People of Michigan v. Charles Jacob Simkins

CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 21, 2017
Docket329561
StatusUnpublished

This text of People of Michigan v. Charles Jacob Simkins (People of Michigan v. Charles Jacob Simkins) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People of Michigan v. Charles Jacob Simkins, (Mich. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

STATE OF MICHIGAN

COURT OF APPEALS

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, UNPUBLISHED March 21, 2017 Plaintiff-Appellee,

v No. 329561 Oakland Circuit Court CHARLES JACOB SIMKINS, LC No. 2014-251044-FC

Defendant-Appellant.

Before: TALBOT, C.J., and MURRAY and BOONSTRA, JJ.

PER CURIAM.

Defendant appeals as of right his convictions, after a jury trial, of voluntary manslaughter, MCL 750.321, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony (felony-firearm), MCL 750.227b. The trial court sentenced defendant to 48 months to 15 years’ imprisonment for voluntary manslaughter and two years’ imprisonment for felony-firearm. For the reasons set forth in this opinion, we affirm defendant’s convictions, but remand to the trial court for resentencing.

I. FACTS

This case arises from the shooting death of Edwin Criswell, which occurred following a confrontation with defendant in Criswell’s yard. Although no one saw the shooting, several neighbors testified that they heard two males arguing loudly from the direction of Criswell’s house and heard several loud noises that sounded like gunshots. Defendant and several neighbors called 911 to report the shooting, and the police responded to the scene. Defendant unloaded his .9mm Glock and left it sitting on the hood of his truck with his identification before the police arrived. Defendant was still on the phone with the 911 operator when the police arrived, but identified himself as the shooter, and the police took him into custody. Criswell lost a significant amount of blood by the time emergency responders arrived, and was dead upon arrival to the hospital.

At trial, several police officers testified that when they responded to the shooting defendant was yelling for help, complied with police demands, identified himself as the shooter, had blood on his hands and clothing, did not complain of any injuries, and did not have any visible injuries aside from a cut on his hand. According to the police, defendant admitted to a physical altercation with Criswell, but asserted he shot Criswell in self-defense. Doctor Kane Virani, the medical examiner, testified that Criswell suffered numerous injuries in addition to the -1- two gunshot wounds to his left thigh, that the injuries were likely from a struggle rather than from a fall, and that the placement of the gunshot wounds indicated that the gun was behind Criswell when it was fired. Several forensic scientists testified that the blood found on defendant’s shirt matched Criswell’s and that the shell casings found at the scene matched defendant’s .9mm Glock.

Defense counsel asserted defendant shot Criswell in self-defense. Defendant did not testify at trial, but both defendant’s 911 calls and the in-car video from when the police transported defendant to the police station were played for the jury. In the tapes, defendant urged help to arrive quickly, expressed concern for Criswell, and asserted he acted in self-defense after a physical confrontation with Criswell. Defense counsel also pointed to numerous alleged flaws in the police investigation into the shooting. However, the jury nonetheless found defendant guilty of voluntary manslaughter and felony-firearm.

II. ANALYSIS

Defendant argues the prosecutor violated his Fifth Amendment right not to testify when, in rebuttal, the prosecutor stated “Two eyewitnesses, one dead, Mr. Criswell didn’t get an opportunity to testify and tell you what happened.”

To preserve an issue of prosecutorial error,1 a defendant must contemporaneously object and request a curative instruction. People v Bennett, 290 Mich App 465, 475; 802 NW2d 627 (2010). A curative instruction is usually sufficient to cure the prejudicial effect of an improper prosecutorial comment. People v Cain, 299 Mich App 27, 36; 829 NW2d 37 (2012), vacated in part on other grounds by 495 Mich 874 (2013). Thus, if defense counsel failed to object, review is foreclosed unless the prejudicial effect of the remark was so great that it could not have been cured by an appropriate instruction. People v Williams, 265 Mich App 68, 70-71; 692 NW2d 722 (2005), aff’d 475 Mich 101 (2006). Here, defense counsel did not object to the prosecutor’s statement he now asserts was improper, nor did he make a request for a curative instruction. Thus, this issue is not preserved for appeal.

When there was no contemporaneous objection and request for a curative instruction, appellate review of claims of prosecutorial error is limited to ascertaining whether there was

1 Although this type of claim is generally referred to as “prosecutorial misconduct,” this Court has stated that, “the term ‘misconduct’ is more appropriately applied to those extreme . . . instances where a prosecutor’s conduct violates the rules of professional conduct or constitutes illegal conduct,” but that claims “premised on the contention that the prosecutor made a technical or inadvertent error at trial” are “more fairly presented as claims of ‘prosecutorial error.’ ” People v Cooper, 309 Mich App 74, 87-88; 867 NW2d 452 (2015) (citation omitted). Nevertheless, regardless of “what operative phrase is used, [this Court] must look to see whether the prosecutor committed errors during the course of trial that deprived defendant of a fair and impartial trial.” Id., citing People v Aldrich, 246 Mich App 101, 110; 631 NW2d 67 (2001). Here, we will refer to defendant’s claim as prosecutorial error, as the argument is limited to technical errors by the prosecutor.

-2- plain error that affected substantial rights. People v Brown, 279 Mich App 116, 134; 755 NW2d 664 (2008). Reversal is warranted only when plain error resulted in the conviction of an innocent person, or seriously affected the fairness, integrity, or reputation of the proceedings. People v Unger, 278 Mich App 210, 235; 749 NW2d 272 (2008).

Due to the prosecutor’s duty “to seek justice and not merely convict, the test for prosecutorial misconduct is whether a defendant was denied a fair and impartial trial.” People v Dubik, 274 Mich App 58, 63; 732 NW2d 546 (2007), citing People v Jones, 468 Mich 345, 354; 662 NW2d 376 (2003), and People v Watson, 245 Mich App 572, 586; 629 NW2d 411 (2001). Prosecutorial error issues are decided on a case by case basis, and the reviewing court must examine the record and evaluate a prosecutor’s remarks in context. People v Mann, 288 Mich App 114, 119; 792 NW2d 53 (2010).

“The Fifth Amendment and Const 1963, art 1, § 17 provide that no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself in a criminal trial.” People v Scholar, 194 Mich App 158, 164; 486 NW2d 312 (1992). Accordingly, a criminal defendant has “a right to remain silent at trial,” People v Blog, 56 Mich App 624, 629; 224 NW2d 725 (1974), “and may elect to rely on the ‘presumption of innocence,’ ” People v Fields, 450 Mich 94, 108; 538 NW2d 356 (1995). Because all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, a prosecutor “may never shift its burden to prove that defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and obligate the defendant to prove his innocence.” People v Rosales, 160 Mich App 304, 312; 408 NW2d 140 (1987). Similarly, a defendant’s “neglect to testify shall not create any presumption against him, nor shall the court permit any reference or comment to be made to or upon such neglect.” MCL 600.2159. Thus, “ ‘the Fifth Amendment, in its direct application to the Federal Government, and in its bearing on the States by reason of the Fourteenth Amendment, forbids either comment by the prosecution on the accused’s silence [at trial] or instructions by the court that such silence is evidence of guilt.’ ” People v Clary, 494 Mich 260, 265; 833 NW2d 308 (2013), quoting Griffin v California, 380 US 609, 615; 85 S Ct 1229; 14 L Ed 2d 106 (1965).

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People of Michigan v. Charles Jacob Simkins, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-of-michigan-v-charles-jacob-simkins-michctapp-2017.