People v. Mendez

Defendant was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to deliver heroin, MCL 750.157a; MSA 28.354(1) and MCL 335.341(l)(a); MSA 18.1070(41)(l)(a), and sentenced to 10 to 20 years imprisonment. Seven other defendants were tried along with defendant Mendez on the conspiracy charge. Defendant Mendez was found not guilty on two counts of delivery of heroin. He appeals his conspiracy conviction as of right.

Defendant first argues that he was deprived of effective assistance of counsel by the joint representation of all of the defendants by retained counsel. At the insistence of the prosecutor several…