PEOPLE OF MI V DARRYL LYNN PORTER
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
July 1, 1997
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 195233
Recorder’s Court
LC No. 95-005977
DARRYL LYNN PORTER,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: White, P.J., and Bandstra and Smolenski, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Defendant was convicted by the trial court of armed robbery, MCL 750.529; MSA 28.797.
Defendant was sentenced to an enhanced sentence of six to fifteen years’ imprisonment based on
defendant’s status as an habitual offender, MCL 769.13; MSA 28.1085. Defendant appeals as of
right. We affirm.
The complainant went with defendant’s brother ostensibly to purchase automobile parts. Upon
arriving at their destination, defendant approached the complainant with what the complainant believed
to be a gun and ordered the complainant onto the ground. Defendant’s brother then took the
complainant’s money.
Defendant first argues that the trial court did not secure a valid waiver of defendant’s right to a
jury trial. We disagree. MCR 6.402(B) requires that before accepting a waiver, the court must advise
the defendant in open court of the constitutional right to trial by jury and that the court must also
ascertain, by addressing the defendant personally, that the defendant understands the right and that the
defendant voluntarily chooses to give up that right and to be tried by the court. This Court has held that
this requirement is satisfied where it is clear from the record that the defendant understood his right to
trial by jury and where the defendant voluntarily waived that right. People v Reddick, 187 Mich App
547, 550; 468 NW2d 278 (1991). In this case, the trial court held a personal discussion with
defendant during which it expressly informed defendant of his right to a trial by jury. The trial court
determined that based upon that discussion and defendant’s signature on the waiver form that
defendant’s waiver was knowing, voluntary, and understanding. Based on the record, we conclude that
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the trial court’s findings were not clearly erroneous. People v James (After Remand), 192 Mich App
568, 570; 481 NW2d 715 (1992); see also Reddick, supra.
Next, defendant argues that certain testimony elicited from defendant’s brother on cross
examination and from a police officer on rebuttal was admitted in violation of MRE 404(b). However,
we decline to address this issue because defendant did not object to his brother’s cross-examination
and objected to the officer’s rebuttal testimony on a ground different from the ground he asserts on
appeal. An objection based on one ground at trial is insufficient to preserve an appellate attack based
on a different ground. People v Asevedo, 217 Mich App 393, 398; 551 NW2d 478 (1996).
Next, defendant argues that the trial court reached an inconsistent verdict when it found him
guilty of armed robbery, but not guilty of felony-firearm. We disagree. A conviction of armed robbery
does not require a finding that a defendant was armed with a firearm, but rather requires a finding that
the defendant was armed either with a dangerous weapon or with an article used or fashioned in such a
way as to lead a reasonable person to believe that it was a dangerous weapon at the time of the
robbery. People v Jolly, 442 Mich 458, 465; 502 NW2d 177 (1993). In this case, the victim could
not affirmatively testify whether the object pointed at him by defendant was a gun because defendant
covered it with a towel. However, the victim thought the object was a gun based upon the manner in
which defendant used the article and defendant’s threat to kill the victim if he did not hand over his
money. The trial court was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant was armed with a
firearm, but specifically found that defendant was armed with a dangerous weapon or an article used or
fashioned in such a way as to lead a reasonable person to believe that it was a dangerous weapon. The
trial court’s verdict that defendant was guilty of armed robbery but not guilty of felony-firearm was not
inconsistent.
Finally, defendant argues that he is entitled to resentencing because the trial court failed to
exercise its discretion and operated under a misconception of the law at sentencing. We disagree. In
this case, the prosecutor filed a notice of intent to enhance defendant’s sentence due to his status as a
fourth habitual offender. At sentencing, the court initially assumed that the prosecutor was proceeding
on a supplemental information, but the prosecutor then handed a copy of the notice to the court. Upon
receiving this information, the record indicates that the court understood that the 1994 amendment to
MCL 769.13; MSA 28.1085 governed defendant’s sentencing. It is also apparent from our review of
the record that the trial court indicated it could sentence defendant up to a term of life imprisonment, but
only enhanced defendant’s armed robbery sentence from a term of four to ten years’ imprisonment to a
term of six to fifteen years’ imprisonment. We believe that this indicates that the trial court properly
exercised its sentencing discretion. Although the record indicates that the trial court vacated the former
sentence and then imposed the latter, defendant’s judgment of sentence reflects only one conviction.
We do not think it necessary for defendant to be resentenced because we find no error.
Affirmed.
/s/ Helene N. White
/s/ Richard A. Bandstra
/s/ Michael R. Smolenski
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