People v. Smith

394 N.W.2d 94, 152 Mich. App. 756
Michigan Court of Appeals·Decided July 7, 1986·No. Docket 79745·Published·Cited by 16 cases

Opinion

Cynar, P.J.

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of assault with intent to rob and steal while armed, MCL 750.89; MSA 28.284, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, MCL 750.84; MSA 28.279, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, MCL 750.227b; MSA 28.424(2). He was sentenced to prison terms of from thirty-five to seventy years for the assault with intent to commit robbery conviction, to ten years for the assault with intent to commit great bodily harm conviction, and two years for the felony-firearm conviction. Defendant appeals as of right.

At approximately midnight on August 2, 1983, Michael Yusko and Ron Hudo were driving south on Woodward Avenue in Highland Park when they were flagged down by a young woman in a *759 graduation gown. The woman got into the car and suggested that they drive down the closest side street. Yusko then parked and got out of the car while Hudo remained inside with the woman.

As Yusko was standing next to the car, he noticed two men walk by. A couple minutes later, they walked by again. This time they approached Yusko and asked him for a light. Yusko stated that he didn’t have one and started moving away from the car. One of the men told Yusko not to move and then demanded his money.

Meanwhile, the defendant had approached the car and asked Hudo for a light. After using Hudo’s lighter, defendant returned it and Hudo turned to replace it in his pocket. While his head was turned, Hudo heard a pop and felt something hit the side of his head. Hudo testified that he slumped over on the seat and lost consciousness. When he awoke, his money was gone.

Yusko heard two shots and saw Hudo fall to the car seat. He started to run but was quickly caught by defendant and his accomplice. The men demanded all of Yusko’s money and Yusko complied. The two men fled when a car turned down the street.

Yusko then ran toward Woodward Avenue where he stopped a police car. He got into the car and the officers drove to the area where the shooting had occurred to find that Hudo and the car were gone. As the police circled the area, Yusko spotted the men who had robbed him. The officers stopped the car and ordered the men to "freeze.” Defendant stopped but the other man ran off. The police frisked defendant and found a .22-caliber revolver with two spent cartridges.

As the officers continued their search for the other man, Yusko observed Hudo standing beside his car on Woodward Avenue. The officers took *760 Hudo to Henry Ford Hospital where he was treated for a single gunshot wound. The shot had entered the right side of Hudo’s face about an inch below the eye.

Defendant’s version of the events differed markedly from that of Hudo and Yusko. Defendant testified that he was walking to a friend’s home when he heard a woman in a car yell, "Please don’t let them rob me.” A man was standing next to the car and defendant asked him what was happening. In spite of defendant’s warning that he had a gun, the man kept approaching him. When he heard the girl yell that the man had a gun, defendant turned and fired at the car. The man standing outside the car turned and fled while the man in the car drove away.

Defendant was charged with armed robbery and assault with intent to murder but was convicted of the lesser-included offenses of assault with intent to commit robbery and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. Both convictions arose out of the robbery and shooting of the complainant, Hudo. The first issue which defendant raises on appeal is that his convictions violate the prohibition against double jeopardy.

When a defendant’s double jeopardy claim is purely one of multiple punishment, his only interest is in not having more punishment imposed than the Legislature intended. People v Robideau, 419 Mich 458, 485; 355 NW2d 592 (1984). Accordingly, discerning legislative intent is essential to our determination of defendant’s claim. In order to ascertain legislative intent, the Supreme Court in Robideau directed our examination to two sources: (1) the type of harm which the Legislature intended to prevent and (2) the amount of punishment authorized by the Legislature. After applying these considerations to the statutes underlying *761 defendant’s convictions, we conclude that the Legislature intended to permit multiple convictions under the two statutes based upon a single criminal transaction.

The two statutes in question are intended to prohibit violations of two distinct social norms. The elements of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder include an attempt or offer with force or violence to do corporal harm to another coupled with an intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. People v Leach, 114 Mich App 732; 319 NW2d 652 (1982), MCL 750.84; MSA 28.279. The elements of assault with intent to rob and steal being armed include: (1) an assault with force or violence; (2) an intent to rob and steal; and (3) defendant’s being armed. People v Federico, 146 Mich App 776, 790; 381 NW2d 819 (1985).

Although both crimes have an assault element, the intent element is different. Assault with intent to commit great bodily harm requires that at the time of the assault the defendant intended to commit great bodily harm less than murder. No such intent is required for the crime of assault with intent to commit robbery. Furthermore, the presence of the different intent elements indicates that the Legislature intended to prevent distinct types of harm, robbery and corporal harm. See also People v Leach, supra.

We also note that the amount of punishment under the two statutes is different. The Legislature has authorized punishment for life or any term of years for the offense of assault with intent to rob, MCL 750.89; MSA 28.284. In contrast, punishment for assault with intent to commit great bodily harm is limited to ten years. MCL 750.84; MSA 28.279. The vast disparity in punishment indicates that the Legislature intended multiple punish *762 ments under separate statutes based upon a single criminal enterprise. We conclude that defendant’s convictions for assault with intent to commit bodily harm and assault with intent to rob and steal being armed do not violate the prohibition against double jeopardy.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

People v. Smith, 394 N.W.2d 94, 152 Mich. App. 756 (Mich. Ct. App. 1986).

394 N.W.2d 94 (People v. Smith) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

People of Michigan v. Jeffery Bernard Morris
Michigan Court of Appeals, 2025
People v. Harding
506 N.W.2d 482 (Michigan Supreme Court, 2006)
People v. Curvan
703 N.W.2d 440 (Michigan Supreme Court, 2005)
People v. Antolovich
525 N.W.2d 513 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1994)
People v. Daniel
523 N.W.2d 830 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1994)
People v. Spivey
509 N.W.2d 908 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1993)
People v. Khoury
448 N.W.2d 836 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1989)
People v. Oliver
427 N.W.2d 898 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1988)
People v. Bell
425 N.W.2d 537 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1988)
People v. Howell
423 N.W.2d 629 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1988)
Sells v. Monroe County
405 N.W.2d 387 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1987)