People v. Merriweather

The question presented is the legality of the defendant’s sentence. The Court of Appeals, in a two-to-one decision, held that the defendant’s sentence of 60 to 120 years "violate[s] the propor*802tionality requirement of Milbourn”1 because it is "three times the guidelines’ recommendation.” 201 Mich App 383, 385-386; 506 NW2d 888 (1993). We disagree, and reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals.

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The conduct constituting these offenses is so depraved that it has few, if any, comparables in the thousands of criminal cases this Court has reviewed. The defendant himself2 described how he…