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Smart Summary

Factual and Procedural Background

Benjamin Franklin was tried in the Detroit Recorder's Court and convicted by a jury of first-degree murder, MCLA 750.316; MSA 28.548. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and appealed as of right. The victim, Mr. Weiss, had been shot three times, was transported by emergency medical service to Ford Hospital, and died approximately 40–45 minutes after certain statements were made to his treating physician, Dr. Cline. At trial, Dr. Cline testified that while treating Mr. Weiss in the emergency room (where the patient was in pain, in shock, and receiving emergency treatment including chest drainage and intravenous tubes), Mr. Weiss identified "Benjamin Franklin" as the person who shot him. On appeal Franklin raised two claims of error: (1) that the decedent's statements should not have been admitted as dying declarations, and (2) that a prosecutor's closing remark that certain evidence was "uncontroverted" improperly commented on the defendant's failure to testify and was prejudicial. The trial court held evidentiary hearings regarding the statements and admitted the doctor's testimony; the appellate court affirmed the conviction.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether the statements made by the decedent, Mr. Weiss, to Dr. Cline while dying were admissible as dying declarations.
  2. Whether the prosecutor's closing remark that certain evidence was "uncontroverted" constituted an improper comment on the defendant's failure to testify and required reversal as prejudicial error.

Arguments of the Parties

Defendant's Arguments

  • The statements made by the decedent after suffering fatal gunshot wounds should not have been received into evidence as dying declarations.
  • Certain comments by the prosecutor in closing argument, referring to evidence as "uncontroverted," amounted to an improper and prejudicial comment on the defendant's failure to testify and required reversal.

The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the prosecution's separate advocacy on these points beyond presenting legal arguments at the admissibility hearing and contending for admission of the testimony.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
People v Arnett, 239 Mich. 123, 214 N.W. 231 (1927) Established guidelines for the dying declaration exception: declarations must be sanctioned by the declarant's belief that he is about to die; i.e., must be sensed by the declarant as dying statements. The court relied on Arnett's guidelines to evaluate whether Mr. Weiss was conscious of impending death when he identified his assailant and concluded the requirement was met.
People v Williams, 45 Mich. App. 630, 207 N.W.2d 180 (1973) Cited as authority related to the dying declaration exception (supporting the elements required for admission). Used, along with other authorities, to support the list of requirements for admission of a dying declaration; the court found these requirements satisfied.
People v Gorman, 252 Mich. 603, 233 N.W. 430 (1930) Cited regarding the dying declaration rule and its application. Referenced in enumerating the criteria for dying declarations and applied to conclude admissibility in this case.
People v Hammond, 132 Mich. 422, 93 N.W. 1084 (1903) Authority holding that a prosecutor's statement that certain evidence was uncontroverted does not necessarily comment on a defendant's right to remain silent. The court cited Hammond among cases supporting the proposition that the prosecutor's "uncontroverted" remark did not constitute an impermissible comment on the defendant's silence.
People v Lowrey, 217 Mich. 431, 186 N.W. 396 (1922) Same principle as Hammond: prosecutor's statement about evidence being uncontroverted is not per se a comment on a defendant's silence. Cited to support the court's conclusion that the prosecutor's remark was not objectionable as a comment on silence, particularly where no objection was made.
People v Sullivan, 290 Mich. 414, 287 N.W. 567 (1939) Supports the proposition that such prosecutorial statements do not automatically violate the defendant's rights. Included among authorities the court relied on in rejecting the defendant's claim of prejudicial comment on his failure to testify.
People v Jones, 65 Mich. App. 619, 237 N.W.2d 584 (1975) Recent appellate authority cited for the same rule regarding prosecutor comments about evidence being uncontroverted. Cited as additional authority; the court emphasized that the absence of a defense objection further undermined the claim of reversible error.
McCormick on Evidence, §§ 258–264, pp. 555–560 (treatise) Describes the requirements and rationale for the dying declaration exception to the hearsay rule. The court cited McCormick for the enumerated requirements (consciousness of impending death; death ensued; statement offered in prosecution against alleged killer; statement relates to circumstances of killing) and found these satisfied here.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court addressed the two asserted errors in turn.

1. Dying declaration: The court summarized the evidentiary record, including Dr. Cline's testimony that the decedent had been shot three times, was receiving emergency treatment (including incision to drain the chest), was in pain and shock but remained lucid and aware of his surroundings, and identified Benjamin Franklin as his assailant roughly 40–45 minutes before death. The court invoked People v Arnett and additional authorities (People v Williams, People v Gorman) and the exposition in McCormick on Evidence to state the requirements for admitting a dying declaration: (1) the declarant must have been conscious of impending death; (2) death must actually have ensued; (3) the statements are offered in a criminal prosecution against the alleged killer; and (4) the statements must relate to the circumstances of the killing. Applying those criteria to the testimony of Dr. Cline, the court found each requirement satisfied and therefore concluded the trial judge properly admitted the statement as a dying declaration.

2. Prosecutor's closing remark: The court considered the challenged prosecutor comment that certain evidence was "uncontroverted." It cited numerous cases (e.g., People v Hammond; People v Lowrey; People v Sullivan; People v Jones) establishing that a prosecutor's statement that evidence is uncontroverted does not necessarily constitute an impermissible comment on a defendant's assertion of the right to remain silent. The court noted also that defense counsel did not object at trial. On that basis, the court concluded the remark was not reversible error.

Holding and Implications

AFFIRMED

Holding: The appellate court affirmed the conviction and sentence. The court held that (1) the decedent's identification of Benjamin Franklin met the established requirements for admission as a dying declaration, and (2) the prosecutor's remark that certain evidence was "uncontroverted" did not amount to an improper comment on the defendant's failure to testify, particularly where no objection was made.

Implications: The direct consequence is that Benjamin Franklin's conviction for first-degree murder and life sentence were upheld. The opinion applied existing Michigan precedent and authoritative commentary to the facts; it does not announce a new legal principle beyond applying established rules on dying declarations and prosecutorial comments.

PEOPLE v. FRANKLIN

PER CURIAM.

Defendant was found guilty by a Detroit Recorder's Court jury of the charged offense of first-degree murder, MCLA 750.316; MSA 28.548. Having been subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment, he now appeals as of right.

On appeal, defendant propounds two claims of error. First, he argues that statements made by the decedent, Mr. Weiss, subsequent to having suffered the fatal gunshot wounds should not have been received into evidence as dying declarations. After the jury had been picked and sworn, the court dismissed the jurors so that the parties could present arguments concerning the admissibility of the statements now challenged on appeal. The court, pursuant to a defense motion, postponed a ruling until the witness could be called and his testimony offered in evidence.

Subsequently, the witness, Dr. Cline, was sworn and testified before the jury as to his qualifications and to his treatment of Mr. Weiss at the hospital on the night of the shooting. The jury was again excused and an evidentiary hearing was conducted before the trial judge, with both the assistant prosecutor and defense counsel asking Dr. Cline questions. Dr. Cline testified that the decedent stated that defendant had shot him. Legal arguments were presented. The Court concluded:

"We have a patient who has been shot three times. He should have been conscious of that. He has been moved about 2 miles from the scene of the location, which I assume the prosecutor will tie up later, in an EMS emergency medical service vehicle.

"He is in the emergency room of Ford Hospital. He has a doctor who immediately starts to treat him. He makes an incision in his side to drain the chest cavity. He has several intravenous tubes in him. The man's life is ebbing away, and he is in great pain.

"I will admit the statement —

"You may continue to cross examine.

" — as a dying declaration.

" MR. GRUBBS [defense counsel]: Well, my objection is on the record."

The jury was brought back to the courtroom where Dr. Cline continued his testimony:

" Q. [By Mr. La Bret, Assistant prosecutor]: Doctor, was Mr. Seiss [sic] — when you saw him was he in extreme pain?

" A. Yes.

" Q. Did he say anything to you?

" A. He asked what his condition was.

" Q. What did you tell him?

" A. I told him he was in serious condition.

" Q. Did he ask to see anybody?

" A. He asked that we contact his wife.

" Q. Did you say something to him, or did you ask him anything?

" A. I asked him a number of questions about his general condition in terms of past history in order to gain information that I might use.

" Q. Did you ask him anything about the event that took place that brought him to the Ford Hospital?

" A. Yes. I asked him if he was aware of who had shot him.

" Q. Did he say anything to you?

" A. He said that — yes, that Benjamin Franklin had shot him.

" Q. He said that Benjamin Franklin had shot him. And you don't know who Benjamin Franklin was —

" A. No.

" Q. — or to this day you don't know who it was?

" A. No.

* * *

" Q. He identified a person known as Benjamin Franklin?

" A. Yes.

" Q. Was he lucid at the time?

" A. Yes.

" Q. You indicated that he was in shock?

" A. Yes.

" Q. But does shock mean that he is oblivious to what is going on?

" A. No.

" Q. Did he know what was going on around him?

" A. I think he was quite aware of what was going on around him.

" Q. And at that time he identified Benjamin Franklin as his assailant?

" A. Yes.

" Q. Did he indicate who Benjamin Franklin was?

" A. Yes. He said that this man was black and was a former employee.

" Q. And how soon after he made that statement to you did the patient expire?

" A. That would be approximately 40 to 45 minutes."

In People v Arnett, 239 Mich. 123, 131-132; 214 N.W. 231 (1927), the Supreme Court established the following guidelines regarding the dying declaration exception to the hearsay rule:

"All authorities hold that the declarations must be sanctioned by belief on the part of the declarant that he is about to die; otherwise they are but hearsay. The rule admitting dying declarations is one of necessity and prevails only in case they are sensed by the declarant as dying statements. When Mr. Henkel made the statements was he conscious of impending death?" (Emphasis in original.)

See also People v Williams, #2, 45 Mich. App. 630, 633-634; 207 N.W.2d 180 (1973), People v Gorman, 252 Mich. 603, 605-606; 233 N.W. 430 (1930). For a statement to be admitted as a dying declaration, it must satisfy several requirements: (1) the declarant must have been conscious of impending death; (2) death must actually have ensued; (3) the statements are sought to be admitted in a criminal prosecution against the individual who killed the decedent; (4) the statements must relate to the circumstances of the killing. See McCormick on Evidence, §§ 258-264, pp 555-560.

All of these requirements were satisfied in the instant case. The evidence presented by the testimony of Dr. Cline demonstrates that Mr. Weiss was aware of his impending death when he stated who shot him. Death from his wounds ensued shortly after the statements. The declaration related to the killing. The trial judge, therefore, properly admitted the statement into evidence.

Second, defendant argues that certain comments made by the prosecutor which referred to the fact that the defendant did not testify on his own behalf were objectionable and prejudicial as a matter of law. During his closing argument, the prosecutor made the following statement which defendant now challenges as requiring reversal:

"The gun in his hands. The friend buying the gun. The motive. The fact that he was seen. And all this evidence, ladies and gentlemen, is uncontroverted."

Numerous cases have held that a statement by the prosecutor that certain evidence was uncontroverted by the defendant does not represent a comment on the assertion by a defendant of his right to remain silent. See e.g., People v Hammond, 132 Mich. 422, 429; 93 N.W. 1084 (1903), People v Lowrey, 217 Mich. 431, 434; 186 N.W. 396 (1922), People v Sullivan, 290 Mich. 414, 422; 287 N.W. 567 (1939), People v Jones, 65 Mich. App. 619, 621; 237 N.W.2d 584 (1975). This is especially true here where no objection was made by defense counsel.

Affirmed.

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PEOPLE v. FRANKLIN
(Jul 21, 1976)