People v. Pate, 536

Decision Date20 December 1965
Docket NumberNo. 536,No. 3,536,3
Citation138 N.W.2d 553,2 Mich.App. 66
PartiesPEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Charles PATE, Defendant-Appellant. Cal
CourtCourt of Appeal of Michigan — District of US

R. Neal Stanton, of Scholten & Fant, Grand Haven, for appellant.

Frank J. Kelley, Atty. Gen., Robert A. Derengoski, Sol. Gen., Lansing, James W. Bussard, Pros. Atty., Ottawa County, Grand Haven, for appellee.

Before BURNS, P. J., and HOLBROOK and T. G. KAVANAGH, JJ.

BURNS, Presiding Judge.

The defendant appeals a sentence of 5 to 10 years for breaking and entering.

The defendant entered a plea of guilty to the charge of breaking and entering and was sentenced to the jurisdiction of the state prison of southern Michigan at Jackson for a period of not less than 5 nor more than 10 years. The court recommended the minimum.

According to the appellant's brief (the facts do not appear in the record and the prosecuting attorney did not file a brief), a co-defendant was sentenced to a term of 2 to 10 years, although this offense was the appellant's second felony conviction while said offense was the co-defendant's third felony conviction. The appellant neglected to mention that he was on probation at the time of this offense.

The defendant claims that he was denied equal protection of law guaranteed by both the state constitution 1 and the federal constitution. 2

The fourteenth amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America does prohibit a state from arbitrary deprivation of life, liverty or propety, and requires equal and impartial justice under the law; but it does not limit the powers of a state to deal with crimes committed within its own borders or with the punishment. In re Converse (1890), 137 U.S. 624, 11 S.Ct. 191, 34 L.Ed. 796. Also, Ughbanks v. Armstrong (1908), 208 U.S. 481, 28 S.Ct. 372, 52 L.Ed. 582.

C.L.1948, § 769.1 (Stat.Ann.1954 Rev. § 28.1072) states in part as follows: '[A]ny of the several circuit judges in the respective circuits, * * * are hereby authorized and empowered to pronounce judgment against and pass sentence upon all persons heretofore convicted.'

When a sentence is within the meximum provided by statute, the trial court has wife discretion and an Appellate Court does not have supervisory control over the punishment. See Cummins v. People (1879), 42 Mich. 142, 3 N.W. 305; People v. Kelly (1894), 99 Mich. 82, 57 N.W. 1090; People v. Guillett (1955), 342 Mich. 1, 69 N.W.2d 140.

The fact that this conviction was the defendant's second felony conviction and the co-defendant's third felony conviction, does not by itself inform us of the entire history of the record of the defendant and the co-defendant. At the time of sentencing the trial judge...

To continue reading

Request your trial
38 cases
  • People v. Earegood, Docket No. 2755
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Michigan — District of US
    • June 28, 1968
    ...People v. Harwood (1938), 286 Mich. 96, 98, 281 N.W. 551; Cummins v. People (1879), 42 Mich. 142, 144, 3 N.W. 305; People v. Pate (1965), 2 Mich.App. 66, 68, 138 N.W.2d 553; People v. Tetts (1967), 6 Mich.App. 254, 259, 148 N.W.2d It was not always thus. In People v. Murray (1888), 72 Mich.......
  • People v. Mulier
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Michigan — District of US
    • June 25, 1968
    ...844, certiorari denied sub nom. Mancusi v. Hetenyi (1966), 383 U.S. 913, 86 S.Ct. 896, 15 L.Ed.2d 667.5 See, also, People v. Pate (1965), 2 Mich.App. 66, 138 N.W.2d 553; People v. Daniels (1966), 2 Mich.App. 395, 140 N.W.2d 541; People v. Will (1966), 3 Mich.App. 330, 142 N.W.2d 467; People......
  • People v. Sinclair, Docket No. 7814
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Michigan — District of US
    • February 16, 1971
    ...over sentences which are within the statutory maximum. People v. Doran (1967), 6 Mich.App. 86, 148 N.W.2d 232; People v. Pate (1965), 2 Mich.App. 66, 138 N.W.2d 553. Defendant's contention that the prosecution failed to carry its burden of proof of establishing that the substance defendant ......
  • People v. Snow, Docket No. 6805
    • United States
    • Court of Appeal of Michigan — District of US
    • September 29, 1970
    ...251; Cummins v. People (1879), 42 Mich. 142, 3 N.W. 305; People v. Guillett (1955), 342 Mich. 1, 9, 69 N.W.2d 140; People v. Pate (1965), 2 Mich.App. 66, 68, 138 N.W.2d 553. See, also, People v. Earegood (1968), 12 Mich.App. 256, 274, fn. 12, 162 N.W.2d 802.6 People v. Earegood (1968), 12 M......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT