People v. Bentley

209 N.W.2d 333, 47 Mich. App. 150, 1973 Mich. App. LEXIS 1278
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 22, 1973
DocketDocket 12681
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 209 N.W.2d 333 (People v. Bentley) 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 v. Bentley, 209 N.W.2d 333, 47 Mich. App. 150, 1973 Mich. App. LEXIS 1278 (Mich. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

Adams, J.

Defendant appeals his conviction and sentence for attempted breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny. MCLA 750.92; MSA 28.287; MCLA 750.110; MSA 28.305.

Vol Pentero lived in an apartment located over his store at 12226 Woodrow Wilson in the city of Detroit. On February 13, 1971 he closed the store at 10:30 p.m. and locked the front door. The door had two boards nailed across it because the glass was broken. The next morning at about 5:30 he *152 was awakened by the barking of his dog which he kept in the store. As he listened, he heard a plank fall. Looking out his front window, located above the front door of the store, he could see only someone’s legs because the store entrance was recessed. He fired a shot. One man ran out with a bar in his hand, dropped the bar, jumped into a car, and drove off. The second person refused to come out, stating he would not come out and get killed. Pentero’s wife handed him his clothes and he dressed while talking to the man through the open window. Then he quickly ran downstairs, snatched open the door and confronted defendant, whom he held at gunpoint until the police came.

Patrolmen James Benci and Robert McGhee arrived at the scene first and observed Pentero holding defendant at gunpoint. When asked for identification, Bentley produced a receipt for a car from the Econ-O-Car Rental Service with his name on it. The receipt was received in evidence at the trial without objection after defendant’s attorney had earlier objected on the ground that no foundation had been laid and had then questioned McGhee regarding the document.

Patrolmen Kenneth Evans and Arnold Vann investigated the scene. Evans noticed a plywood board lying inside the doorway of the store. It apparently had originally been nailed to the bottom portion of the doorway.

Patrolmen Benci and McGhee left the scene to answer a radio run to the Highland Park General Hospital to investigate a man being treated there for a gunshot wound. They searched the patient’s personal property, identified him as codefendant Lee Wells, and found a set of keys bearing the name Econ-O-Car Rental Service, the same name as that found on the receipt taken from Bentley.

*153 On June 24, 1971 defendant, represented by court-appointed counsel, was tried individually in Detroit Recorder’s Court on a charge of attempted breaking and entering of a business place with intent to commit larceny, MCLA 750.92; MSA 28.287; MCLA 750.110; MSA 28.305. This trial concluded in a mistrial because of a hung jury.

On July 16, 1971 defendant, in propria persona, moved for a change of attorney. The motion was denied on July 19, 1971, at which time defendant and codefendant Wells were tried jointly before a jury. At this trial Dr. Joachim Bogani testified that he had removed a bullet from codefendant Wells. The bullet had struck Wells in the left shoulder and had caused extensive internal damage. A police ballistics expert testified that the bullet removed from Wells had been fired from Pentero’s gun. Defendant was convicted on July 20, 1971 and was subsequently sentenced to a prison term of four to five years.

On September 7, 1971 new counsel was appointed to represent defendant in post-conviction proceedings.

Issue I

Was there probable cause to arrest defendant where the arresting officers responded to a police radio report, spoke to the complainant who was holding defendant at gunpoint, and observed the scene?

While cruising near the scene of the crime, police officers Benci and McGhee heard a police radio report stating that a suspect was being held for breaking and entering at 12226 Woodrow Wilson. Benci and McGhee went to the scene, found complainant Pentero holding defendant at gun *154 point, spoke with Pentero and arrested defendant for investigation of breaking and entering.

On direct examination Officer McGhee testified:

”Q. Now, when you arrived on the scene what did you find?
"A. When — we seen the owner of the place with a gun on the — on Mr. Bentley right there (indicating), second man behind his lawyer.
”Q. And what did you do when you observed that?
"A. I don’t understand—
”Q. What did you do next as — after you saw this?
'A. Well, we asked — we talked to the owner of the place and then we placed the defendant, Mr. Bentley, under arrest.
"Q. And by the defendant you mean Mr. Bentley?
'A. Yes.”

During cross-examination McGhee stated:

”Q. You can’t recall that — now, was he under arrest at that time?
"A Yes, we had placed him under arrest.
”Q. What?
'A. Yes, we had placed him under arrést.
”Q. Did you tell him that?
’A. Yes.
”Q. And did you tell him why you were placing him under arrest?
"A. We didn’t tell him why, no.
"Q. What?
"A We told him he was placed under arrest for investigation of breaking and entering. I couldn’t tell him why he was being arrest [sic] for; I didn’t know — I told him he was being arrested for investigation of breaking and entering.
”Q. What did you see, if anything, other than words, passed by the complainant to you, and was it made in the presence of this defendant?
"The Court: Let me ask this question, Mr. Smith: When you came on the scene, you say the owner of the *155 store had a gun pointed at the defendant, Bentley. Did he tell you why — did he tell you why he had the gun on him at that time?
"A. Well, at first, when we were in the scout car, 10-1 had received a run to this address that one was holding one at gunpoint at the — for B and E.
"The Court: In other words, you had information by way of teletype or police radio that he was held for breaking and entering; is that correct?
"A. Yes, that’s correct.
’’The Court: The court will rule that there was a proper arrest in this case, Mr. Smith.”

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Bluebook (online)
209 N.W.2d 333, 47 Mich. App. 150, 1973 Mich. App. LEXIS 1278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-bentley-michctapp-1973.