PEOPLE OF MI V EDUARDO PELLOT
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STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
UNPUBLISHED
October 23, 2007
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v
No. 272250
Wayne Circuit Court
LC No. 06-000475-01
EDUARDO PELLOT,
Defendant-Appellant.
Before: Owens, P.J., and Bandstra and Davis, JJ.
PER CURIAM.
Following a bench trial, defendant was convicted of armed robbery, MCL 750.529, and
first-degree home invasion, MCL 750.110a(2). He was acquitted of additional charges of felon
in possession of a firearm, MCL 750.224f, two counts of felonious assault, MCL 750.82, and
possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, MCL 750.227b. He was sentenced as
an habitual offender, second offense, MCL 769.10, to concurrent prison terms of 81 to 180
months for the armed robbery conviction and 81 months to 20 years for the home invasion
conviction. He appeals as of right. We affirm defendant’s convictions and sentences but remand
for further proceedings regarding correction of the presentence investigation report. This appeal
is being decided without oral argument pursuant to MCR 7.214(E).
Defendant argues that the trial court impermissibly rendered an inconsistent verdict by
convicting him of armed robbery while acquitting him of other charges, including felony-firearm
and felon in possession of a firearm.
A jury may render apparently illogical or inconsistent verdicts, including convicting a
defendant of felony-firearm while acquitting him of the underlying felony. People v Wakeford,
418 Mich 95, 109 n 13; 341 NW2d 68 (1983); People v Lewis, 415 Mich 443, 452-453; 330
NW2d 16 (1982). However, a trial court sitting as the finder of fact may not enter an
inconsistent verdict. People v Ellis, 468 Mich 25; 658 NW2d 142 (2003). If the trial court’s
findings support a conviction and the trial court nevertheless acquits, the improper acquittal
cannot be corrected on appeal because of double jeopardy principles. Id. However, this Court
will not set aside other convictions for which the defendant was found guilty beyond a
reasonable doubt and for which there is no factual inconsistency. Id.; People v Smith, 231 Mich
App 50; 585 NW2d 755 (1998).
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The trial court’s verdict is not factually inconsistent. Felony-firearm and felon in
possession of a firearm both require possession of a “firearm,” which is defined as a weapon of
the type that is designed or intended to propel a dangerous projectile, although it need not be
operable. People v Peals, 476 Mich 636; 720 NW2d 196 (2006). Felonious assault requires a
gun, revolver, pistol, or other dangerous weapon. MCL 750.82. Armed robbery does not require
an actual dangerous weapon or firearm; it may be founded on a feigned weapon if the robber
simulated a weapon so as to induce the victim to reasonably believe that the robber was armed.
MCL 750.529; People v Taylor, 245 Mich App 293; 628 NW2d 55 (2001). First-degree home
invasion does not require use of a dangerous weapon. The offense requires either that “[t]he
person is armed with a dangerous weapon” or “[a]nother person is lawfully present in the
dwelling.” MCL 750.110a. In this case, the information referred to both bases and the evidence
at trial showed that another person was lawfully present in the dwelling when the crime was
committed. Thus, the trial court could consistently acquit defendant of the offenses that required
a firearm or a dangerous weapon, i.e., felony-firearm, felonious assault, and felon in possession,
yet still conclude that defendant possessed a feigned weapon that reasonably led the victim to
believe that defendant was armed. There is no factual inconsistency, and we will not disturb the
verdicts.
Defendant also argues that although the trial court agreed to make several requested
corrections to the presentence investigation report (PSIR) at sentencing, those corrections were
never made. Defendant does not seek resentencing, but only correction of the PSIR.
MCR 6.425(E)(2) addresses the resolution of challenges to information in the PSIR:
If any information in the presentence report is challenged, the court must
allow the parties to be heard regarding the challenge, and make a finding with
respect to the challenge or determine that a finding is unnecessary because it will
not take the challenged information into account in sentencing. If the court finds
merit in the challenge or determines that it will not take the challenged
information into account in sentencing, it must direct the probation officer to
(a) correct or delete the challenged information in the report, whichever is
appropriate, and
(b) provide defendant’s lawyer with an opportunity to review the corrected
report before it is sent to the Department of Corrections.
Plaintiff has presented an affidavit and a letter from the Department of Corrections
Records Administrator to the prosecutor’s office indicating that the PSIR on file with the DOC
includes several handwritten corrections, which the letter sets forth. However, these corrections
are not reflected in the copy of the PSIR that was provided to appellate defense counsel and
which has been submitted on appeal. Even if this Court considers the letter,1 MCR
6.425(E)(2)(b) states that defendant’s attorney must be provided with an opportunity to review
1
In general, it is impermissible to expand the record on appeal. MCR 7.210(A); People v
Powell, 235 Mich App 557, 561 n 4; 599 NW2d 499 (1999).
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the corrected report before it is sent to the Department of Corrections. It appears that this
procedure was not followed in this case. Accordingly, we direct that a copy of the corrected
presentence report that is on file with the Department of Corrections be provided to defense
counsel in accordance with MCR 6.425(E)(2), without prejudice to defendant filing an
appropriate motion with the trial court if he believes that the corrections do not appropriately
resolve the matters challenged at sentencing.
Defendant’s convictions are affirmed and the matter is remanded for further proceedings
regarding the presentence investigation report. We do not retain jurisdiction.
/s/ Donald S. Owens
/s/ Richard A. Bandstra
/s/ Alton T. Davis
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