PEOPLE OF MI V ALAN L DAVIS SR
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
December 26, 2000
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 215278
Oakland Circuit Court
LC No. 98-157510-FH
ALAN L. DAVIS, SR.
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: McDonald, P.J., and Neff and Fitzgerald, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Defendant was convicted by a jury of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, MCL
750.520c(1)(a); MSA 28.788(3)(1)(a), and sentenced to a term of two to fifteen years’
imprisonment. He appeals as of right. We affirm.
Defendant argues that he was deprived of a fair trial because of comments by the
prosecutor that improperly injected the issue of religion into the proceeding. Because defendant
did not object to the challenged remarks at trial on this basis, appellate relief is precluded absent
a showing of plain error affecting defendant’s substantial rights. People v Carines, 460 Mich
750, 763-764, 774; 597 NW2d 130 (1999); People v Schutte, 240 Mich App 713, 720; 613
NW2d 370 (2000).
In this case, to the extent the issue of religion was injected into the trial, it was not done
for an improper purpose, such as to attack defendant’s credibility on the basis of his religious
beliefs. See People v Zysk, 149 Mich App 452, 460-461; 386 NW2d 213 (1986); People v
Vesnaugh, 128 Mich App 440, 444; 340 NW2d 651 (1983). A cautionary instruction could have
alleviated any prejudice that may have occurred. Accordingly, we conclude that any error did not
affect defendant’s substantial rights and, therefore, reversal is not required.
Next, defendant claims that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction. We
disagree. In determining whether sufficient evidence has been presented to sustain a conviction,
we review the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution and determine whether a
rational trier of fact could have found that the essential elements of the crime were proven
beyond a reasonable doubt. People v Jaffray, 445 Mich 287, 296; 519 NW2d 108 (1994). A
conviction of second-degree CSC requires proof that the defendant intentionally touched the
victim’s intimate parts or intentionally touched the clothing covering the immediate area of the
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victim’s intimate parts, if that intentional touching can reasonably be construed as being for the
purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. People v Piper, 223 Mich App 642, 645; 567 NW2d
483 (1997).
Here, the victim testified that defendant intentionally touched her intimate area. She
further testified that she knew the difference between a good touch and a bad touch, and
explained what a bad touch was. According to the victim, defendant put both of his hands under
her shirt and touched her breasts slowly, moving his hands from one side to the other. The
victim further claimed that defendant touched her vagina later that same night. Viewed in a light
most favorable to the prosecution, this testimony was sufficient for the jury to find, as it did, that
defendant intentionally touched the victim and did so for a sexual purpose.
Finally, defendant raises several sentencing issues. However, because defendant has fully
served his minimum two-year term, we conclude that the issues are moot. People v Bailey (On
Remand), 218 Mich App 645, 648; 554 NW2d 391 (1996); People v Rutherford, 208 Mich App
198, 204; 526 NW2d 620 (1994).1
Affirmed.
/s/ Gary R. McDonald
/s/ Janet T. Neff
/s/ E. Thomas Fitzgerald
1
Regarding defendant’s claim that the trial court erred in refusing to clarify statements in the
presentence report referring to an incident in which defendant allegedly beat the victim with a
belt, it appears from the copy of the presentence report attached to defendant’s brief that the
reference to this incident has been entirely deleted. Therefore, further relief is not required.
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