Opinion ID: 1900353
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The felony-firearm statute states:

Text: (1) A person who carries or has in his possession a firearm at the time he commits or attempts to commit a felony, except the violation of section 227 [carrying a concealed weapon] or section 227a [unlawful possession of a weapon by a licensee], is guilty of a felony, and shall be imprisoned for 2 years.    (2) The term of imprisonment prescribed by this section shall be in addition to the sentence imposed for the conviction of the felony or the attempt to commit the felony, and shall be served consecutively with and preceding any term of imprisonment imposed for the conviction of the felony or attempt to commit the felony. Annette Gail Alexander killed a man with a shotgun. She was convicted of both second-degree murder, MCL 750.317; MSA 28.549, and possessing a firearm while committing the murder. MCL 750.227b; MSA 28.424(2). She received a 2-1/2- to 10-year prison sentence for the murder count, but the trial court refused to impose the mandatory 2-year sentence for the felony-firearm conviction, stating that to do so would punish the defendant twice for the same offense. The Wayne County Prosecutor filed a complaint for superintending control, or alternatively, application for leave to appeal with the Court of Appeals. In an opinion released September 20, 1978, the Court of Appeals vacated defendant Alexander's felony-firearm conviction on the ground that it violated her right to be free from double punishment. Wayne County Prosecutor v Recorder's Court Judge, 85 Mich App 727; 272 NW2d 587 (1978). Curtis Brintley exhibited a handgun while robbing a woman. He received a five- to ten-year sentence upon conviction for armed robbery, MCL 750.529; MSA 28.797, and a two-year consecutive sentence upon conviction of the felony-firearm provision. On appeal as of right to the Court of Appeals, that Court vacated his felony-firearm conviction, again reasoning that defendant had been twice punished for the same offense. People v Brintley, 85 Mich App 714; 272 NW2d 582 (1978). We agree with the Court of Appeals disposition of these two cases, and affirm.