Court Opinion

ID: 9917359
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-01-12 06:04:54.441447+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:02:35.530768
License: Public Domain

If this opinion indicates that it is “FOR PUBLICATION,” it is subject to
                 revision until final publication in the Michigan Appeals Reports.

                          STATE OF MICHIGAN

                           COURT OF APPEALS

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,                                    UNPUBLISHED
                                                                    January 11, 2024
               Plaintiff-Appellee,

V                                                                   No. 359594
                                                                    Presque Isle Circuit Court
THOMAS WAYNE PETTIT,                                                LC No. 20-093137-FC

               Defendant-Appellant.

Before: BOONSTRA, P.J., and O’BRIEN and SWARTZLE, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

        Defendant appeals as of right his jury-trial convictions of nine counts of first-degree
criminal sexual conduct (CSC-I), MCL 750.520b(2)(b) (victim under 13 years old), and one count
of second-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC-II), MCL 750.520c(2)(b) (victim under 13). The
trial court sentenced defendant to serve concurrent prison terms of 25 to 50 years for eight of the
CSC-I convictions, and 10 to 15 years for the CSC-II conviction, and a consecutive prison term of
25 to 50 years for one CSC-I conviction. We affirm defendant’s convictions but remand for
resentencing.

                                       I. BACKGROUND

       Defendant’s convictions arose from allegations that he sexually assaulted the complainant,
his daughter. During an interview with a detective, defendant confessed to sexually assaulting the
complainant approximately 20 times.

        The complainant testified that the molestation began when she was age six, and escalated
after her eighth birthday. The complainant stated that the crimes occurred two or three times a
week until she required psychiatric hospitalization when she was 13 years old.

        After she was released to her mother’s care, the complainant visited defendant’s home
once, when she was 15 years old. The complainant testified that defendant sexually assaulted her
during that visit. The complainant disclosed the sexual abuse to Children’s Protective Services in
the course of an investigation of other allegations against defendant.

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       At the time of trial, the complainant had been placed at a residential facility for minors for
approximately 14 months. She testified from a separate courtroom, in the presence of the
prosecutor and defendant’s counsel, while the judge, jury, defendant, and gallery viewed the
testimony on a screen.

                                    II. REMOTE TESTIMONY

        On appeal, defendant first argues that his right to confront the witnesses against him was
abridged by the complainant’s testimony from a remote location. He alternatively argues that his
trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to request a limiting instruction with respect
to the complainant’s remote testimony, and that he was entirely deprived of his right to counsel
during the complainant’s testimony because he lacked direct access to counsel during that time.
None of these claims warrant appellate relief.

                               A. RIGHT TO CONFRONTATION

        This court reviews de novo whether a defendant’s constitutional right to confrontation was
violated. People v Rose, 289 Mich App 499, 505; 808 NW2d 301 (2010).

        Both the Michigan and the United States Constitution guarantee criminal defendants the
right to confront the witnesses against them. US Const, Am VI; Const 1963, art 1, § 20. The
central protection offered by the Confrontation Clause is to ensure the reliability of the evidence
against a criminal defendant by subjecting it to rigorous testing in the context of an adversarial
proceeding before the trier of fact. People v Pesquera, 244 Mich App 305, 309; 625 NW2d 407
(2001). Confronting one’s accuser includes “physical presence, oath, cross-examination, and
observation of demeanor by the trier of fact.” Maryland v Craig, 497 US 836, 846; 110 S Ct 3157;
111 L Ed 2d 666 (1990).

       Defendant first argues that allowing the complainant in this case to testify through the use
of one-way video technology violated his right to confrontation protected by the federal
Constitution. In Craig, the United States Supreme Court held that the Confrontation Clause of the
Sixth Amendment does not categorically prohibit a child witness in an abuse case from testifying
outside the defendant’s physical presence by one-way closed-circuit television. Id. at 857. The
Court explained its holding as follows:

               In sum, we conclude that where necessary to protect a child witness from
       trauma that would be caused by testifying in the physical presence of the defendant,
       at least where such trauma would impair the child’s ability to communicate, the
       Confrontation Clause does not prohibit use of a procedure that, despite the absence
       of face-to-face confrontation, ensures the reliability of the evidence by subjecting
       it to rigorous adversarial testing and thereby preserves the essence of effective
       confrontation. [Id.]

Defendant makes no argument that the trial court here ran afoul of Craig, but instead argues that
Craig was wrongly decided, and that the use of one-way video testimony necessarily violates a
defendant’s right to confrontation. Obviously, this Court cannot overrule a decision by the United
States Supreme Court, and our own Supreme Court has recently recognized that Craig remains

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binding precedent. See People v Jemison, 505 Mich 352, 365; 952 NW2d 394 (2020).
Accordingly, defendant has not demonstrated that his right to confrontation protected by the Sixth
Amendment was violated.

        Defendant next argues that the use of one-way video testimony in this case violated his
right to confrontation protected by the Michigan Constitution. “Following the decision in Craig,
[Michigan courts] adopted the test stated in Craig and determined that trial courts may limit a
defendant’s right to face his or her accuser in person and in the same courtroom.” People v Rose,
289 Mich App 499, 515; 808 NW2d 301 (2010), citing People v Burton, 219 Mich App 278, 289;
556 NW2d 201 (1996); People v Pesquera, 244 Mich App 305, 309-314; 625 NW2d 407 (2001);
and People v Buie, 285 Mich App 401, 408-410; 775 NW2d 817 (2009). Like with his previous
argument, defendant does not argue that the trial court ran afoul of the procedure a court in
Michigan must follow to limit a defendant’s right to face his accuser in person without violating
the defendant’s right to confrontation protected by the Michigan Constitution. Instead, he argues
that the use of one-way video testimony necessarily violates a defendant’s right to confrontation
protected by the Michigan Constitution. While defendant correctly observes that this Court is not
bound by Craig when deciding questions of state constitutional law, defendant ignores that this
Court adopted the test stated in Craig to determine whether a defendant’s right to confrontation
protected by the Michigan Constitution was violated. We are bound to follow the rule of law
established by a prior published decision of this Court that has not been reversed or modified,
MCR 7.215(J), and the relevant portions of Rose, Burton, Pequera, and Buie have not been
reversed or modified. Accordingly, we must reject defendant’s argument that the use of one-way
video technology necessarily violated his right to confrontation protected by the Michigan
Constitution.

                                 B. INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE

        Defendant next argues that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to
request that the trial court provide a limiting instruction to the jury with regard to the complainant’s
testimony.

        Generally, claims of ineffective assistance present mixed questions of fact and law—the
trial court’s factual findings are reviewed for clear error, “while the court’s determination whether
those facts violated the defendant’s right to the effective assistance of counsel is reviewed de
novo.” People v Haynes, 338 Mich App 392, 429; 980 NW2d 66 (2021). “Defendant, however,
failed to obtain an evidentiary hearing to expand the record, so there are no factual findings to
which this Court must defer, and this Court’s review is instead limited to errors apparent on the
record.” Id.

        In order to prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant must show
that (1) counsel’s performance fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and (2)
“counsel’s deficient performance prejudiced the defense.” People v Taylor, 275 Mich App 177,
186; 737 NW2d 790 (2007) (quotation marks and citation omitted). “Effective assistance is
strongly presumed, and the defendant bears the heavy burden of proving otherwise.” Haynes, 338
Mich App at 429 (citation omitted). “If this Court can conceive of a legitimate strategic reason for
trial counsel’s act or omission, this Court cannot conclude that the act or omission fell below an
objective standard of reasonableness.” Id. at 429-430. “This Court does not second-guess counsel

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on matters of trial strategy, nor does it assess counsel’s competence with the benefit of hindsight.”
People v Russell, 297 Mich App 707, 716; 825 NW2d 623 (2012).

        In this case, the trial court twice offered to issue a limiting instruction to the jury, if
requested by defendant’s trial counsel, with regard to the complainant’s testifying from a remote
location over one-way video. Defense counsel informed the trial court that he did not want the
trial court to issue the instruction.

         On appeal, defendant argues that the lack of such instruction allowed the jury to speculate
that it was too dangerous for the complainant to be in a room with defendant, or that he had recently
threatened her. Defendant asserts that such speculation would have been avoided with an
instruction that the testimonial procedure was authorized by law, and that the jury should consider
only the evidence and not the fact that the complainant testified from another room. As to the
latter point, the trial court did instruct the jury to base its verdict on only the evidence, and in so
doing, the court explained what was considered evidence and what was not. Jurors are presumed
to follow their instructions. People v Graves, 458 Mich 476, 487; 581 NW2d 229 (1998).

        Regardless, “[f]ailing to request a particular jury instruction can be a matter of trial
strategy.” People v Thorne, 322 Mich App 340; 912 NW2d 560 (2017) (quotation marks and
citation omitted). Defense counsel was plainly aware of the option of an instruction regarding
remote testimony, and he declined it. It is thus apparent that counsel strategically decided not to
risk suggesting to the jury immediately before deliberations that the young complainant was so
fearful of defendant that she could not be in the same room with him.

         Defendant also argues that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance by not objecting
to the complainant’s remote testimony insofar as the procedure prevented defendant from
conferring with his attorney during the testimony, thus depriving defendant of participating in the
adversarial testing of the testimony. This, according to defendant, amounted to a total deprivation
of his right to counsel.

        Both the United States and Michigan constitutions guarantee a defendant facing
incarceration the right to counsel at all critical stages of the criminal process. United States v
Cronic, 466 US 648, 659; 104 S Ct 2039; 80 L Ed 2d 657 (1984); People v Williams, 470 Mich
634, 641-642; 683 NW2d 597 (2004). This principle encompasses any “proceedings where
counsel’s absence might harm defendant’s right to a fair trial.” People v Buie (On Remand), 298
Mich App 50, 61; 825 NW2d 361 (2012) (quotation marks and citation omitted). The right to
counsel attaches at the initiation of criminal proceedings because that is the time at which both
parties have committed to their adversarial positions, and the defendant thus requires the assistance
of a legal expert to counter the prosecutor’s expertise. United States v Gouveia, 467 US 180, 189;
104 S Ct 2292; 81 L Ed 2d 146 (1984). The deprivation of counsel at a critical stage of the
proceedings is structural error requiring automatic reversal. See Gideon v Wainwright, 372 US
335, 342-345; 83 S Ct 792; 9 L Ed 2d 799 (1963); People v Willing, 267 Mich App 208, 224-225,
228-229; 704 NW2d 472 (2005).

        It is obvious that cross-examination of a complainant at trial is a critical stage of the
proceedings. That said, defendant was not denied his right to counsel during the cross-examination
of the complainant, despite that defendant and his attorney were in separate rooms. Rather, defense

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counsel, on defendant’s behalf, actively participated in the cross-examination of the victim. And
defendant was not wholly prevented from communicating with his counsel during this cross-
examination; defendant watched the testimony with the judge, jury, and gallery, and could confer
with counsel during breaks. The trial court explained that its plan was to “to allow defense counsel
an opportunity to consult with defendant both at the beginning and at the end of the cross-
examination, to facilitate communication between counsel and client with regard to any topics for
questioning.” Defendant took advantage of this opportunity—the record reflects that defendant
conferred with his counsel regarding the complainant’s testimony after her cross-examination. In
other words, contrary to defendant’s suggestion on appeal that he unable to participate in his
counsel’s questioning of the complainant, defendant retained avenues for participating in his
counsel’s questioning of the complainant.1 For these reasons, defendant has not shown that his
trial counsel’s performance in representing him during the questioning of the complainant
constituted a denial of counsel.

                                        III. VOUCHING

      Defendant next argues that he was denied a fair trial when two witnesses improperly
vouched for the complainant’s credibility.

        A trial court’s decision on an evidentiary issue will be reversed on appeal only when there
has been a clear abuse of discretion. People v Holtzman, 234 Mich App 166, 190; 593 NW2d 617
(1999). The trial court does not abuse its discretion when it chooses an outcome within the range
of reasonable and principled outcomes. People v Babcock, 469 Mich 247, 269; 666 NW2d 231
(2003). Unpreserved constitutional claims are reviewed for plain error affecting substantial rights.
People v Carines, 460 Mich 750, 763; 597 NW2d 130 (1999). Under plain-error review, reversal
is warranted only if the plain error resulted in the conviction of an innocent defendant, or if “the
error seriously affected the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings
independent of the defendant’s innocence.” Id.

                                         A. DINGWALL

       Defendant argues that the trial court erred by allowing the complainant’s therapist, Shawna
Dingwall, to provide testimony without adequate qualifications, and that the witness improperly
vouched for the veracity of the complainant. Dingwall testified that she had been the
complainant’s therapist while the complainant was residing at a residential facility for
approximately 14 months, and described some of the complainant’s behaviors, such as aggression
toward herself and others, self-injury, running away, and isolation, as well as her diagnoses for
PTSD and depression. The prosecutor asked whether these “behaviors that she’s exhibited, can
you characterize them as consistent,” Dingwall interjected, “Yes” and the prosecutor continued,
“with the behaviors of other victims of trauma events, specifically sexual trauma?” Defense
counsel objected on the grounds that Dingwall was not qualified, as a lay witness, to answer, and

1
  We additionally note that, after accepting that the trial court overruled the objection to remote
testimony on Confrontation Clause grounds, defense counsel expressed satisfaction with the trial
court’s procedures, and did not suggest that his representation of defendant was compromised.

                                                -5-
that the response could be inadmissible vouching for the complainant’s reports of sexual abuse.
After the trial court overruled the objections, the prosecutor asked the question differently: “[T]he
behaviors that you have seen from [the complainant] in the course of the time you’ve been dealing
with her, are those behaviors consistent with behaviors of other children you have dealt with while
at [the facility]?” Dingwall responded, “Yes.”

         Preliminarily, defendant’s argument is based on a question that Dingwall did not answer.
Defendant asserts that “Dingwall testified that [the complainant’s] behavior was consistent with
the behavior of children suffering from PTSD caused by sexual trauma.” However, Dingwall
answered whether the complainant’s behavior was consistent with other children she encountered
at the facility, which was not a facility specifically for survivors of sexual abuse, but rather “a
placement for . . . girls that have been adjudicated through the court system.” The question was
not sufficiently clear to establish that the prosecutor was asking about the complainant’s behaviors
attributable to sexual abuse, or another factor. Although many of Dingwall’s clients were sexual-
abuse victims, she did not testify that her practice at the facility was limited to such victims.
Because the challenged question sought information about the general behavior of residential-
facility clients, and not of sexual-abuse victims in general, defendant’s argument about vouching
for the complainant’s reports of sexual abuse is inapt.

       Defendant also argues that Dingwall was unqualified to give an opinion regarding the
behaviors of sexual-assault survivors because she did not have training in that area. However, as
discussed, defendant’s trial counsel objected to a question to Dingwall about the complainant’s
behavior in comparison to sexual-abuse survivors, and the prosecutor ultimately asked about
comparisons to the general behavior of persons placed at the residential facility.

        In any event, to the extent that the prosecutor’s question about residents at the facility
effectively constituted asking Dingwall about sexual-assault victims, defendant’s challenge to
Dingwall’s qualifications is unavailing. Dingwall testified about post-graduate certifications she
had earned, including in the areas of “chemical abuse and alcohol abuse; and then also with
juvenile sex offenders, certified counselor professional.” That Dingwall had not earned post-
graduate credentials specifically in relation to sexual-abuse victims does not mean that she was
not trained for, or lacked experience with, treating such victims. In fact, she testified that 80% to
85% of the “hundreds” of persons whom she had treated in her seven years at the facility were
sexual-abuse victims. Lay opinion testimony is permitted where it is “rationally based on the
perception of the witness and . . . helpful to a clear understanding of the witness’ testimony or the
determination of a fact at issue.” MRE 701. Lay witnesses are qualified to testify about the
opinions they form as a result of direct physical observation. People v Hanna, 223 Mich App 466,
475; 567 NW2d 12 (1997). Dingwall’s extensive experience in treating sexual-abuse survivors
qualified her to answer questions about the behavior of sexual-assault victims.

                                       B. DR. CAROLINA

         Dr. Regina Carolina, a psychiatrist, testified that she had treated the complainant remotely
by communication technology for about seven months while the complainant was at the residential
facility. Dr. Carolina reported that she diagnosed the complainant with depression and PTSD,
which could result from the trauma of sexual abuse, and then described the symptoms of PTSD.
She testified that she received reports of the complainant’s behavior from residential staff, and that

                                                 -6-
this behavior was consistent with that of others who had PTSD. Dr. Carolina stated that the
complainant told her that she had been sexually abused, and when asked, “[G]iven [the
complainant’s] symptoms that she displayed, would that be typical of people who have been
exposed to sexual trauma and have PTSD?” Dr. Carolina responded, “Absolutely.” Defendant
argues that, with this answer, Dr. Carolina improperly vouched for the complainant’s testimony
that she had been sexually abused because Dr. Carolina indicated that she thought that the
complainant was telling the truth.

         Because credibility questions are for the jury to resolve, it is generally improper for a
witness to provide an opinion on the credibility of another witness. People v Douglas, 496 Mich
557, 583; 852 NW2d 587 (2014). For that reason, an expert may not testify that abuse occurred
solely on the basis of a victim’s report. People v Thorpe, 504 Mich 230, 255; 934 NW2d 693
(2019). In this case, however, Dr. Carolina did not provide an opinion on the veracity of the
complainant’s reports of abuse, or on whether the alleged abuse did occur. To the contrary, she
testified that the complainant reported that she had experienced other kinds of abuse that could
contribute to her observed symptoms, and was cross-examined about other possible causes of the
behaviors that had been attributed to PTSD. “It has . . . long been recognized that the behavior of
victims of varying kinds of trauma often appears irrational and confusing to most people; and
expert testimony is admissible and appropriate to explain that behavior.” People v Spaulding, 332
Mich App 638, 659; 957 NW2d 843 (2020). As took place here, expert testimony is permissible
“to generally explain the common postincident behavior of children who are victims of sexual
abuse.” People v Peterson, 450 Mich 349, 373; 537 NW2d 857 (1995). An expert witness may
testify about the general behavior of sexual-abuse victims “for the sole purpose of explaining a
victim’s specific behavior that might be incorrectly construed by the jury as inconsistent with that
of an abuse victim or to rebut an attack on the victim’s credibility.” Id. In this case, Dr. Carolina
permissibly testified about the complainant’s behavior in comparison to other persons suffering
from PTSD as the result of sexual trauma, rather than providing an opinion on the veracity of the
complainant’s reports or the exact cause of her PTSD.

                              IV. CONSECUTIVE SENTENCING

        For his final issue, defendant argues that his trial counsel provided ineffective assistance
by failing to object to the trial court’s imposition of a consecutive sentence for one conviction of
CSC-I. We agree, and accordingly remand for resentencing.

        “A defendant is entitled to be sentenced by a trial court on the basis of accurate
information.” People v Francisco, 474 Mich 82, 88; 711 NW2d 44 (2006). In Michigan,
“concurrent sentencing is the norm,” and a “consecutive sentence may be imposed only if
specifically authorized by statute.” People v Bailey, 310 Mich App 703, 723; 873 NW2d 855
(2015). In the case of a CSC-I conviction, a sentencing court “may order a term of
imprisonment . . . to be served consecutively to any term of imprisonment imposed for any other
criminal offense arising from the same transaction.” MCL 750.520b(3).

       In this case, the trial court ordered that defendant’s sentence for Count 6 be consecutive to
the sentence for Count 5. Count 5 was one of five charges of digital penetration of the
complainant’s vagina when she was less than 13 years old, and Count 6 was one of four charges
of penile penetration of the complainant’s vagina. Thus, according to MCL 750.520b(3), the

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sentence for Count 6 could properly be consecutive to that for Count 5 only if they arose from the
same transaction—that is, if defendant committed a digital penetration and penile penetration of
the complainant as parts of a single occasion.

       An ongoing pattern of sexual assault consisting of episodes of assault over time does not
mean that the individual crimes were a part of the same transaction. Bailey, 310 Mich App at 725.
“For multiple penetrations to be considered as part of the same transaction, they must be part of a
‘continuous time sequence,’ not merely part of a continuous course of conduct.” Id. Two sexual
penetrations occur in a single transaction when they “sprang one from the other and had a
connective relationship that was more than incidental,” People v Ryan, 295 Mich App 388, 403;
819 NW2d 55 (2012), and “there was no relevant disruption in time or in the flow of events
between the two distinct offenses,” id. at 404.

         At trial, the complainant testified that, when she was six years old, defendant rubbed her
vagina, then penetrated it with his fingers, and explained to her that his actions were justified by
religious principles. She was asked how often “what you just described happened,” and responded
that it happened approximately three times a week until she was eight years old. The complainant
testified that beginning at age eight, defendant “did the same routine [as] when I was six. He told
me everything, and he told me to take my clothes off, and I did, and he put his penis in my vagina.”
Neither party elicited clarification about what the victim meant when she said that defendant “did
the same routine.”

        The trial court interpreted the complainant’s testimony that defendant “did the same routine
[as] when I was six” as meaning that defendant digitally penetrated her vagina. On the basis of
this understanding, the trial court believed that the complainant’s testimony supported finding that,
when she was eight years old, defendant digitally penetrated her vagina and then penetrated her
vagina with his penis.

         While the trial court’s interpretation of what the complainant meant when she said that
defendant “did the same routine [as] when I was six” is plausible if that phrase is considered in
isolation, the complainant’s testimony immediately following the statement makes the trial court’s
interpretation untenable. The complainant testified that when she was six, defendant would justify
sexually abusing her by telling her that “God wants this” and “your guardian angel told me to do
this,” and then order her to take off her clothes before digitally penetrating her vagina. She then
testified that when she was eight years old, defendant “did the same routine [as] when I was six.
He told me everything, and he told me to take my clothes off, and I did, and he put his penis in my
vagina.” In context, “the same routine” referred to defendant giving the complainant the same
God and guardian-angel speech, and ordering her to disrobe before committing a penetrative act.

        At defendant’s sentencing, his trial counsel stated on the record that the trial court had
discretion to impose consecutive sentences but requested that it not do so. This amounted to a
waiver and accordingly extinguished any error in the trial court’s imposition of consecutive
sentences. See People v Carter, 462 Mich 206, 215-216; 612 NW2d 144 (2000). Accordingly,
defendant cannot (and does not) substantively contest the trial court’s imposition of consecutive
sentences, but he argues that his trial counsel performed deficiently by acquiescing to the
imposition of consecutive sentences.

                                                -8-
        The performance of trial counsel is deficient if “it fell below an objective standard of
professional reasonableness.” Taylor, 275 Mich App at 186. Because defendant’s trial counsel’s
acquiescence to the trial court’s finding that two sexual assaults occurred during the same
transaction lacks record support, it amounted to deficient performance. And the resulting
extension of defendant’s period of incarceration by 25 to 50 years was obvious seriously
prejudicial to him. For these reasons, defendant has established his claim of ineffective assistance
of trial counsel at sentencing. We accordingly vacate defendant’s sentence and remand for
resentencing.2

       Affirmed in part but remanded for resentencing. We do not retain jurisdiction.

                                                              /s/ Mark T. Boonstra
                                                              /s/ Colleen A. O’Brien
                                                              /s/ Brock A. Swartzle

2
  As the prosecution accurately observes on appeal, the trial court believed that it could impose
consecutive sentences at least in part due to defense counsel’s representation that the court had
discretion to do so. And because consecutive sentencing was discretionary as opposed to
mandatory, the trial court provided justifications for consecutive sentences in this case. Those
justifications included “the extreme harm that defendant caused his daughter,” “the length of time
that the abuse took place,” and “some really aggravating circumstances” like defendant’s
threatening to harm the complainant and her family if she disclosed the abuse, and defendant’s
reference to “God” and the complainant’s “guardian angel” to justify his abuse. It is thus apparent
that the trial court imposed consecutive sentences as a means of providing an individualized and
proportionate sentence tailored to this defendant and his offense. As we have now made clear that
consecutive sentencing is unavailable in this case, and the trial court’s mistake in this respect was
due at least in part to defendant’s acquiescence to consecutive sentencing before the trial court, we
believe that remand for resentencing is appropriate in order to give the trial court the opportunity
to fashion an appropriate and individualized sentence for this defendant and his offense.

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