PEOPLE OF MI V BRYAN DONALDSON
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
March 3, 1998
Plaintiff-Appellant,
v
No. 203155
Recorder’s Court
LC No. 96-002993
BRYAN DONALDSON,
Defendant-Appellee.
Before: Michael J. Kelly, P.J., and Fitzgerald and M.G. Harrison*, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
The Wayne County Prosecutor appeals by right dismissal of this prosecution for unlawfully
driving away an automobile, MCL 750.413; MSA 28.645, and receiving and concealing stolen
property over $100, MCL 750.535; MSA 28.803, with prejudice, based on the trial court’s finding
that defendant’s right to speedy trial was violated. This appeal is being decided without oral argument
pursuant to MCR 7.214(E). We reverse.
After waiving examination, defendant was bound over on the charges and scheduled for
arraignment on the information before the Recorder’s Court for the City of Detroit on April 26, 1996.
On that date, defendant failed to appear and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. The warrant
was never effectuated, and was canceled when, on February 21, 1997, defendant voluntarily presented
himself before the Recorder’s Court, informing the court that prior to the original date scheduled for
arraignment, he was incarcerated as a parole violator, and had just been released. Defendant moved
for dismissal for violation of the 180-day statute, MCL 780.131; MSA 28.969. The prosecutor
countered that under MCR 6.004(D) and People v Taylor, 199 Mich App 549, 553; 502 NW2d 348
(1993), the prosecutor having had no actual knowledge of defendant’s whereabouts and the
Department of Corrections having failed to inform the prosecutor of defendant’s incarceration,
defendant would only be entitled to credit against any sentence imposed for these crimes, in the event of
conviction, as a means of protecting his statutory speedy trial right. The court dismissed the prosecution
with prejudice, however, finding that defendant’s constitutional right to speedy trial had been violated.
* Circuit judge, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment.
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At the outset, it should be clarified that the 180-day statute simply does not apply in this case.
As a parolee, any crimes defendant committed while on parole would mandatorily require the imposition
of sentences consecutive to the sentence underlying defendant’s parole, MCL 768.7a(2); MSA
28.1030(1)(2), Wayne County Prosecutor v Department of Corrections, 451 Mich 569; 548
NW2d 900 (1996), and the 180-day statute has no application in consecutive sentencing situations.
People v Connor, 209 Mich App 419, 428-429; 531 NW2d 734 (1995).
With respect to the constitutional right to speedy trial, the delay of ten months is longer than the
six months necessary to trigger investigation into a claim that the right to speedy trial has been infringed,
but less than the eighteen months which would shift the burden of proof to the prosecutor with respect
to whether defendant has been prejudiced or not. People v Ross, 145 Mich App 483, 490-491; 378
NW2d 517 (1985). The burden of proof being on defendant, defendant has clearly failed to carry his
burden. The length of delay is not egregious, the reason for delay, governmental negligence, is neutral,
defendant failed to assert his right, and, on these charges, defendant was free on personal bond, and so
suffered no prejudice to his person, and defendant made no showing that any witness or evidence had
been lost or compromised, so there was no prejudice to defendant’s ability to defend the charges.
Accordingly, defendant’s right to speedy trial was not violated on this record. People v Ross, supra,
145 Mich App at 491-492.
Reversed and remanded to the Wayne Circuit Court, Criminal Division, for further proceedings
consistent with this opinion. We do not retain jurisdiction.
/s/ Michael J. Kelly
/s/ E. Thomas Fitzgerald
/s/ Michael G. Harrison
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