People v. Stockford

229 N.W.2d 484, 59 Mich. App. 423, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1363
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 11, 1975
DocketDocket No. 19229
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 229 N.W.2d 484 (People v. Stockford) 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. Stockford, 229 N.W.2d 484, 59 Mich. App. 423, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1363 (Mich. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

D. E. Holbrook, J.

Defendant was charged with the armed robbery of the City Dairy Store in Bay City on February 24, 1973, contrary to MCLA 750.529; MSA 28.797.

The case was set for jury trial to be held on June 28, 1973, at which time, with the jury present, counsel for the defendant stated: "I just [425]*425learned that the defendant doesn’t want a jury trial”. The defendant in open court, after being properly informed of his constitutional right to a trial by jury, signed a valid waiver of trial by jury which was accepted by the court. Thereupon the jury was excused. Before the trial commenced the following colloquy occurred:

"The Court: All right, I believe there is one other matter which you indicated to the court that Mr. Stock-ford wished to advise the court on the record.
"Mr. Legatz (defense attorney): He has waived any objection he may have to trial, by Your Honor.
"The Court: You are willing to proceed to trial before this court, is that right, Mr. Stockford?
"The Defendant: Yes.
"Mr. Penzien (prosecuting attorney): Could we have the record indicate that the nature of the conference in Chambers was relative to the fact that the court does have knowledge of Mr. Stockford’s conviction in Saginaw, and he understands and still wishes to have you try the case?
"The Court: That is correct, I do have knowledge, because of moving the date up to this date. That was brought to my attention. That has no effect on this matter, but you know I am aware of it. You are willing to proceed before me despite that?
"The Defendant: Yes, sir.”

The trial then took place and was completed the same day.

Two employees of the City Dairy Store were alone in the store on the night of February 24, 1973, when defendant entered and robbed the store. The first employee to talk to the defendant, Marie Lynch, testified in part as follows:

"I said, 'What do you want, some cigarettes?’, he pointed the gun at me and I backed away and Colleen came over because she saw I was frightened, and she [426]*426saw the gun, and he kept mumbling at us and finally told us to open up the till and get in the back room.”

Marie followed defendant’s order and opened the cash register and went into the back room.

The other employee, Colleen Gentle, after identifying the defendant in court as the person committing the robbery, testified in part:

"A. A man came in the door, I didn’t pay any attention at first, and Marie waited on him and he had his hand over his mouth and we couldn’t understand what he wanted, so she noticed the gun, she backed up and I came over, I said 'Can I help you, sir’ and he said 'Get in the back room’, and he said it again, so we went in the back room. He said 'Open up the cash register’, and T want to get the money in the back room’, we opened up the cash register and we waited in the back room and that’s all.
”Q. (Mr. Penzien): You opened the cash register for him?
'A. No, Marie did.
”Q. And you went to the back room?
"A. Yes.
"Q. Did he give you any instructions as to whether or not you should look at him?
'A. He said, 'Don’t look. Don’t look’, that’s what he said.
”Q. Did you look?
"A. Yes. He said something to me and I turned around and he said 'Don’t look’, 'don’t look’.
"Q. Did you see him taking something out of the till?
'A. Yes.
”Q. What?
"A. Money.”

While defendant was still behind the counter Mr. and Mrs. David Polzin approached .the entrance to the store (the same entrance defendant [427]*427had used). Defendant met them at the door, and both Mr. and Mrs. Polzin got a good look at the defendant.

Marie and Colleen knew the Polzins and immediately told them they had been robbed by the man who had just left. Mr. Polzin noticed defendant’s car, with the motor running, parked in the street parallel to the curb as he came up to the store, where he parked his car diagonally to the curb as designated. Mr. Polzin told the girls to call the police. Mr. and Mrs. Polzin proceeded to follow defendant in their car. They were able to catch up with defendant after a few minutes and got close enough to obtain the license number, KGB 030. Mr. and Mrs. Polzin followed defendant for a couple of minutes, then stopped at the police station and reported the license number of defendant’s vehicle and the car description.

Officer Robert Cassada, of the Bay City Police Department, at that time (8:29 p.m.) was in a marked police vehicle when he received the alert concerning the robbery and description of the vehicle, its license number and description of the defendant. He took up a position at McGraw and Broadway at the Bay City limits. He observed the subject vehicle, pulled in behind it and followed it for some time. After other officers arrived to assist him, he pulled the vehicle over to the curb just south of Veteran’s Park on River Road. Some distance before that location is situated the K. of C. Hall, which defendant had passed. At that point, the officer testified, the defendant’s vehicle was not in complete observation. About a month after the robbery, the subject gun was found near the ditch, close to the K. of C. Hall on River Road. It was turned into the police. As was noted in Colleen Gentle’s testimony, she described the gun [428]*428and said it looked like one defendant used in the robbery.

When searched by the police at the time of his arrest, defendant had on his person bills and change described by Miss Gentle as taken by defendant from the store, together with other money elsewhere on his person. Miss Lynch and Miss Gentle both positively identified the defendant as the robber, as did Mr. and Mrs. Polzin identify defendant as the person who came out of the store as they went in that night.

The trial judge found defendant guilty as charged, and sentenced him to prison for a term of 15 to 25 years. Defendant appeals as of right and raises two issues.

I

Did the trial court commit reversible error by allowing defendant to waive jury trial and to be tried by the court when the court was aware that defendant had recently been convicted of another armed robbery charge at Saginaw, Michigan?

Defendant asserts that the trial judge should have stepped aside and had another judge hear his case because he had knowledge of this prior conviction of defendant at Saginaw. This assertion of defendant is untenable in view of the recent ruling of our Supreme Court in People v Dudley, 393 Mich 762; 223 NW2d 297 (1974). Therein defendant was convicted of unarmed robbery in the Recorder’s Court for the City of Detroit before the Honorable Robert J. Colombo, sitting without a jury.

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Related

People v. Drew
268 N.W.2d 284 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1978)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
229 N.W.2d 484, 59 Mich. App. 423, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1363, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-stockford-michctapp-1975.