People v. Mallory

147 N.W.2d 66, 378 Mich. 538, 1967 Mich. LEXIS 111
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 4, 1967
DocketCalendar 3, Docket 51,212
StatusPublished
Cited by46 cases

This text of 147 N.W.2d 66 (People v. Mallory) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Mallory, 147 N.W.2d 66, 378 Mich. 538, 1967 Mich. LEXIS 111 (Mich. 1967).

Opinions

[548]*548Dethmers, J.

This is an appeal, upon leave granted, from Court of Appeals’ denial of application for delayed appeal from an order of the recorder’s court of the city of Detroit denying defendant’s motion for appointment of appellate counsel and free transcript for appeal purposes.

On May 11, 1964, defendant was convicted, by a judge sitting without a jury, in the recorder’s court of the city of Detroit, of the misdemeanor of receiving and concealing stolen property under the value of $100. This is an offense cognizable by a justice of the peace. The maximum permissible sentence is 90 days in jail or $100 fine or both. He was sentenced to 90 days in the Detroit house of correction and served the sentence.

It is urged by the people that because defendant completed service of his sentence this appeal should be dismissed on the ground that the case has become moot. For this the following authorities are cited: People v. Leavitt, 41 Mich 470; City of Ishpeming v. Maroney, 49 Mich 226; Pittsburgh Plate Class Co. v. Charles Klein Co., 177 Mich 399; Howe v. Doyle, 187 Mich 655; Thomas v. Montcalm Circuit Judge, 228 Mich 44; Sullivan v. Michigan State Board of Dentistry, 268 Mich 427; Horowitz v. Rott, 235 Mich 369; People v. Pyrros, 323 Mich 329; Johnson v. City of Muskegon Heights, 330 Mich 631; McCarthy v. Wayne Circuit Judge, 294 Mich 368.

At the time of the alleged commission of the misdemeanor and his conviction thereof, defendant was on parole from a previous sentence on a 1962 felony conviction. After the May 11, 1964, misdemeanor conviction, defendant was found guilty by the parole board of parole violation and, after service of his [549]*54990-day misdemeanor sentence, was remanded to State prison as a parole violator and is still there as provided by law, serving the remainder of his sentence for the 1962 felony conviction.

There is question as to how the matter of the reasons for his parole revocation, set forth in defendant’s appendix, came into the record in this case. However, the people’s appendix contains material which equally goes into the matter. Prom all that appears in the appendices it is evident that either defendant’s misdemeanor conviction automatically brought about a finding by the parole board of parole violation or that, at least, that conviction was an element and factor in the parole violations charged against defendant and considered by the board in making its finding of parole violation. Accordingly, we consider the above cases cited by the people with respect to mootness inapt. Defendant’s present incarceration may well be considered a consequence, in part at least, of this misdemeanor conviction. More to the point is United States v. Morgan, 346 US 502 (74 S Ct 247, 98 L ed 248), in which the United States Supreme Court said (pp 512, 513):

“Although the term has been served, the results of the conviction may persist. Subsequent convictions may carry heavier penalties. * * * As the power to remedy an invalid sentence exists, * * * respondent is entitled to an opportunity to attempt to show that this conviction was invalid.”

See, also, Jones v. Cunningham, 371 US 236 (83 S Ct 373, 9 L ed 2d 285); United States, ex rel. Harton, v. Wilkins (CA 2), 342 F2d 529; Williams v. United States (CA 7), 332 F2d 36; United States v. Cariola (CA 3), 323 F2d 180; Williams v. United States (CA 7), 310 F2d 696; United States v. Moore (CA 7), 166 F2d 102; United States v, Steese (CA [550]*5503), 144 F2d 439; United States, ex rel. Oddo, v. Fay (DC, NY), 236 F Supp 242; Janiec v. State of New Jersey, 85 NJ Super 68 (203 A2d 727); Bojinoff v. People, 299 NY 145 (85 NE2d 909). Because of the parole revocation and present resultant imprisonment, we cannot hold this case moot.

Defendant was not represented by counsel at the misdemeanor trial. Since trial defendant has said that he did not waive his right to trial by jury and the record does not clearly disclose that he did. Other claims of reversible error with respect to the trial and conviction are suggested. None of these, however, are before us for determination now. Bather, it is the subsequent occurrences which are the subject of this appeal. We turn now to these.

Defendant’s brief states the question involved in this appeal as follows:

“Is an indigent misdemeanant entitled as a matter of right to have counsel appointed to appeal a misdemeanor conviction?”

Despite defendant’s wording of this question, it will be noted that there is involved not only appointment of appellate counsel but also furnishing to defendant of a free copy of portions of transcript and record essential to preparation of postconviction motions and appeal.

In Griffin v. Illinois, 351 US 12 (76 S Ct 585, 100 L ed 891, 55 ALR2d 1055), indigent defendants were convicted of armed robbery, which was undoubtedly, as in Michigan, a felony. It was held that the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to the Federal Constitution required furnishing defendants, at public expense, with the portions of the transcript of trial necessary for taking and presenting an appeal.

In Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 US 335 (83 S Ct 792, 9 L ed 2d 799, 93 ALR2d 733), an indigent [551]*551defendant convicted of a noncapital felony was denied appointment of trial counsel. The court held that defendant’s trial and conviction without being accorded the fundamental right of assistance of counsel violated the 14th Amendment.

In Douglas v. California, 372 US 353 (83 S Ct 814, 9 L ed 2d 811), indigent defendants were convicted of 13 felonies. Denial of their requests for appointment of counsel to prosecute an appeal was held to amount to discrimination between the rich and the poor, in violation of the 14th Amendment.

In Patterson v. Warden, Maryland Penitentiary, 372 US 776 (83 S Ct 1103, 10 L ed 2d 137), defendant had been denied court-appointed counsel because the Maryland statute provided for this only in capital or “serious” cases and the trial court said this one was neither. He was convicted of carrying concealed weapons and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. The United States Supreme Court vacated judgment and remanded for reconsideration in the light of Gideon v. Wainwright, supra.

Similar are the cases of Lane v. Brown, 372 US 477 (83 S Ct 768, 9 L ed 2d 892), involving a conviction for murder, and Draper v. Washington, 372 US 487 (83 S Ct 774, 9 L ed 2d 899), in which the indigent defendants were convicted of robbery.

These United States Supreme Court decisions, all involving felonies, may not necessarily be controlling of the question in the instant case relating to a misdemeanor.

The Federal criminal justice act, 18 USCA, § 3006A(b), provides that “In every criminal case in which the defendant is charged with a felony or a misdemeanor, other than a petty offense,

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Bluebook (online)
147 N.W.2d 66, 378 Mich. 538, 1967 Mich. LEXIS 111, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-mallory-mich-1967.