People v. RiveraPeople v. Rivera
- Reporters:
- ,
- Before:
- O'Connell
In Docket No. 176105, defendant pleaded guilty to charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm,
A claim of appeal was filed with respect to each proceeding below. Despite the fact that the two lower court proceedings dealt with distinct criminal epi *650 sodes, these two appeals were consolidated upon appellate defense counsel’s motion. This apparent error likely stems from, first, the fact that the sentences in the two proceedings were imposed at one hearing, and, second, the fact that the judgment of sentence appealed in Docket No. 176105 reflects a conviction of felony-firearm that properly should have been reflected in the judgment of sentence appealed in Docket No. 176110. 1 However, this procedural oversight has no effect on our resolution of the issues raised on appeal.
In Docket No. 176105, we affirm. Appellate defense counsel has raised no allegations of error pertaining to Docket No. 176105.
With respect to Docket No. 176110, defendant raises three issues. First, defendant contends that his convictions of both assault with intent to commit murder and discharge of a firearm from a vehicle with intent to commit harm violate his constitutional protections against double jeopardy. The purpose of the double jeopardy protection against multiple punishment for the same offense is to protect the defendant’s interest in not enduring more punishment than was intended by the Legislature. People v Whiteside, 437 Mich 188, 200; 468 NW2d 504 (1991). Thus, we must consider the legislative intent underlying the two statutes under which defendant was convicted. See People v Robideau, 419 Mich 458, 485; 355 NW2d 592 (1984). When determining legislative intent in the present context, this Court looks to whether each statute prohibits conduct violative of a social norm *651 distinct from that protected by the other, the amount of punishment authorized by each statute, whether the statutes are hierarchical or cumulative, and the elements of each offense. People v DeLeon, 177 Mich App 306, 308; 441 NW2d 85 (1990); People v Crawford, 187 Mich App 344, 349; 467 NW2d 818 (1991).
We find no double jeopardy violation. The social norms protected by the respective statutes differ markedly. See
People v Warren (After Remand),
200 Mich App 586, 588; 504 NW2d 907 (1993);
People v Cortez,
206 Mich App 204, 206; 520 NW2d 693 (1994). Assault with intent to commit murder carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment,
Second, defendant argues that prosecutorial misconduct deprived him of his right to a fair trial. However, because defense counsel failed to object to any of the alleged improprieties at trial, our review of the issue is precluded absent a miscarriage of justice. People v Stanaway, 446 Mich 643, 687; 521 NW2d 557 (1994). A miscarriage of justice will not be found if the prejudicial effect of the prosecutor’s comments could have been cured by a timely curative instruc *652 tion. People v Gonzalez, 178 Mich App 526, 535; 444 NW2d 228 (1989). We have reviewed defendant’s allegations of prosecutorial misconduct. We find that any misconduct that may have occurred was not so egregious that a prompt curative instruction could not have cured any resulting prejudicial effect. Thus, we do not find a miscarriage of justice.
Finally, defendant challenges the proportionality of the twenty- to forty-year sentence imposed for his conviction of assault with intent to commit murder. Defendant’s minimum sentence of twenty years falls within the guidelines range and is, thus, presumptively proportionate. People v Williams (After Remand), 198 Mich App 537, 543; 499 NW2d 404 (1993). Defendant has presented no evidence of “unusual circumstances” rendering this presumptively proportionate sentence disproportionate. See People v Sharp, 192 Mich App 501, 505; 481 NW2d 773 (1992). Therefore, we find no abuse of discretion in the sentence imposed.
We affirm in both Docket Nos. 176105 and 176110.
Notes
Because neither party has challenged on appeal the mistaken judgments of sentence, we do not address the issue further.