Opinion ID: 2220791
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: PEOPLE v VELING

Text: Defendant Benjamin Todd Veling was originally charged with assault with intent to commit murder. [3] Pursuant to the automatic waiver statute, defendant was tried as an adult in circuit court, although at the time of the alleged offense he was only fifteen years old. At trial, defendant was found guilty of the lesser included offense of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. After trial, defendant moved to remand his case to the probate court for disposition on the ground that his conviction for the lesser included offense divested the circuit court of its jurisdiction. Because assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder is not an offense enumerated in the automatic waiver statute, defendant contended, the circuit court had no jurisdiction to sentence him for that offense. [4] The prosecutor countered that jurisdiction was not lost as a result of a conviction of a lesser included offense because the circuit judge had authority under the Criminal Procedure Code to conduct a hearing to determine whether defendant should be sentenced as an adult or juvenile. [5] Without agreeing with either party, the circuit judge, on her own initiative, remanded the case to the probate court for sentencing. Without citing any part of the statute, the circuit judge believed the automatic waiver statute gave her discretion to remand the case without fulfilling the hearing requirement. The Court of Appeals vacated the circuit court's order and remanded this case to that court for further proceedings consistent with People v Deans, 192 Mich App 327; 480 NW2d 334 (1991). On August 7, 1992, this Court granted defendant's application for leave to appeal. 440 Mich 889.