People v. Loy-Rafuls

500 N.W.2d 480, 198 Mich. App. 594
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 15, 1993
DocketDocket 119524
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 500 N.W.2d 480 (People v. Loy-Rafuls) 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. Loy-Rafuls, 500 N.W.2d 480, 198 Mich. App. 594 (Mich. Ct. App. 1993).

Opinions

Reilly, J.

Defendant appeals by leave granted his jury convictions of delivery of over 650 grams of cocaine, MCL 333.7401(2)(a)(i); MSA 14.15(7401) (2)(a)(i), and conspiracy to delivery over 650 grams of cocaine, MCL 333.7401(2)(a)(i); MSA 14.15(7401) (2)(a)(i) and MCL 750.157a; MSA 28.354(1), and his mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of parole, MCL 333.7401(3); MSA 14.15(7401X3). We affirm defendant’s convictions, and remand for a modification of sentence.

i

Defendant first argues that he was denied a fair [597]*597trial when information that was not provided to defense counsel in violation of a discovery agreement was presented to the jury.

One of the police officers involved in the case testified that on the day of the offense he observed two of defendant’s codefendants sitting on the hood of a car across the street from where the drug transaction was scheduled to occur. The officer also testified that he saw the car in the same spot the day after defendant and his codefendants were arrested and that another police officer gave him the set of keys that he used to start the car. This information was contained in a police report that had not been supplied to defendant or his codefendants.

A trial court has discretion to fashion a remedy for noncompliance with a discovery order or agreement. People v Taylor, 159 Mich App 468, 487; 406 NW2d 859 (1987); People v Clark, 164 Mich App 224, 229; 416 NW2d 390 (1987); People v Williams, 188 Mich App 54, 58-59; 469 NW2d 4 (1991). The exercise of that discretion involves a balancing of the interests of the courts, the public, and the parties. Taylor, supra at 487.

After an evidentiary hearing, the trial court concluded that the prosecution’s noncompliance was not intentional. Nevertheless, the court decided to strike the challenged testimony and instruct the jury at the end of the trial that the testimony should be disregarded. It appears from the record, however, that no such instruction was ever given.

On the basis of our review of the record, we conclude that the trial court attempted to fashion a remedy based upon the consideration of all the parties involved. The failure to give the curative instruction does not require reversal because defendant has failed to show any prejudice. Wil[598]*598liams, supra at 59. The testimony did not implicate defendant in any way. Furthermore, there was other evidence that demonstrated that defendant was involved in the actual delivery of the cocaine. Accordingly, we conclude that neither the admission of the police officer’s testimony nor the failure to give the curative instruction deprived this defendant of a fair trial.

ii

Defendant also asserts that he was denied the effective assistance of counsel.

Because no Ginther1 hearing was held with regard to defendant’s claims, our review is limited to deficiencies apparent in the record. People v Juarez, 158 Mich App 66, 73; 404 NW2d 222 (1987). We have reviewed the record in this case and conclude that any errors made by counsel were not so serious that counsel was not functioning as an attorney for the purposes of the Sixth Amendment. Furthermore, defendant has not overcome the presumption that the challenged actions might be considered sound trial strategy and has not demonstrated that he was prejudiced by any deficiencies of counsel. Strickland v Washington, 466 US 668; 104 S Ct 2052; 80 L Ed 2d 674 (1984); People v Tommolino, 187 Mich App 14, 17; 466 NW2d 315 (1991).

iii

Next, defendant asserts that he was denied a fair trial when a power outage occurred during the trial because after the lights came back on, defendant and his codefendants were surrounded by police officers with guns drawn. Defendant argues [599]*599that the trial court should have commented on the incident or instructed the jury, but does not indicate what sort of comment or instruction would have been proper. Furthermore, neither defendant nor his codefendants requested any instructions at the time of the incident. Accordingly, appellate review is foreclosed in the absence of manifest injustice. People v Johnson, 187 Mich App 621, 628; 468 NW2d 307 (1991).

It appears from the record before us that the security measures employed during the power outage were not unreasonable. In addition, defendant has failed to show the existence of any prejudice.2 See People v Meyers (On Remand), 124 Mich App 148, 165; 335 NW2d 189 (1983). Accordingly, we find no manifest injustice.

iv

Defendant also argues that hearsay testimony elicited from two of the police officers regarding statements of two codefendants made while arranging the cocaine delivery was improperly admitted. Defendant alleges that there was insufficient independent proof of a conspiracy to bring this testimony within the hearsay exception provided by MRE 801(d)(2)(E).

Hearsay statements of a coconspirator are not admissible as an exception to the hearsay rule unless and until the existence of the conspiracy is shown by independent evidence. People v Vega, 413 Mich 773, 780; 321 NW2d 675 (1982); People v Moscara, 140 Mich App 316, 319; 364 NW2d 318 (1985). A conspiracy must be shown by a prepon[600]*600derance of the evidence. Vega, supra at 782; Moscara, supra at 319.

In support of his argument on appeal, defendant relies on Vega, supra, and People v Gay, 149 Mich App 468; 386 NW2d 556 (1986), where the Courts held that reversal was necessary because there was insufficient independent evidence that the defendants in those cases knew or intended that the cocaine would be delivered to a third party. Vega, supra at 781; Gay, supra at 471. In contrast, the evidence presented in this case, exclusive of the testimony regarding the coconspirator statements, supports a finding that defendant knew that the cocaine was intended for a third party because he actually handed the bag containing cocaine to the undercover police officer. Accordingly, reversal is not required in this case. See Moscara, supra at 321-322.

v

Defendant’s fifth argument is that he was denied a fair trial when he was tried together with six codefendants. We disagree.

Although some of the codefendants made motions for separate trials, it does not appear from our review of the record that defendant made such a motion.3 In any event, we conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motions for separate trials. People v Hicks, 185 Mich App 107, 117; 460 NW2d 569 (1990). The defenses of defendant and his codefendants were not antagonistic. Furthermore, because the jury acquitted one of the codefendants, it appears that it was able to separate the testimony regarding each of the defendants and that it was not inclined [601]*601to find "guilt by association.” Accordingly, defendant has failed to establish that he was prejudiced by the joint trial. Id.

VI

Defendant asserts that MCL 763.3; MSA 28.856, which permits a prosecutor to object to a defendant’s waiver of a jury trial, violates the Michigan Constitution.

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Related

People v. Davie
571 N.W.2d 229 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1997)
People v. Johnson
520 N.W.2d 672 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1994)
People v. DiVietri
520 N.W.2d 643 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1994)
People v. Loy-Rafuls
500 N.W.2d 480 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1993)

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Bluebook (online)
500 N.W.2d 480, 198 Mich. App. 594, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-loy-rafuls-michctapp-1993.