Opinion ID: 2121490
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Authority of the Trial Judge to Amend the Information and Accept a Plea Over the Objection of the Prosecutor

Text: Whether the trial judge may amend an information and accept a plea sua sponte and over the objection of the prosecutor raises the question of constitutional separation of powers between the judicial and executive branch. At the outset we note that we are not concerned here with the power of a trial judge to permit the amendment of an information where there is no objection by the prosecutor and the defendant waives any necessary arraignment and examination. In addition, because of the trial judge's determination that McBride was actually guilty of the higher offense, we are not concerned with any question of the scope of authorized power under MCLA 767.76; MSA 28.1016 to amend informations for technical defects or because of variance with the evidence. The sole question here is whether the trial judge on her own initiative has the power to determine, over the objection of the prosecutor, under which of two admittedly-applicable statutes a prosecution will be instituted, where neither statute represents a lesser included offense of the other. The prosecutor is a constitutional officer whose duties are as provided by law. Const 1963, art 7, § 4. Lawrence Scudder & Co v Emmet County, 288 Mich 181, 184 (1939); Schneider v Shepherd, 192 Mich 83, 88 (1916). The conduct of a prosecution on behalf of the people by the prosecutor is an executive act, People v Dickerson, 164 Mich 148, 153 (1910). We have held in the past that the prosecutor is the chief law enforcement officer of the county and has the right to exercise broad discretion in determining under which of two applicable statutes a prosecution will be instituted. People v Lombardo, 301 Mich 451, 453 (1942); People v Thrine, 218 Mich 687, 690, 691 (1922); People v Mire, 173 Mich 357, 364 (1912). See also People v Graves, 31 Mich App 635, 636 (1971); People v Eineder, 16 Mich App 270, 271 (1969); People v Byrd, 12 Mich App 186 (1968), concurring opinion of LEVIN, J. at 197, particularly footnote 7; People v Ryan, 11 Mich App 559, 561 (1968). Acting as prosecutor, judge and jury is a common description of an unfair and unlawful operation. However innocently and mistakenly, this is what happened in this case. The trial judge assumed the right over the objection of the prosecutor to determine under which of two applicable statutes a prosecution will be instituted. As already indicated such determination is an executive function and a part of the duties of the prosecutor. For the judiciary to claim power to control the institution and conduct of prosecutions would be an intrusion on the power of the executive branch of government and a violation of the constitutional separation of powers. Const 1963, art 3, § 2. It also violates our fundamental sense of fair play. We therefore hold that the trial judge acted without authority in amending the information over the objection of the prosecutor in this case. It is to be noted that the trial judge in this case apparently thought her authority to amend the information (adding the count of unlawfully driving away the automobile) was justified by the fact that the added offense was, in her opinion, lesser included. Unlawfully driving away the automobile of another in violation of MCLA 750.413 is not a lesser offense included in the violation of MCLA 257.254 which proscribes possession of a motor vehicle known to be stolen. For an offense to be lesser included it must contain some, but not all of the elements of the higher offense and there must be no additional elements in the included offense which are not a part of the higher offense. The supposed lesser offense here requires proof of driving away the automobile but proof of driving away is not required of the prosecution to secure a conviction of unlawful possession of a motor vehicle known to be stolen. Although related, the two offenses are separate and distinct and the prosecutor has discretion to proceed under one or the other or both, if warranted by the facts. People v Morton, 16 Mich App 160 (1969), reversed on other grounds, 384 Mich 38 (1970); see also People v Kruper, 340 Mich 114, 121-122 (1954). In our holding that the judge here acted without authority we express no opinion on the propriety of accepting a plea over the objection of the prosecutor where both offenses are charged by the prosecutor, nor do we express an opinion on the propriety of accepting a plea over the objection of the prosecutor to an offense which is a lesser included offense. The plea of guilty to MCLA 750.413; MSA 28.645 is annulled and the sentence imposed pursuant to that plea is vacated. The cause is remanded to the trial court for proceedings upon the information as filed by the prosecutor on July 13, 1970.