People v. Flores

282 N.W.2d 782, 90 Mich. App. 223, 1979 Mich. App. LEXIS 2151
Michigan Court of Appeals·Decided May 21, 1979·No. Docket 77-4930·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

M. F. Cavanagh, P. J.

Defendant was charged with receiving and concealing stolen property over $100, MCL 750.535; MSA 28.803, and he was also charged with absconding on bond, MCL 750.199a; MSA 28.396(1), for failing to appear for his arraignment on the receiving and concealing offense. As a result of a plea bargain, defendant pled guilty to the absconding charge on January 25, 1977, and in return the receiving and concealing charge was dismissed. Defendant was sentenced to a term of two to four years imprisonment, to run consecutively to a 10 to 20 year sentence he received on an unrelated charge arising in another county.

Defendant vigorously contested his sentence immediately upon its pronouncement, asserting that he had been told that if he pled guilty his sentence would run concurrently with the 10 to 20 year sentence he previously received on the unrelated charge. 1

*225 Although the facts that this defendant faced multiple charges and was represented by separate counsel simultaneously on these different charges cause some confusion, the record does clearly disclose certain events. First of all, the record of the plea is clear, precise, thorough and in complete accord with GCR 1963, 785. We commend the trial court for this. The plea transcript not only fails to disclose that a concurrent sentence was part of the bargain, it disclaims that the bargain consisted of any more than the dismissal of one charge in exchange for a plea to another.

"THE COURT: * * * Now, a plea bargain has been stated by the prosecution in this case and as I understand it, to restate it here, the arrangement is that Mr. Flores will be entering a plea of guilty to the charge pertaining to absconding on the bond, and the other case will be dismissed. Is that correct, Mr. Mullison?
"MR. MULLISON [Assistant Prosecutor]: Yes, your Honor. With also the addition that the court has not participated in any way in the plea bargain.
"THE COURT: You understand that, do you, Mr. Flores? The court has not participated in any manner whatsoever in the plea bargain.
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes.
"THE COURT: With either counsel on either side. Do you understand that?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes.
"THE COURT: All right. And is that a complete and accurate statement of the plea bargain, Mr. Hegle?
*226 "MR. HEGLE [Defense Counsel]: Yes, it is, your Honor.
"THE COURT: And Mr. Palacios?
"MR. PALACIOS [Defense Counsel]: Yes, your Honor.
"THE COURT: And Mr. Flores?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes.
"THE COURT: Okay. And do you understand that agreement, Mr. Flores?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes.
"THE COURT: Is there any part of it that you want to ask me any questions about or ask your attorneys any questions about at this time?
"THE DEFENDANT: No.”

As to the sentence specifically, the following transpired:

"THE COURT: Other than what’s been stated in the plea bargain, has anyone promised you anything if you plead guilty?
"THE DEFENDANT: No.
"THE COURT: Has anyone told you the court would be lenient towards you or that you would receive a light sentence or be placed on probation if you pleaded guilty?
"THE DEFENDANT: No.
"THE COURT: And when I say anyone, I mean just that; anyone from the prosecutor’s office, any police officers, your attorney, or anyone else. Has anyone made such a promise to you?
"THE DEFENDANT: No.
"THE COURT: And do you understand that no one knows at this time what your sentence will be?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes.”

In spite of these record assertions, defendant maintains his attorney advised him that he would receive a concurrent sentence. He maintained this immediately upon hearing that the sentence would *227 be consecutive, and at a post-sentence evidentiary hearing. At that hearing, one of his trial counsel supported this claim as follows:

"THE DEFENDANT: Okay. The reason why I didn’t say nothing at sentencing was because I was told that at the plea. And if it’s going to mess up the plea, it would mess up my sentencing.
"THE COURT: All right. Then I would like to hear from the two attorneys that were advising him at the time. If they wish to say anything on that point, I’ll take testimony on it. If they don’t wish to, I’m not going to compel them. But if there’s any variation in the version of it I’d like to hear from them, either one or any.
"MR. PALACIOS: Mr. Palacios on behalf of myself, your Honor.
"THE COURT: Mr. Palacios, okay. You were representing him on one of the matters?
"MR. PALACIOS: I was representing Mr. Flores on the matter of the receiving and concealing over $100. That was the extent of my representation on that case.
"THE COURT: But you were with him in connection with the plea. You were in the courtroom at the time and so on?
"MR. PALACIOS: Yes, your Honor. I was with him.
"THE COURT: What, if anything, was said on this point that he has referred to?
"MR. PALACIOS: I think he has stated it accurately. I can remember telling him and conveying not only once but several times the wording that I had received from the prosecutor’s office with respect—
"THE COURT: That wasn’t the question. The question was as stated by his counsel, Mr. Carter, here a minute ago.
"MR. PALACIOS: No, what Mr. Flores has stated that happened at the time of the plea and at the time of the sentence is as I recall it.
"MR. MULLISON: Okay.
"THE COURT: Who else—
"MR. MULLISON: I’d like to ask him, your Honor, if *228 he deliberately and on purpose told his client to lie to the court in order to get the plea accepted.
"MR. PALACIOS: I will answer that no. I did not ask him to lie to the court, your Honor.
"THE COURT: But what did you tell him then in connection with this matter where the court asked him specific questions.

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People v. Flores, 282 N.W.2d 782, 90 Mich. App. 223, 1979 Mich. App. LEXIS 2151 (Mich. Ct. App. 1979).

282 N.W.2d 782 (People v. Flores) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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