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People v. Flood, Docket No. 8,394 (Mich. Ct. App. July 29, 1970)

Factual and Procedural Background

Ronald P. Flood was examined and bound over on a charge of murder in the first degree on March 8, 1968. He was tried by a jury before Recorder's Court Judge Robert E. DeMascio on July 19, 1969, found guilty of manslaughter, and sentenced to prison for 10 to 15 years.

On February 28, 1968, Flood was with Gardner Greene and Amanda Ward. The automobile he was driving backed into and damaged a headlight on the automobile of the deceased, Samuel Wilson. An argument followed and Flood shot and killed Wilson. Flood claimed self-defense.

Witnesses to the shooting included Patricia Birks and Perry Ward. Perry Ward testified that he observed a man lying on the ground and, fearing his family would get involved, he directed Flood (who was using the telephone) to leave the house. Ward testified he did not see a gun in Flood's hand but that he believed Flood was involved because he had heard his sister say, "Ronnie shot a man." No objection to that testimony was made at trial. On cross-examination Ward confirmed he had no personal knowledge of who shot whom until he heard his sister say that; he also testified that his sister said Flood had told her he had shot a man.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether admission into evidence of the witness Perry Ward's testimony that he heard his sister say "Ronnie shot a man" (a statement the witness attributed to his sister) was reversible error.
  2. Whether the trial court erred in submitting first- and second-degree murder to the jury when the defendant had moved for a directed verdict as to those degrees and requested submission of manslaughter only.

Arguments of the Parties

The opinion does not contain a detailed account of the parties' legal arguments.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
People v. Elliott (1948), 322 Mich. 313 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. Counts (1947), 318 Mich. 45 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. Hallman (1941), 299 Mich. 657 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. Dodson (1967), 9 Mich. App. 123, 127 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. Doverspike (1966), 5 Mich. App. 181, 191 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. McLaughlin (1966), 3 Mich. App. 391, 394 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. Willis (1965), 1 Mich. App. 428 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. Martin (1965), 1 Mich. App. 265, 268 Cited in support of the proposition that absence of an objection at trial, coupled with no miscarriage of justice, does not require reversal. Cited as authority for finding no reversible error regarding the hearsay testimony because no objection was made at trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted.
People v. Hansen (1962), 368 Mich. 344 Cited as an example of a case in which the trial court found no evidence of malice and premeditation, making submission of murder degrees improper. Distinguished from the instant case: the court found that, unlike Hansen, testimony in this case provided evidence (conflicting testimony regarding circumstances, testimony that deceased did not have a gun, that an argument occurred and that the deceased requested a witness to call police shortly before the shooting) such that submission of first- and second-degree murder to the jury was proper.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court analyzed the two principal issues as follows.

Hearsay Testimony (Perry Ward)

The court acknowledged that Ward's testimony that he "heard my sister say Ronnie shot a man" was hearsay because the witness was testifying to what his sister told him and that statement went to the truth of the facts asserted. Nevertheless, the court found no reversible error for the following reasons expressly stated in the opinion:

  • Defendant was represented by counsel of his choice, but no objection to the testimony was made at trial.
  • The witness was subject to cross-examination on the testimony on direct examination.
  • The defendant testified and admitted shooting the deceased, so the fact of the shooting was not contested; defense counsel also delivered the gun used to the prosecuting authorities.
  • The cases cited by defendant on appeal did not fit the facts before the court.

Based on those points, and relying on multiple precedents (listed above), the court concluded that absence of an objection together with the lack of a miscarriage of justice meant the hearsay admission did not require reversal.

Submission of First- and Second-Degree Murder to the Jury

Defendant had moved for a directed verdict as to first- and second-degree murder and requested submission of manslaughter only. The trial court nonetheless instructed the jury that it could return one of four verdicts: first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, or not guilty. The defendant was convicted of manslaughter, an offense he had asked the court to submit.

The court addressed the contention that submission of murder degrees was improper by referencing People v. Hansen, where no evidence of malice or premeditation was found. The court explained that Hansen would be applicable only if there had been an absence of evidence on malice and premeditation in this case. The court concluded that the record contained testimony that the deceased did not have a gun, that an argument occurred and lasted for some time, and that the deceased had requested a witness to call the police shortly before the shooting. Given the conflicting testimony on the facts, the court held the trial court properly submitted the degrees of murder to the jury for resolution.

Holding and Implications

Affirmed.

Holding: The Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction of manslaughter and the sentence of 10 to 15 years' imprisonment.

Implications: The direct effect is that the defendant's conviction and sentence are upheld. The opinion did not announce or claim to establish any new legal rule; it applied existing authority to conclude that (1) the hearsay testimony did not require reversal where no objection was made and no miscarriage of justice occurred, and (2) the submission of first- and second-degree murder to the jury was proper given the evidentiary record. No broader or novel precedent was declared in the opinion.

Opinion by HOLBROOK, P.J. All concurred.

PEOPLE v. FLOOD

HOLBROOK, P.J.

Defendant, Ronald P. Flood, was examined and bound over on a charge of murder in the first degree on March 8, 1968. He was tried by a jury before Recorder's Court Judge Robert E. DeMascio on July 19, 1969, found guilty of manslaughter, and was sentenced to prison for 10 to 15 years.

On February 28, 1968, the day of the alleged offense, the defendant was in the company of two friends, Gardner Greene and Amanda Ward. The automobile which he was driving backed into and damaged a headlight on the automobile of the deceased, Samuel Wilson. An argument ensued and defendant shot and killed the deceased.

The defendant claimed self-defense. A witness to the shooting, Patricia Birks, and Perry Ward, who permitted defendant to use his telephone to call the police, testified as to the events that took place at the time of the offense.

Witness Ward testified that he observed a man lying on the ground and fearing his family would get involved, he directed Flood, who was using the phone, to hurry and leave the house. He did not see a gun in Flood's hand, but he believed Flood was involved as "Well, I heard my sister say Ronnie shot a man." No objections were raised regarding such statement, and on cross-examination the matter was repeated by the following colloquy:

"Q. ( By Mr. Bledsoe, continuing): Mr. Ward, as a matter of fact, you had no knowledge about who shot who or what about who shot who until you heard your sister say that?

"A. That is correct."

The evidence in question was hearsay:

"A. Well, I heard my sister say Ronnie shot a man.

"Q. ( By Mr. Celeskey, continuing): I see. Your sister told that to you?

"A. That is what she told me."

The witness testified that his sister told him that the defendant told her that the defendant had shot a man. This testimony went to the truth of the facts stated and thus was hearsay.

1) Although defendant was represented by counsel of his choice, there was no objection made at trial.

2) There was ample opportunity to cross-examine the witness as to his testimony on direct examination.

3) The defendant took the stand and admitted shooting the deceased. The fact that defendant shot the deceased was not contested in this trial. In fact, counsel for defendant gave the gun defendant used in the shooting of the deceased to the prosecuting authorities.

4) The cases cited by defendant on appeal do not even remotely meet the fact situation before this Court.

As to this issue reversible error is not shown because no objection was made at the trial and no miscarriage of justice resulted. People v. Elliott (1948), 322 Mich. 313; People v. Counts (1947), 318 Mich. 45; People v. Hallman (1941), 299 Mich. 657; People v. Dodson (1967), 9 Mich. App. 123, 127; People v. Doverspike (1966), 5 Mich. App. 181, 191; People v. McLaughlin (1966), 3 Mich. App. 391, 394; People v. Willis (1965), 1 Mich. App. 428; People v. Martin (1965), 1 Mich. App. 265, 268.

Defendant made a motion for a directed verdict as to murder in the first degree and second-degree murder and the court was requested to send the case to the jury on manslaughter only. At the close of the court's charge to the jury, the jury was instructed that they could bring in one of four verdicts: murder first degree, murder second degree, manslaughter or not guilty. The defendant was found guilty of manslaughter which was an offense that the defendant was willing to have the court submit to the jury.

Defendant's second issue concerns claimed error in the instructions of the court by submitting the offenses of first- and second-degree murder to the jury for determination.

If there had been an absence of evidence as to the elements of malice and premeditation, then the case cited by defendant would be applicable. In People v. Hansen (1962) 368 Mich. 344, the Court found no such evidence. In Hansen, the defendant was convicted of second-degree murder of an intruder in his home without malice being shown in any way. In the instant case, there was testimony that the deceased did not have a gun, that there was an argument and that it lasted for a period of time and that the deceased requested a witness to call the police shortly before the defendant shot the deceased. There was conflicting testimony as to the facts and the court properly submitted the case to the jury for determination.

Affirmed.

All concurred.

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PEOPLE v. FLOOD
(Jul 29, 1970)