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People v. Green, Docket No. 10701 (Mich. Ct. App. May 27, 1971)

Factual and Procedural Background

James N. Green was charged with assault with intent to murder, MCLA § 750.83, and was tried in the Recorder's Court of Detroit. A jury found defendant guilty of the lesser included offense of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, MCLA § 750.84. Defendant was sentenced to imprisonment for not less than nine years nor more than ten years in the State Prison for Southern Michigan. His motion for a new trial was denied. On appeal as of right, defendant raised five issues. The record reflects that both defendant and the complaining witness testified at trial; the complaining witness and a number of others identified defendant as the person who fired the shot, and defendant admitted shooting the complainant. Defense counsel requested the presence of a res gestae witness, James Fason; considerable efforts were made to locate him. The defendant also raised the failure to indorse a treating physician only on his motion for a new trial.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether a new trial should be granted because the people's witnesses at trial were unworthy of belief (attacking witness credibility).
  2. Whether the trial court erred in its instructions to the jury.
  3. Whether prejudicial comments were made to the jury by the trial court and/or the assistant prosecutor.
  4. Whether the trial court erred in limiting defense counsel's closing argument.
  5. Whether the trial court erred in failing to indorse certain alleged res gestae witnesses.

Arguments of the Parties

Defendant's Arguments

  • The testimony of the people's witnesses was unworthy of belief and thus required a new trial.
  • The trial court's jury instructions were erroneous.
  • The trial court and the assistant prosecutor made prejudicial comments to the jury.
  • The trial court improperly limited defense counsel's closing argument.
  • The prosecution failed to indorse and call certain alleged res gestae witnesses (including a treating physician and James Fason), resulting in prejudice to defendant.

The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the people's legal arguments; the court's opinion addresses and disposes of defendant's asserted errors.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
People v. Clark (1954), 340 Mich. 411 Supports that the jury is best able to determine credibility and the weight to be given testimony. Used to support the proposition that challenges to witness credibility are for the jury to resolve.
People v. Lloyd (1967), 5 Mich. App. 717 Supports that the jury determines credibility and the trial judge has discretion in trial conduct. Relied upon for both credibility-deference and trial-discretion propositions cited by the court.
People v. Mills (1969), 16 Mich. App. 179 Where both defendant and the complaining witness testify, it is for the jury to decide which side to believe. Applied to conclude that the jury's acceptance of the people's testimony could sustain a guilty verdict.
People v. Moss (1969), 16 Mich. App. 295 Supports deference to the jury on witness credibility. Used with other cases to justify declining to grant a new trial based on credibility attacks.
People v. Robinson (1968), 11 Mich. App. 162 Jury instructions must be considered in their entirety; error cannot be established by isolating a phrase unless prejudicial to the whole charge. Applied to conclude that the charge, read as a whole, was not prejudicial to defendant.
People v. George (1965), 375 Mich. 262 Prosecutor's remarks made in response to issues raised by defense counsel do not constitute reversible error. Relied upon to reject defendant's claim that prosecutor's remarks were reversible error where they responded to defense's matters.
People v. Thomas (1969), 17 Mich. App. 740 Same principle as People v. George regarding prosecutorial remarks responding to defense. Applied to support the court's conclusion that the prosecutor's remarks were responsive and not reversible error.
People v. Ignofo (1946), 315 Mich. 626 Statement of a prosecutor's personal opinion of a defendant's guilt can warrant reversal. Referenced to note that no personal opinion of guilt was expressed by the prosecutor in this case.
People v. Slater (1970), 21 Mich. App. 561 Addresses propriety of prosecutor's statements regarding guilt and reversal standards. Used to support the conclusion that no improper personal opinion was expressed by the prosecutor here.
People v. Humphreys (1970), 24 Mich. App. 411 Appellate review of prosecutorial remarks is limited where defendant failed to object at trial; only reviewed where cautionary instructions would not have cured prejudice. Applied because defendant did not object at trial; court declined to reverse based on remarks.
People v. Cole (1957), 349 Mich. 175 Trial judge has great power and wide discretion in trial conduct. Invoked to support the trial judge's discretion in limiting argument and controlling proceedings.
People v. Whitney (1895), 105 Mich. 622 Early authority recognizing broad trial-court discretion in trial conduct. Cited to support the proposition that the trial judge may control argument and evidence for proper trial administration.
People v. Bedsole (1969), 15 Mich. App. 459 Addresses reversal standards where trial judge maintained impartiality. Applied to conclude that no reversal was warranted because the judge acted impartially.
People v. Wilson (1969), 21 Mich. App. 36 Addresses appellate review where trial judge properly exercised discretion. Used to support finding no abuse of discretion in limiting argument.
People v. Kayne (1934), 268 Mich. 186 Res gestae witnesses must be indorsed and called by the prosecution if reasonably necessary to protect the accused against false accusation. Applied to assess whether any unindorsed res gestae witness was necessary to protect defendant; court found none were necessary here.
People v. Dickinson (1966), 2 Mich. App. 646 Same principle regarding indorsement and production of res gestae witnesses. Relied upon with Kayne to conclude no prejudice resulted from failing to present other res gestae witnesses.
People v. Amos (1968), 10 Mich. App. 533 Failure to indorse names of res gestae witnesses on an information cannot be raised for the first time on a motion for new trial. Applied because defendant raised the treating physician issue first on motion for new trial; court held it could not be raised then.
People v. Prescott (1934), 268 Mich. 606 Same rule as Amos regarding timing of raising indorsement complaints. Used to support the procedural bar to defendant's late objection about a treating physician.
People v. Dimitroff (1948), 321 Mich. 205 Addresses the procedural rule that indorsement complaints cannot be raised first on motion for new trial. Applied to affirm that defendant's late claim concerning the treating physician did not warrant relief.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court addressed each of the five issues raised on appeal in turn:

  1. On credibility and the request for a new trial, the court emphasized that assessment of witness credibility and the weight of testimony are matters for the jury. Citing precedent, the court noted that when both defendant and the complaining witness testify, it is the jury's role to decide whom to believe. The court concluded that the people presented sufficient testimony, if believed by the jury, to support a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder (MCLA § 750.84).
  2. On jury instructions, the court applied the principle that instructions must be read as a whole and isolated phrases do not establish error unless they prejudice the entire charge. After reviewing the complete charge, the court found no prejudicial error and rejected defendant's claim.
  3. Regarding alleged prejudicial remarks by the prosecutor and trial court, the court observed that the prosecutor's contested remarks were responsive to matters raised by defense counsel. The court relied on authority that responsive prosecutorial remarks, even if improper, do not constitute reversible error when they answer defense contentions. The court further found that the prosecutor did not express a personal opinion of defendant's guilt and noted defendant did not object at trial; accordingly, appellate review was limited and no reversible error was found.
  4. On limitation of defense counsel's closing argument, the court recognized the trial judge's wide discretion to control proceedings and limit argument to relevant matters. The record showed defendant had substantial time for closing argument (34 pages of argument were reviewed), and the court concluded there was no abuse of discretion in limiting the argument.
  5. Concerning failure to indorse alleged res gestae witnesses, the court applied the rule that the prosecution must indorse and call res gestae witnesses only when reasonably necessary to protect the accused against false accusation. The court found the complaining witness and others identified defendant as the shooter and that defendant admitted shooting the complainant; thus no additional res gestae testimony was necessary to protect against false accusation. The court also noted that the defendant first raised the omission of the treating physician on his motion for new trial, and Michigan precedent bars raising such indorsement complaints for the first time on a motion for new trial. The court found no prejudice from the failure to indorse the treating physician and found no reversible error from attempts to locate James Fason.

After reviewing the record as a whole, the court concluded that defendant had received a fair and impartial trial and that no error warranted reversal.

Holding and Implications

Holding: The judgment of the trial court is Affirmed.

Implications: The direct consequence is that defendant James N. Green's conviction for assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and his sentence of nine to ten years' imprisonment were upheld. The opinion did not announce any new legal doctrine; the court applied existing Michigan precedents and procedural rules to deny relief on the asserted grounds of error.

PEOPLE v. GREEN

PER CURIAM.

Defendant was charged with assault with intent to murder, MCLA § 750.83 (Stat Ann 1962 Rev § 28.278), and found guilty by a jury of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. MCLA § 750.84 (Stat Ann 1962 Rev § 28.279). Defendant was sentenced to not less than nine years nor more than ten years in the State Prison for Southern Michigan. Defendant's motion for a new trial was denied and he brings this appeal as of right, raising five issues for review.

1. That a new trial should be granted because testimony of the people's witnesses at trial was unworthy of belief.

Defendant's first issue on appeal attacks the credibility of the witnesses who testified at trial. The jury is best able to determine the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony. People v. Clark (1954), 340 Mich. 411; People v. Lloyd (1967), 5 Mich. App. 717; People v. Mills (1969), 16 Mich. App. 179; People v. Moss (1969), 16 Mich. App. 295. In this case both defendant and the complaining witness testified at trial. In such a situation it is for the jury to decide which side to believe. People v. Mills, supra. There was sufficient testimony presented by the people, if believed by the jury, to justify a finding of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the crime of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. MCLA § 750.84.

2. That the trial court erred in its instructions to the jury.

It is axiomatic that the jury instructions must be considered in their entirety; error cannot be established by one phrase lifted from the whole charge, unless the phrase prejudices the entire charge. People v. Robinson (1968), 11 Mich. App. 162. Careful reading of the entire charge to the jury leads to the conclusion that the charge was not in any way prejudicial to defendant. Even the parts to which defendant draws particular attention, when standing alone, do not represent improper, unfair, or prejudicial instructions.

3. That the trial court and assistant prosecutor made prejudicial comments to the jury.

The remarks of the prosecutor complained of by defendant were in response to issues raised by defense counsel. In such a case, remarks by a prosecutor, even if improper, do not constitute reversible error where made primarily in response to matters previously discussed by defense counsel. People v. George (1965), 375 Mich. 262; People v. Thomas (1969), 17 Mich. App. 740. At no point did the prosecutor state any personal opinion of defendant's guilt which would warrant this Court in reversing defendant's conviction. People v. Ignofo (1946), 315 Mich. 626; People v. Slater (1970), 21 Mich. App. 561. It should further be noted that the defendant did not object to the prosecutor's remarks at trial. Only where cautionary instructions would not have cured any prejudice arising from those remarks will an appellate court review the matter. People v. Humphreys (1970), 24 Mich. App. 411.

4. That the trial court erred in limiting defense counsel's closing argument.

It is the duty of the trial judge to control all proceedings during trial and to limit the introduction of evidence and argument of counsel to relevant and material matters, with a view to the expeditious and effective ascertainment of the truth regarding the matter involved. MCLA § 768.29 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.1052). In matters of trial conduct the trial judge has great power and wide discretion. People v. Cole (1957), 349 Mich. 175; People v. Lloyd (1967), 5 Mich. App. 717; People v. Whitney (1895), 105 Mich. 622. The record discloses that the trial judge maintained proper judicial impartiality in conducting the trial. Therefore, reversal may not be had on this issue. People v. Bedsole (1969), 15 Mich. App. 459; People v. Wilson (1969), 21 Mich. App. 36.

It is clearly within the discretion of the trial judge to limit the arguments of counsel. GCR 1963, 507.7, MCLA § 768.29 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.1052), 2 Honigman Hawkins, Michigan Court Rules Annotated (2d ed), pp 403, 404.

Careful reading of the 34 pages consumed by defendant's closing argument reveals that defendant had more than adequate time to cover his arguments. There was no abuse of discretion in limiting defense counsel's arguments.

5. That the trial court erred in failing to indorse certain alleged res gestae witnesses.

Apart from the cumulation of testimony, any res gestae witness shall be indorsed and called by the prosecution if such testimony is reasonably necessary to protect the accused against a false accusation. People v. Kayne (1934), 268 Mich. 186; People v. Dickinson (1966), 2 Mich. App. 646. The defendant was identified by the complaining witness and a number of others as the one who fired the shot; defendant himself admitted shooting the complainant. No other testimony of any res gestae witness was necessary to protect defendant from false accusation. Considerable efforts were made to locate James Fason as requested by defendant. However, it is clear that no prejudice resulted to defendant from the failure to present such witness.

Defendant did not raise the question of calling a res gestae witness, the doctor who treated complainant, until his motion for new trial. It is the rule in Michigan that the failure of the prosecution to indorse names of res gestae witnesses on an information cannot be raised for the first time on a motion for new trial. People v. Amos (1968), 10 Mich. App. 533; People v. Prescott (1934), 268 Mich. 606; People v. Dimitroff (1948), 321 Mich. 205. Defendant demonstrates no prejudice in the failure to indorse the treating physician.

It is clear to this Court after a careful review of the records of defendant's trial, that defendant received a fair and impartial hearing. No error is demonstrated on appeal.

Affirmed.

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PEOPLE v. GREEN
(May 27, 1971)