Court Opinion

ID: 9702368
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 23:08:36.23903+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:21:36.994335
License: Public Domain

D. E. Holbrook, P. J.
(dissenting). This writer would agree with the majority opinion that defendant was fully advised that the prosecutor only made a sentence recommendation and that the trial court was free to impose whatever sentence the court felt proper. Defendant has no basis on which to challenge the court’s imposition of a harsher sentence than he expected merely because the trial court did not follow the sentence recommendation. However, there is sufficient support for the allegation that the prosecution may have withdrawn such recommendation so as to justify remand to determine if the recommendation was, in fact, withdrawn.
*627Defendant alleges that the prosecution withdrew its recommendation in chambers just prior to sentencing because the prosecution learned that defendant was charged with committing a similar crime in a neighboring county. Were this allegation not supported by the record, however, this writer would affirm. During the hearing on the motion to withdraw, however, the prosecution made the following statement:
"The People would like to respond, your Honor. At all times I’d like Defense Counsel to acknowledge our recommendation was just that, a recommendation to the Court. It was predicated on the information contained in the file as well as the information imparted by Defense Counsel. Nowhere at no time were we made aware of the situation involving the same Defendant in Washtenaw County which came to the eyes of the Court and which the Court considered and the Defendant was, in effect, given the same chance the Oakland County Prosecutor’s office was about to recommend by way of recommendation only, making it abundantly clear on the record that the recommendation was not binding on the Court.” (Emphasis added.)
The record does support the allegation that the prosecution may have withdrawn its recommendation prior to sentencing and demands a hearing to determine if the recommendation was in fact formally or informally withdrawn prior to sentencing. Such hearing should be held before a different judge. If the recommendation was withdrawn, then the bargain was broken and defendant is entitled to withdraw his plea and stand trial on the charge. In re Valle, 364 Mich 471; 110 NW2d 673 (1961). However, if the recommendation was not in fact withdrawn, defendant’s plea conviction should stand.
This writer so votes.