People v. D'ARGIS

205 N.W.2d 19, 44 Mich. App. 186, 1972 Mich. App. LEXIS 1115
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 6, 1972
DocketDocket 13268
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 205 N.W.2d 19 (People v. D'ARGIS) 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. D'ARGIS, 205 N.W.2d 19, 44 Mich. App. 186, 1972 Mich. App. LEXIS 1115 (Mich. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

Fitzgerald, J.

This appeal as of right seeks to set aside a plea-based conviction. Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the factual basis of the plea and the trial court’s failure to apprise him of his constitutional right to confront his accusers.

Defendant was concurrently charged with breaking and entering an occupied dwelling with intent to commit a felony, 1 and with possession of a narcotic drug (i.e., marihuana). 2 On August 17, 1971, he pled guilty to the lesser included offenses of attempted breaking and entering and attempted *188 possession of a narcotic drug. 3 He was sentenced to 4-1/2 to 5 years imprisonment for each offense. Following appeal, the prosecutor filed a motion to affirm pursuant to GCR 1963, 817.5(3). This Court denied the prosecution motion and, on authority of People v Sinclair, 387 Mich 91 (1972), reversed defendant’s conviction for attempted possession of marihuana, by order of June 26, 1972. The Court further ordered that the parties brief the question of whether the trial court complied with the standards set forth in People v Jaworski, 387 Mich 21 (1972), in accepting defendant’s plea of guilty.

Two issues are raised on appeal. First: Did the trial court elicit sufficient factual basis to support the truth of defendant’s plea of guilty to the charge of attempted breaking and entering? Defendant contends the statute providing for acceptance of a plea of guilty enumerated in MCLA 768.35; MSA 28.1058 4 *has been expanded to include voir dire of the defendant as to the elements of the crime itself. 5 The elements of breaking and entering are 1) a breaking and entering; 2) felonious intent; and 3) an occupied dwelling. 6 Defendant argues the plea record is devoid of any admissions of statements as to the aforementioned elements. *189 The prosecution contends defendant failed to lay the requisite foundation for the present appeal by motion to vacate the plea or a motion for new trial. In addition, the prosecution argues that the trial court is not required to inform defendant of each and every element of the crime and that a sufficient factual basis is obtained by a reasonable ascertainment of the truth of the plea.

We think the plea of guilty must be vacated and the case remanded to the trial court. The basis for this conclusion rests with the failure of the trial court to establish a factual basis to support the truth of the guilty plea.

This Court is the proper forum to review the plea of guilty. The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in People v Taylor, 387 Mich 209, 221 (1972), " * * * that commencing post plea review of guilty pleas in the trial court is the preferable policy”. However, the Court distinguishes review of matters not on the record with those that appear on the record, imposing a mandatory requirement that review of matters not on the record begin in the trial court. This case involves matters on the record, and since the question is presently before us, we will consider the adequacy of a factual basis. See People v Schneff, 43 Mich App 413 (1972).

We do not agree with defendant that the trial court must establish each and every element of the crime to which defendant pleads guilty. The three cases cited 7 by defendant do not support this proposition. The prosecution cites a plethora of cases advancing the opposite conclusion that defendant need not confess to each and every element of the crime. Careful examination of these cases reveals that they rely upon the preliminary *190 examination to establish the factual basis of the guilty plea. The exception, People v Bradshaw, 28 Mich App 354, 356 (1970), states:

"While the trial judge did not specifically elicit all of the elements of the crime from the defendant at the taking of the guilty plea, this Court has held that such error is not fatal to the plea when all of the elements of the crime are clearly supported in the preliminary examination transcript. People v Bartlett, 17 Mich App 205 (1969); People v Medley, 27 Mich App 195 (1970); People v Hinton, 27 Mich App 186 (1970).”

In People v Bartlett, 17 Mich App 205 (1969), the Court permitted consideration of the preliminary examination to determine whether a factual basis for the plea of guilty existed. The test for establishing a factual basis was stated at p 208:

"The court rule does not, however, require that the offense to which the defendant pleads guilty must be established beyond peradventure before the trial judge may accept a proffered plea of guilty. It requires, in the words of the Barrows Court, p 272, 'reasonable ascertainment of the truth of the plea.’ ”

However, the current rule limits the Court’s examination to the plea only. People v Taylor, supra, stated in fn 10, p 225:

"It is not sufficient that such facts appear on the record of the preliminary examination. See People v Zaleski, 375 Mich 71, 81 (1956) and People v Rufus Williams, 386 Mich 277, 284-285 (1971).”

Taylor retains the requirement of direct questioning of defendant by the trial judge for the purpose of establishing the crime and participation therein of the person pleading guilty. It is necessary that there be reasonable ascertainment of the truth of the plea. People v Barrows, 358 Mich 267 *191 (1959). If this requisite is satisfied by the exchange between the trial judge and defendant appearing on the record, then an adequate factual basis for acceptance of the plea exists. This standard was not met in the instant case.

The factual basis set out in the plea transcript is reflected in the following colloquy:

"The Court: Tell me what happened that makes you want to plead guilty?
"Mr. D’Argis: Well, there was a lot of other facts behind the case your Honor.
"The Court: Mainly that you were addicted?
"Mr. D’Argis: Pardon me?
"The Court: The biggest fact is that you were addicted?
"Mr. D’Argis: No, I was an addict at the time.
"The Court: Do you know who lived at 13608 Meyers?
"Mr. D’Argis: Yes I did.
"The Court: Did you go there on March the 14th?

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Bluebook (online)
205 N.W.2d 19, 44 Mich. App. 186, 1972 Mich. App. LEXIS 1115, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-dargis-michctapp-1972.