People v. Burke

196 N.W.2d 830, 38 Mich. App. 617, 1972 Mich. App. LEXIS 1693
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 24, 1972
DocketDocket 11229
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 196 N.W.2d 830 (People v. Burke) 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 v. Burke, 196 N.W.2d 830, 38 Mich. App. 617, 1972 Mich. App. LEXIS 1693 (Mich. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

Holbrook, P. J.

Defendant appeals from conviction by jury verdict of kidnapping. MCLA 750.349; MSA 28.581. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment from three to ten years.

On August 13, 1969, Millard Bundy III was hitchhiking from his girlfriend’s house in Climax, Michigan. His destination was Battle Creek. Shortly after entering the third vehicle that stopped to give him a ride, he was forced at gunpoint to submit to handcuffs and was driven a short distance to a secluded area near the City of Battle Creek. While there he was forced to perform certain, homosexual acts with the driver of the automobile. Subsequently, the victim was dropped off a short distance from his neighborhood in Battle Creek.

Defendant Peter M. Burke was arrested on August 27, 1969, for the crime of kidnapping. Defendant alleges five assignments of error on this appeal, which we deal with in order.

I.

Whether the court erred by excusing certain res gestae witnesses ?

At the trial, the judge granted the prosecutor’s motion to excuse three witnesses, who were indorsed on the information, from being called to testify in the case.

Defendant and the witnesses were servicemen stationed at Fort Custer, Michigan, at the time of the alleged crime. Prior to trial the base was closed and the proposed witnesses were reassigned. One witness went to Korea, the others to Maine and Colorado. The missing witnesses were stated to *620 have been indorsed for the purpose of showing that defendant owned an automobile, a handgun, and some handcuffs similar to the ones used in the crime.

Subpoenas had been issued and turned over to the local police who attempted to serve them. Evidence indicated and the court observed that these witnesses were unavailable and not in the state.

The case of People v Tiner, 17 Mich App 18 (1969), sets forth the rule that the prosecutor's duty to secure the presence of an indorsed res gestae witness for a criminal trial can be excused if a showing of diligence is made in an effort to produce such witness, and the determination of diligence is within the discretion of the trial court.

The trial court was satisfied that a sufficient showing of diligence had been demonstrated to properly excuse the prosecutor from producing the indorsed witnesses.

From the record here we find no abuse of discretion. See also, People v Melvin Jackson, 21 Mich App 129 (1970).

II.

Whether the trial court erred by permitting the prosecution to introduce evidence of another crime for which the defendant was not charged?

The information charged defendant with the crime of kidnapping only. At the trial evidence of homosexual offenses that allegedly took place after the complaining witness was picked up, was admitted. The court ruled that such evidence was permissible to show a reason or purpose for the alleged crime of kidnapping and further that it was part of the res gestae of the offense. MCLA 768.27; MSA 28.1050 provides as follows:

*621 “In any criminal case where the defendant’s motive, intent, the absence of, mistake or accident on his part, or the defendant’s scheme, plan or system in doing an act, is material, any like acts or other acts of the defendant which may tend to show his motive, intent, the absence of, mistake or accident, on his part, or the defendant’s scheme, plan or system in doing the act, in question, may be proved, whether they are contemporaneous with or prior or subsequent thereto; notwithstanding that such proof may show or tend to show the commission of another or prior or subsequent crime by the defendant.”

We conclude that the testimony given was permissible to show the reason, purpose, or motive for the commission of the crime. People v Nawrocki, 6 Mich App 46 (1967). We rule it was also permissible evidence because it constituted a part of the res gestae, pertaining to the crime charged.

“It is elementary that the acts, conduct and demeanor of a person charged with crime at the time of, or shortly before or after the offense is claimed to have been committed, may be shown as a part of the res gestae. Proof of such acts is not rendered inadmissible by the fact that they may tend to show the commission of another crime. 16 CJ, pp 574, 575.” People v Savage, 225 Mich 84, 86 (1923).

III.

Whether the trial court erred in refusing to allow a physical comparison to be made of the defendant’s height and weight with that of another witness ?

At one point during the trial, defense counsel attempted to illustrate to the jury a major discrepancy in the complaining witness’s story by showing the jury at close-up range the height and weight of the defendant by having the defendant stand next to a witness, who testified as to his own height and *622 weight. The judge refused to allow the comparison. Defendant contends this is vital physical evidence which should have 'been allowed. The prosecution asserts that defendant Burke could not properly offer an exhibit of his person to the jury unless he was willing to submit to cross-examination about possible changes in his appearance since the time of the alleged offense. Defendant would not do this because he was unwilling to take the witness stand. The prosecution further contends that the comparison had been made unnecessary by the fact that the victim had admitted giving inconsistent statements to the police concerning the size of the kidnapper,' because he did not want the kidnapper to be apprehended.

Defendant was present in the courtroom and we assume that he stood up during the course of the trial either coming or going. The case of People v Budd, 279 Mich 110 (1937), resolves the issue before us. In that case an offering was made of the defendant’s head size by allowing him to try on a hat that was found at the scene of a robbery. There, as here, the defendant also refrained from taking the stand. The Court held that the defendant did not have a right to try on the hat in front of the jury without becoming a witness for himself. We find no error here.

IV.

Whether the trial court erred by refusing to instruct the jury on circumstantial evidence?

The testimony here of the kidnapping victim alone was sufficient to warrant a verdict of guilty. The most probative evidence was the testimony of his personal experiences during the crime. This testimony was direct evidence, and not circumstantial evidence. Any inferences derived from the corro *623 borating testimony were incidental and did not change the essential characteristics of the proofs of the crime. Therefore, there was no reason for the trial judge to instruct the jury on circumstantial evidence.

Y.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

P Rory Spence v. Louis Salak
Michigan Court of Appeals, 2024
People v. Mitchell
210 N.W.2d 509 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1973)
People v. Shively
206 N.W.2d 808 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1973)
People v. Jackson
200 N.W.2d 459 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1972)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
196 N.W.2d 830, 38 Mich. App. 617, 1972 Mich. App. LEXIS 1693, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-burke-michctapp-1972.