PEOPLE OF MI V DAVID LEE SIPE
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
April 30, 1999
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 206660
Antrim Circuit Court
LC No. 93-002753 FH
DAVID LEE SIPE,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: Kelly, P.J., and Neff and Smolenski, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Defendant pleaded guilty of embezzlement by an agent over $100, MCL 705.174; MSA
28.371, and was sentenced to serve 80 to 120 months’ in prison. We remanded to permit defendant to
challenge the guidelines scoring and the constitutionality of certain prior convictions. People v Sipe,
unpublished opinion per curiam of the Court of Appeals, decided May 28, 1996 (Docket No.
174386). On remand, the trial court resentenced defendant to 80 to 120 months’ imprisonment.
Defendant appeals as of right. We remand.
On remand, defendant challenged the constitutional validity of the following prior misdemeanor
convictions: a 1984 conviction for minor in possession, and two 1984 convictions for disorderly
conduct. Defendant failed to make a prima facie showing that the 1984 minor in possession was
constitutionally invalid because he failed to demonstrate that defendant was actually subjected to
incarceration by the conviction. People v Justice, 216 Mich App 633; 550 NW2d 562 (1996);
People v Richert (After Remand), 216 Mich App 186; 548 NW2d 924 (1996). The documentation
attached to defendant’s motion for resentencing and the information contained in the presentence
investigation report established a prima facie showing, however, that the remaining two misdemeanor
convictions were constitutionally invalid. Justice, supra; Richert, supra. The trial court refused to
consider all three prior misdemeanor convictions for purposes of scoring the sentencing guidelines. It
refused to strike the prior convictions from the report, however, because the prior convictions
constituted “background information about this man’s life.” The court erred when it refused to strike
the prior misdemeanor convictions from the report. People v Martinez, 193 Mich App 377, 386; 485
NW2d 124 (1992). It similarly erred when it refused to strike defendant’s juvenile record from the
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report after agreeing not to consider it for the purpose of scoring the guidelines in light of defendant’s
challenge to the constitutional validity of the record. People v Daoust, 228 Mich App 1, 17-19; 577
NW2d 179 (1998); Martinez, supra.
Additionally, in its explanation of the sentence imposed, the court made reference to defendant’s
“extensive” criminal background. We are unable to ascertain from the record whether the court
included in defendant’s “extensive” criminal background the juvenile adjudications, and the two
disorderly conduct convictions. Accordingly, we remand to the trial court for a determination of
whether it considered this information when imposing sentence. If the court determines that it did, then
defendant is entitled to resentencing before a different judge. Martinez, 193 Mich App at 386.
However, if the court determines that it did not consider the aforementioned information when
sentencing defendant, then the court may enter an order affirming the sentence which we conclude does
not violate the principle of proportionality, People v Milbourn, 435 Mich 630; 461 NW2d 1 (1990),
does not violate the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, People v Williams (After
Remand), 198 Mich App 537, 543; 499 NW2d 404 (1993), and was not based on improper
considerations, in the latter regard particularly where the victim was identified as elderly and disabled at
defendant’s original sentencing.
Regardless of whether defendant is resentenced, the court shall strike defendant’s juvenile and
misdemeanor records from the presentence report and submit a corrected report to the Department of
Corrections. People v Martinez (After Remand), 210 Mich App 199, 202-203; 532 NW2d 863
(1996).
Remanded for proceedings consistent with this opinion. We do not retain jurisdiction.
/s/ Michael J. Kelly
/s/ Janet T. Neff
/s/ Michael R. Smolenski
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