PEOPLE OF MI V DWAYNE E WILSON
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
March 9, 1999
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 206590
Oakland Circuit Court
LC No. 97-150587 FC
DWAYNE E. WILSON,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: Murphy, P.J., and Gage and Zahra, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of two counts of felonious assault, MCL
750.82; MSA 28.277, and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony,
MCL 750.227b; MSA 28.424(2). Defendant was sentenced to two to four years’ imprisonment for
each felonious assault conviction, the sentences to be served concurrently. Defendant also received
mandatory sentences of two years’ imprisonment for each felony-firearm conviction to be served
concurrently with each other, while the felony-firearm and felonious assault sentences are to be served
consecutively to each other.1 Defendant now appeals as of right. We affirm.
Defendant argues that the sentences imposed for his felonious assault convictions violate the
principle of proportionality. He contends that his background and the circumstances of the offenses do
not justify the sentences imposed, which are at the top end of the minimum sentencing guidelines’ range
of twelve to twenty-four months. He further argues that the trial court was required to give
consideration to the fact that his felonious assault and felony-firearm sentences are to be served
consecutively to each other.
This Court reviews a sentence for an abuse of discretion. People v Milbourn, 435 Mich 630,
635-636; 461 NW2d 1 (1990). A sentence constitutes an abuse of discretion if it is not proportionate
to the seriousness of the circumstances surrounding the offense and the offender. Id.; People v Green,
228 Mich App 684, 698; 580 NW2d 444 (1998). As a general rule, a sentence that falls within the
sentencing guidelines’ range is presumed to be neither excessive nor disparate. People v Kennebrew,
220 Mich App 601, 609; 560 NW2d 354 (1996). Defendant has failed to provide evidence of any
unusual circumstances to overcome this presumption. People v Hogan, 225 Mich App 431, 437; 571
-1
NW2d 737 (1997); People v Cotton, 209 Mich App 82, 85; 530 NW2d 495 (1995). Contrary to
defendant’s contention, his lack of criminal record does not constitute an “unusual circumstance” for
purposes of overcoming the presumption of proportionality. People v Piotrowski, 211 Mich App
527, 533; 536 NW2d 293 (1995).
Defendant admitted to pulling out a loaded gun, and the testimony and other evidence presented
at trial showed that he waved the gun around, putting four women in danger, while making threats. He
pointed the gun directly at Robin Lucka’s temple, causing her to drop to the floor and pray for her life.
He shot Kelly Lucka in the foot, and then pointed the gun directly at her face and pulled the trigger; if
not for a fortuitous gun malfunction, she would most likely have been seriously injured or killed.
Defendant then left the scene without attempting to provide aid for his victim, and he did not present
himself to police until eleven days later. Under these circumstances, we find that a minimum sentence of
two years in prison for each felonious assault conviction is proportionate.
In determining the proportionality of an individual sentence, this Court is not required to
consider the cumulative length of consecutive sentences. People v Miles, 454 Mich 90, 95; 559
NW2d 299 (1997); People v St John, 230 Mich App 644, 649; 585 NW2d 849 (1998). Rather, this
Court must evaluate the proportionality of the individual sentences in the abstract. Kennebrew, supra
at 609. Because the felonious assault sentences are proportionate to the seriousness of the
circumstances surrounding the offense and the offender, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in
sentencing defendant.
Affirmed.
/s/ William B. Murphy
/s/ Hilda R. Gage
/s/ Brian K. Zahra
1
We note that defendant’s judgment of sentence indicates that his sentence was enhanced pursuant to
MCL 769.13; MSA 28.1085; however, the record does not support this, and we assume that the
notation on the judgment of sentence is a typographical error.
-2
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