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Summary of People v. Frazier, Docket No. 4,656 (Mich. Ct. App. Feb. 24, 1969)

Factual and Procedural Background

Christopher Frazier was arrested in July 1966 on a charge of assault with intent to rob and steal, being armed. A preliminary examination was held later that month, where defense counsel cross-examined the complaining witness. A non-jury trial began in May 1967 (approximately ten months after arrest). The trial did not start on the originally set date because neither a courtroom nor the defense counsel were available. When the trial began, the complaining witness was unavailable because he was serving in Vietnam; the witness's mother so testified. Defense counsel stated on the record that he did not object to admission of the complaining witness's preliminary examination testimony, but believed the trial need not be held until the witness was available. The trial court admitted and read into the record the preliminary examination transcript. Defendant was convicted; he appealed.

Legal Issues Presented

  1. Whether the trial court erred in admitting the complaining witness's preliminary examination testimony.
  2. Whether admission of that testimony denied defendant his Sixth Amendment right to confront the complaining witness.
  3. Whether the delay between arrest and trial deprived defendant of his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial.

Arguments of the Parties

Defendant's Arguments

  • The preliminary examination transcript containing the complaining witness's testimony should not have been admitted in the witness's absence.
  • The admission of that transcript deprived defendant of his constitutional right to confront the complaining witness.
  • The delay (approximately ten months) between arrest and trial was prejudicial and violated his Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial.

Prosecution's Arguments

  • The complaining witness was unavailable and the prosecution made a showing of that unavailability.
  • The defense accepted, on the record, the witness's unavailability and defense counsel had previously cross-examined the witness at the preliminary examination.
  • A defendant who wishes to assert the right to a speedy trial must make a demand; no such demand was made here.

Table of Precedents Cited

Precedent Rule or Principle Cited For Application by the Court
People v. Boyles (1968), 11 Mich. App. 417 Admissibility of preliminary examination testimony where prosecution shows witness unavailability and defense acknowledges it. The court found the present situation analogous and relied on Boyles to conclude no abuse of discretion in admitting the transcript.
People v. Dusterwinkle (1966), 3 Mich. App. 150 Same principle as Boyles regarding admission of preliminary examination testimony when unavailability is shown and acknowledged. Used as an analogous authority supporting admission of the transcript.
Morris v. Radley (1943), 306 Mich. 689, 699 Failure to make a specific objection at trial precludes appellate attack on the showing of unavailability or confrontation claims. Applied to bar defendant's appellate challenge because he did not make the specific objection at trial to the admission of the transcript.
Pointer v. Texas (1965), 380 U.S. 400 Confrontation Clause principles: cross-examination at a prior proceeding may satisfy confrontation requirements when appropriate. Coupled with other state cases, the court held that because defense counsel cross-examined the witness at the preliminary exam, defendant's confrontation right was not violated by admitting the transcript.
People v. Batten (1967), 9 Mich. App. 195 State authority on confrontation issues consistent with Pointer. Relied on as supporting authority that prior cross-examination cured any confrontation problem from admitting the preliminary examination testimony.
People v. Doverspike (1966), 5 Mich. App. 181 State authority on confrontation principles related to prior testimony. Used with Pointer and Batten to conclude no denial of confrontation rights where defense had cross-examined at preliminary examination.
People v. Miklovich (1965), 375 Mich. 536 Michigan rule that a defendant must make a proper demand to assert the right to a speedy trial. Applied to conclude defendant's absence of a recorded demand meant no speedy-trial violation was shown.
People v. Duncan (1964), 373 Mich. 650 Same Michigan rule requiring a demand for a speedy trial. Applied as supporting authority for the demand requirement.
People v. Foster (1933), 261 Mich. 247 Earlier Michigan precedent on the demand requirement for speedy trial relief. Relied upon as part of the line of Michigan cases imposing the demand requirement.
People v. Nawrocki (1967), 6 Mich. App. 46 Recent state authority reiterating the demand requirement for speedy trial claims. Used to support the court's conclusion that no demand was made and therefore no speedy-trial violation was established.
Klopfer v. North Carolina (1967), 386 U.S. 213 Holds the Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial is applicable to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment. The court acknowledged Klopfer but held Michigan's demand requirement is not inconsistent with it; applied Klopfer to frame the federal constitutional backdrop.

Court's Reasoning and Analysis

The court's analysis proceeded in three parts corresponding to the enumerated issues.

  1. Admissibility of preliminary examination testimony:

    The court applied CL 1948, § 768.26 and concluded the prosecution had shown that the complaining witness was unavailable. The defense had, on the record, accepted that unavailability and had earlier cross-examined the complaining witness at the preliminary examination. Citing People v. Boyles and People v. Dusterwinkle, the court held there was no abuse of discretion in admitting the transcript. The court further observed the record did not support defendant's claim that he specifically objected to admission of the transcript at trial; his recorded objection was limited to the timing of the trial.

  2. Confrontation Clause claim:

    The court reasoned that defendant's opportunity to cross-examine the complaining witness at the preliminary examination satisfied the confrontation guarantee for purposes of admitting that prior testimony. It relied on Pointer v. Texas and state cases (People v. Batten; People v. Doverspike) to support the principle that prior cross-examination cures a confrontation objection. Because defense counsel had cross-examined the witness at the preliminary examination, admitting the transcript did not deny the right to confront.

  3. Speedy trial claim:

    The court noted Michigan law requires a defendant to make a proper demand to assert the right to a speedy trial, citing a line of state cases (People v. Miklovich; People v. Duncan; People v. Foster; People v. Nawrocki). The record contained no demand or recorded attempt by defendant to secure a prompt disposition; the only recorded statement was the defendant's objection that the trial should be held when the principal witness was available, which the court found inconsistent with asserting a right to a speedy trial. The court also acknowledged Klopfer v. North Carolina but concluded Michigan's demand requirement is not inconsistent with Klopfer. Considering docket congestion and the absence of a recorded demand, the court found the roughly ten-month interval between arrest and trial did not amount to a Sixth Amendment violation.

Holding and Implications

CONVICTION AFFIRMED.

Direct effect: The defendant's conviction for assault with intent to rob being armed was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. The court found no error in admitting the preliminary examination testimony, no denial of the right to confront the complaining witness, and no violation of the right to a speedy trial given the absence of a recorded demand and the ten-month interval.

Broader implications: The opinion applies established Michigan and federal authorities (as cited) to the facts and does not announce a new rule of law. It reiterates the Michigan requirement that a defendant must demand a speedy trial to preserve that claim and confirms that prior cross-examination at a preliminary examination can satisfy confrontation concerns for admission of prior testimony when unavailability is shown and acknowledged.

PEOPLE v. FRAZIER

McGREGOR, P.J.

Defendant was arrested in July, 1966, on a charge of assault with intent to rob and steal, being armed. The examination, at which the defense counsel cross-examined the complaining witness, was held later the same month. Defendant was convicted in a non-jury trial beginning in May, 1967. The trial did not begin on the original date set, as neither a courtroom nor the defense counsel were available. Once the trial began, the mother of the complaining witness testified that he was in Vietnam, serving in the armed forces. Defense counsel stated that, although he did not object to the admission of the complaining witness's testimony from the examination, he did not believe it necessary to conduct the trial before the complaining witness was available. The court ruled that the preliminary examination transcript was admissible, and it was read into the record.

CL 1948, § 750.89 (Stat Ann 1962 Rev § 28.284).

The issues are: (1) whether the court erred by ruling the complaining witness's examination testimony admissible, (2) whether the proceedings denied defendant his constitutional right to confront the complaining witness, and (3) whether defendant was denied his constitutional right to a speedy trial.

No error was committed by the admission of the preliminary examination testimony of the complaining witness. CL 1948, § 768.26 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.1049). There was both a showing by the prosecution that the witness was unavailable and an acceptance by defense counsel, on the record, of that unavailability. The present situation is analogous to the fact situations in People v. Boyles (1968), 11 Mich. App. 417, and People v. Dusterwinkle (1966), 3 Mich. App. 150, where the court ruled that there was no judicial abuse of discretion in the admission of preliminary examination testimony because the witness's unavailability was shown by the prosecution, and acknowledged by defense counsel. Defendant's failure to make a specific objection at the trial precludes an appellate attack on the showing of unavailability or a charge that defendant was denied his right to confront the witness. See Morris v. Radley (1943), 306 Mich. 689, 699. The record does not support the claim in defendant's appellate brief that he objected to the admission of the transcript containing the complaining witness's testimony. Defendant's objection was that there was no reason to have the trial that time rather than when the principal witness was available.

Counsel appearing for defendant at trial cross-examined the complaining witness at the preliminary examination. Thus, the introduction into evidence of the examination transcript did not deny defendant his right to confront the witness. Pointer v. Texas (1965), 380 U.S. 400 ( 85 S Ct 1065, 13 L Ed 2d 923); People v. Batten (1967), 9 Mich. App. 195; People v. Doverspike (1966), 5 Mich. App. 181.

Finally, defendant argues that the delay in beginning the trial was prejudicial, as it deprived him of his 6th Amendment right to a speedy trial. The prosecution replies that a speedy trial must be demanded. The prosecution is correct.

Under Michigan law, a defendant desirous of exercising his right to a speedy trial must make a proper demand upon the court. People v. Miklovich (1965), 375 Mich. 536; People v. Duncan (1964), 373 Mich. 650; People v. Foster (1933), 261 Mich. 247; People v. Nawrocki (1967), 6 Mich. App. 46. The record does not contain a demand or any other recorded attempt by defendant to obtain his right to a prompt disposition of the criminal accusation against him. The only indication of any sentiment on this issue was defendant's objection, raised at the admission of the preliminary examination testimony, that the trial should be held later. That objection and the present argument raised on appeal are mutually exclusive, and the record does not support defendant's contention.

The Michigan demand requirement is not inconsistent with Klopfer v. North Carolina (1967), 386 U.S. 213 ( 87 S Ct 988, 18 L Ed 2d 1), which held the 6th Amendment right to a speedy trial applicable to the states through the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. The right to a speedy trial is the right to have the prosecution of a criminal accusation within a reasonable time. Considering the delays and docket congestion in the courts and the absence of any recorded demand for a speedy disposition of his case, we do not believe the 10-month wait between arrest and trial violated defendant's right to a speedy trial. We find no merit in defendant's appellate arguments.

Conviction affirmed.

All concurred.

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PEOPLE v. FRAZIER
(Feb 24, 1969)