PEOPLE OF MI V JOHN EDWARD BEASLEY
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
October 26, 2001
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 225087
Muskegon Circuit Court
LC No. 99-043391-FH
JOHN EDWARD BEASLEY,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: Gage, P.J., and Jansen and O’Connell, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of attempting to disarm a police officer,
MCL 750.479b(2)(a), resisting and obstructing a police officer, MCL 750.479, and domestic
violence, MCL 750.812. He was subsequently sentenced as a fourth-offense habitual offender,
MCL 769.12, to concurrent terms of three to twenty years’ imprisonment, three to ten years’
imprisonment, and ninety days’ imprisonment, respectively. Defendant appeals as of right and
we affirm.
The offenses in this case occurred on March 28, 1999, and defendant was on parole at
that time. Defendant was arrested and incarcerated on March 28, 1999, and his trial began on
December 15, 1999. On appeal, defendant argues that his convictions must be vacated because
he was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial1 because of the 8 ½ month delay between
his arrest and the commencement of trial. He also argues that his convictions must be vacated
because the 180-day rule under MCL 780.1312 was violated.
In assessing whether defendant’s constitutional right to a speedy trial was violated, the
following factors are to be balanced: (1) the length of the delay; (2) the reason for the delay; (3)
defendant’s assertion of the right; and (4) prejudice to defendant. Barker v Wingo, 407 US 514,
530; 92 S Ct 2182; 33 L Ed 2d 101 (1972); People v Hill, 402 Mich 272, 283; 262 NW2d 641
(1978). Here, the length of the delay, 8 ½ months, does not trigger the eighteen-month
1
See US Const, Am VI; Const 1963, art 1, § 20.
2
The statute requires that an inmate be brought to trial within 180 days after the prosecution
receives notice that the defendant is incarcerated and requests final disposition of the warrant,
indictment, information, or complaint.
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presumption of prejudice. People v Cain, 238 Mich 95, 112; 605 NW2d 28 (1999). Although
the reason for the delay was primarily attributable to the prosecution, defendant did not assert his
constitutional right to a speedy trial in the trial court. The record is quite clear that defense
counsel raised this issue only under the statutory 180-day rule and did not argue or analyze the
constitutional requirements. Moreover, there is no prejudice to defendant and, indeed, defendant
does not assert any prejudice to his defense at trial. His argument is premised on the assertion
that he was incarcerated while awaiting sentencing and not given any sentence credit for this
time served. Defendant, however, was not entitled to sentence credit because he was on parole
when he committed the present offenses, People v Watts, 186 Mich App 686; 464 NW2d 715
(1991), and this argument does not amount to prejudice under the constitutional inquiry.
Consequently, defendant was not denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial.
Defendant’s assertion that the 180-day rule under MCL 780.131 was violated similarly
fails because it is well settled that the 180-day rule does not apply to incarcerated parolees unless
and until parole is revoked. People v Chavies, 234 Mich App 274, 279; 593 NW2d 655 (1999);
People v Metzler, 193 Mich App 541, 545; 484 NW2d 695 (1992); People v Von Everett, 156
Mich App 615, 618-619; 402 NW2d 773 (1986). In this case it is uncontested that defendant
was on parole at the time of his arrest. Defendant’s parole was not revoked until November 9,
1999, a little over one month before the commencement of his trial. Therefore, the trial court did
not err in denying defendant’s motion to dismiss based on an alleged violation of the 180-day
rule.
Affirmed.
/s/ Hilda R. Gage
/s/ Kathleen Jansen
/s/ Peter D. O’Connell
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