of tracking dog evidence, defendant essentially argues that the necessary foundation was not laid for the admission of Deputy Richardson’s testimony. Defendant contends that the prosecution was required to establish the officer’s training and his qualifications as an expert in the use of tracking dogs.

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People of Michigan v. David Lamont Croskey, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-of-michigan-v-david-lamont-croskey-michctapp-2016.