People of Michigan v. Ronald Williams

Order Michigan Supreme Court
Lansing, Michigan
March 27, 2020 Bridget M. McCormack,
Chief Justice
158853 David F. Viviano,
Chief Justice Pro Tem
Stephen J. Markman
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, Brian K. Zahra
Richard H. Bernstein
Plaintiff-Appellee, Elizabeth T. Clement
Megan K. Cavanagh,
v SC: 158853 Justices
COA: 339701
Wayne CC: 87-004693-FH
RONALD WILLIAMS,
Defendant-Appellant.
_________________________________________/
By order of April 5, 2019, the application for leave to appeal the November 29, 2018
judgment of the Court of Appeals was held in abeyance pending the decision in People v
Turner (Docket No. 158068). On order of the Court, that case having been decided on
January 17, 2020, ___ Mich ___ (2020), the application is again considered and, pursuant
to MCR 7.305(H)(1), in lieu of granting leave to appeal, we REVERSE the judgment of
the Court of Appeals holding that the defendant was not entitled to resentencing, and we
REMAND this case to the Wayne Circuit Court for further proceedings not inconsistent
with this order. The defendant was not required to file a motion for relief from judgment
to challenge his sentence for second-degree murder that was imposed concurrently to his
sentence for first-degree murder committed when he was less than 18 years old. People v
Turner, supra. The trial court had jurisdiction to consider his arguments concerning his
second-degree murder sentence at the resentencing for first-degree murder held pursuant
to MCL 769.25a and Miller v Alabama, 567 U.S. 460 (2012). On remand, the trial court
shall consider whether the sentence for second-degree murder was based on a legal
misconception that the defendant was required to serve a mandatory sentence of life
without parole for first-degree murder. If so, the trial court may exercise its discretion to
resentence the defendant for second-degree murder. In all other respects, leave to appeal
is DENIED, because we are not persuaded that the remaining questions presented should
be reviewed by this Court.
We do not retain jurisdiction.
I, Larry S. Royster, Clerk of the Michigan Supreme Court, certify that the
foregoing is a true and complete copy of the order entered at the direction of the Court.
March 27, 2020
p0323
Clerk