People of Michigan v. Deangelo Jordan

CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 5, 2025
Docket365997
StatusUnpublished

This text of People of Michigan v. Deangelo Jordan (People of Michigan v. Deangelo Jordan) 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. Deangelo Jordan, (Mich. Ct. App. 2025).

Opinion

If this opinion indicates that it is “FOR PUBLICATION,” it is subject to revision until final publication in the Michigan Appeals Reports.

STATE OF MICHIGAN

COURT OF APPEALS

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, UNPUBLISHED September 05, 2025 Plaintiff-Appellee, 12:01 PM

v No. 365997 Wayne Circuit Court DEANGELO JORDAN, LC No. 22-003658-01-FC

Defendant-Appellant.

Before: ACKERMAN, P.J., and M. J. KELLY and O’BRIEN, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

Defendant appeals his jury convictions of two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC-I), MCL 750.520b(2)(b) (sexual penetration of a victim 13 years or younger by a person over 17), and six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC-II), MCL 750.520c(2)(b) (sexual contact with a victim 13 years or younger by a person over 17). The trial court sentenced defendant to 25 to 40 years for the CSC-I convictions and 10 to 15 years for the CSC-II convictions. Defendant was also sentenced to lifetime registration under the Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA), MCL 28.721 et seq., and lifetime electronic monitoring.

On appeal, defendant challenges the trial court’s denial of his motion for a mistrial, raises several claims of evidentiary error, and argues that his sentences to lifetime SORA registration and electronic monitoring are unconstitutional. We affirm defendant’s convictions and sentences but remand for the ministerial task of correcting the judgment of sentence to reflect the imposition of lifetime electronic monitoring.

I. BACKGROUND

This case arises from defendant’s sexual abuse of two minor victims, AE and ME. At the time of the offenses, defendant was in a relationship with the victims’ mother, and the abuse occurred in the home he shared with the victims, their mother, and their brother.

At trial, AE testified to multiple instances of sexual abuse by defendant, beginning when she was 11 years old and defendant was 34. On one occasion, defendant touched her inappropriately over her clothes while they played video games. In another instance, he touched

-1- AE’s genitals over and under her clothes while her mother was asleep in the same bed. Defendant also touched her genitals over her clothing while they were on the living room couch.

ME also described numerous assaults by defendant, beginning when she was nine years old. The first assault occurred when defendant touched ME’s chest under her clothes while they played video games. A second incident occurred when defendant touched ME’s chest under her clothes while her mother slept in the same bed. Defendant again touched ME’s chest under her clothes while they watched movies in the living room.

Other witnesses, including the victims’ mother, also testified at trial. Following the presentation of evidence, the jury convicted defendant of two counts of CSC-I and three counts of CSC-II as to AE and three counts of CSC-II as to ME. The trial court sentenced defendant as described above. Defendant now appeals.

II. DISCUSSION

A. MOTION FOR MISTRIAL

Defendant first claims that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a mistrial after the victims’ mother referenced his prior incarceration during her testimony. He contends that the reference to his criminal history was highly prejudicial and that the trial court’s curative instruction was insufficient to remedy the harm.

A mistrial should be granted only “for an irregularity that is prejudicial to the rights of the defendant and impairs his ability to get a fair trial and when the prejudicial effect of the error cannot be removed in any other way.” People v Lane, 308 Mich App 38, 60; 862 NW2d 446 (2014) (cleaned up). We review a trial court’s decision on a motion for a mistrial for an abuse of discretion. People v Boshell, 337 Mich App 322, 335; 975 NW2d 72 (2021). “An abuse of discretion occurs when the trial court’s decision falls outside the range of reasonable and principled outcomes.” People v Baskerville, 333 Mich App 276, 287; 963 NW2d 620 (2020).

Here, the victims’ mother was asked on direct examination when she started dating defendant, to which she replied, “A little bit before he got out of prison.” Defense counsel objected, the jury was excused, and defense counsel moved for a mistrial. The court denied the motion, finding the answer improper but unresponsive to the question posed, and concluded that a curative instruction would adequately address any prejudice. The court then instructed the jury to disregard the statement regarding prison and not to consider it in any way.

The reference to defendant’s previous incarceration was improper. See People v Stinson, 113 Mich App 719, 726-727; 318 NW2d 513 (1982)1 (“Evidence of a defendant’s past criminal record is inadmissible until such time as the defendant takes the witness stand and raises the issue

1 “Although published opinions of this Court decided before November 1, 1990, are not strictly binding, MCR 7.215(J)(1), they are nevertheless precedential, MCR 7.215(C)(2), and they are thus afforded significantly more deference than would be given to unpublished cases.” People v Spaulding, 332 Mich App 638, 657 n 5; 957 NW2d 843 (2020).

-2- of his character or credibility.”). However, “an unresponsive, volunteered answer to a proper question is not grounds for the granting of a mistrial.” People v Haywood, 209 Mich App 217, 228; 530 NW2d 497 (1995). In determining whether a mistrial is warranted based on improper testimony, “[t]he trial court may consider, among other things, whether the prosecutor intentionally presented the information to the jury or emphasized the information.” Lane, 308 Mich App at 60. Here, the prosecutor’s question—when the witness and defendant started dating—did not call for testimony regarding defendant’s prior incarceration, rendering the response unresponsive to the question posed. There is no evidence that the prosecutor intentionally elicited or emphasized the improper testimony.2

Moreover, the trial court struck the improper testimony and instructed the jury not to consider it. “Jurors are presumed to follow their instructions, and instructions are presumed to cure most errors.” People v Abraham, 256 Mich App 265, 279; 662 NW2d 836 (2003). We are not persuaded that the prejudicial effect of a single reference to defendant’s prior incarceration was so significant that it could not be cured by the trial court’s instruction. Accordingly, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendant’s motion for a mistrial.

B. BRADY VIOLATION

Defendant next submits that he is entitled to a new trial because the prosecutor failed to timely disclose evidence favorable to the defense in violation of Brady v Maryland, 373 US 83; 83 S Ct 1194; 10 L Ed 2d 215 (1963). We review alleged Brady violations de novo. People v Christian, 510 Mich 52, 75; 987 NW2d 29 (2022).

“Defendants have a due process right to obtain evidence in the possession of the prosecutor if it is favorable to the accused and material to guilt or punishment.” People v Stanaway, 446 Mich 643, 666; 521 NW2d 557 (1994); accord Brady, 373 US at 87. “To establish a Brady violation, a defendant must show that: (1) the prosecution has suppressed evidence; (2) that is favorable to the accused; and (3) that is material.” Christian, 510 Mich at 76 (quotation marks and citation omitted).

In this case, the victims and their mother testified there were security cameras throughout the family home, including in rooms where the abuse occurred, and that only defendant had access to them. On the third day of trial, after the victims and their mother testified, the lead detective testified that she learned of the cameras’ existence from various sources, including the victims’ mother.

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People of Michigan v. Deangelo Jordan, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-of-michigan-v-deangelo-jordan-michctapp-2025.