PEOPLE OF MI V FREDERICK HUGH PETTY
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
May 4, 1999
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 199571
St. Clair Circuit Court
LC No. 93-003061 FC
FREDERICK HUGH PETTY, JR.,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: Gage, P.J., and Gribbs and Hoekstra, JJ.
MEMORANDUM.
In 1994, defendant pleaded nolo contendre to aiding and abetting manslaughter, MCL
750.321; MSA 28.553, and was sentenced to five years’ probation. In 1995, he pleaded guilty to
violating his probation by consuming alcohol, but his probation sentence was continued at that time.
Later, in 1996, after defendant pleaded guilty to violating his probation a second time by smoking
marijuana, defendant’s probation sentence was revoked and he was resentenced to seven-and-one
half- to fifteen-years’ imprisonment. Defendant now appeals by right, and we affirm. This appeal is
being decided without oral argument pursuant to MCR 7.214(E).
On appeal, defendant first argues that he is entitled to a new probation violation hearing because
the trial court failed to revoke his probation sentence prior to imposing a prison sentence, failed to state
the basis for revoking probation, and may have improperly relied upon uncharged conduct as a basis for
revoking probation. We disagree. Although the trial court did not formally revoke defendant’s
probation after accepting his plea of guilty in 1996, the trial court revoked defendant’s bond and
remanded him to jail pending sentencing at that time, and both counsel acknowledged that they fully
expected the court to impose a term of incarceration. Moreover, unlike the cases cited by defendant,
the trial court did not allude to any disputed uncharged conduct at either the plea or sentencing hearing.
Defendant also contends that he i entitled to resentencing on grounds that his sentence is
s
disproportionate and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. We again disagree. The imposition of
the maximum possible sentence upon an offender with no prior record is not automatically
disproportionate. People v Granderson, 212 Mich App 673, 680-681; 538 NW2d 471 (1993).
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Here, defendant’s sentence is well below the maximum possible sentence for aiding and abetting
manslaughter, which is ten- to fifteen-years’ imprisonment, not seven- to ten-years’ imprisonment as
asserted by defendant. The sentencing guidelines do not apply to probation violators and will not be
used by this Court in any manner to determine whether a probation violation sentence is proportionate.
People v Williams, 223 Mich App 409, 412-413; 566 NW2d 649 (1997). Given the seriousness of
the underlying manslaughter offense and defendant’s repeated probation violations, we do not find
defendant’s sentence to be disproportionate or cruel and unusual punishment.
Affirmed.
/s/ Hilda R. Gage
/s/ Roman S. Gribbs
/s/ Joel P. Hoekstra
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