Case Name: PEOPLE v. PURDY; PEOPLE v. JOHNSON
Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1973-04-25
Citations: 46 Mich. App. 630
Docket Number: Docket Nos. 14414-14415
Parties: PEOPLE v PURDY PEOPLE v JOHNSON
Judges: Before: Lesinski, C. J., and R. B. Burns and V. J. Brennan, JJ.
Reporter: Michigan appeals reports; cases decided in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Volume: 46
Pages: 630–635

Head Matter:
PEOPLE v PURDY PEOPLE v JOHNSON
Opinion op the Court
1. Criminal Law — Plea of Guilty — Confrontation Right — Failure to Apprise.
A trial judge’s statement to defendants that they didn’t have to go to trial alone, that they could go to trial with their lawyers, that the lawyers would help them in a lot of ways by questioning the witnesses for them and by subpoenaing witnesses in their behalf, and that the lawyers could make legal arguments for them, could argue their cases to the jury, and could give them advice and help them in a lot of ways, was not sufficient to inform defendants of their right to confront their accusers.
Dissent by V. J. Brennan, J.
2. Criminal Law — Plea of Guilty — Sufficiency of Questioning— Right of Confrontation
A trial judge who had carefully and methodically taken guilty pleas properly advised defendants of their right to examine their accusers and of their various other rights at the time of the plea where he asked the defendants, who had their attorney present, among other things, whether or not they understood what a jury trial was, if they ever had an opportunity to observe a jury trial in progress, and if they knew that they or their lawyers could question the witnesses and whether or not they knew they could subpoena witnesses on their own behalf; the defendants answered the questions in the affirmative pointing out they had participated before as witnesses in a trial and that they had some experience themselves with trials and courts in that they had previous police records; also, the judge in his very direct and intensive examination, which was in question and answer form, explained that many cases which are tried before a jury result in acquittals and after the defendants explained step by step their part in the crime he again asked the defendants if they still wished to plead guilty to which they answered yes.
References for Points in Headnotes
21 Am Jur 2d, Criminal Law § 484 etseq.
47 Am Jur 2d, Juvenile Courts and Delinquent and Dependent Children §§ 4, 8.
3. Criminal Law — Plea of Guilty — Witnesses—Accusers—Examination.
A blackboard with drawings is not necessary to point out to defendants who are represented by able counsel during the taking of a guilty plea that when the court advised them that they and their counsel may examine witnesses that this means in effect accusers; it must be clear to all involved, especially to defendants with experience in the courts, that accusers are witnesses and accusers have to be witnesses.
4. Criminal Law — Sentencing—Juvenile Record.
A trial judge’s use of defendant’s juvenile records before imposing sentence was proper, because a sentencing judge needs to know the entire character and personality of a person he is attempting to place under some supervisory control for possible rehabilitation.
Appeal from Recorder’s Court of Detroit, John R. Murphy, J.
Submitted Division 1 February 15, 1973, at Detroit.
(Docket Nos. 14414-14415.)
Decided April 25, 1973.
Marvin Purdy and Cedric L. Johnson were convicted, on their pleas of guilty, of assault with intent to rob being armed. Defendants appeal.
Reversed and remanded.
Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Robert A. Derengoski, Solicitor General, William L. Cahalan, Prosecuting Attorney, Dominick R. Carnovale, Chief, Appellate Department, and Arthur N Bishop, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people.
Robert W. Stern, for defendant Purdy on appeal.
Barry E. Solomon, for defendant Johnson on appeal.
Before: Lesinski, C. J., and R. B. Burns and V. J. Brennan, JJ.

Opinion:
Lesinski, C. J.
On March 6, 1972 defendants Purdy and Johnson pleaded guilty to assault with intent to rob being armed in Detroit Recorder's Court. MCLA 750.89; MSA 28.284. Both defendants now appeal their convictions by right alleging that the trial court did not inform them of their right to confront their accusers. Defendants' allegations are sound, and therefore we reverse.
An examination of the guilty plea transcript reveals the following exchange between the trial judge and the defendants with regard to their right of confrontation:
"The Court: Do you know that if you had a trial you wouldn't have to go [to] trial alone. You could go to trial with your lawyer and he could help you in a lot of ways. He could question the witnesses for you and subpoena witnesses in your behalf. Did you know about that, Mr. Purdy?
"Mr. Purdy: Yes.
"The Court: He can make legal arguments for you and argue your case to the jury and give you advice and help you in a lot of ways. Do you understand that, Mr. Johnson?
"Mr. Johnson: Yes.
"The Court: Do you Mr. Purdy?
"Mr. Purdy: Yes."
This Court has held the above language is not sufficient to inform a defendant of his right to confront his accusers. People v D'Argis, 44 Mich App 186 (1972). Accordingly, we must reverse each defendant's conviction and remand for a new trial.
We also note that the trial judge examined each defendant's juvenile record at sentencing. In view of our reversal of the convictions we do not consider this assignment of error. See People v McFarlin, 41 Mich App 116 (1972); People v Chappell, 44 Mich App 204 (1972).
The issue is now before the Supreme Court. Leave was granted in McFarlin, supra, August 8, 1972. Thus, on remand, if defendants should again be found guilty, the trial court should abide by the decision of the Supreme Court on the use of juvenile records at sentencing.
Reversed and remanded.
R. B. Burns, J., concurred.