People v. Dermartzex

185 N.W.2d 33, 29 Mich. App. 213, 1970 Mich. App. LEXIS 1102
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 10, 1970
DocketDocket 8273
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 185 N.W.2d 33 (People v. Dermartzex) 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. Dermartzex, 185 N.W.2d 33, 29 Mich. App. 213, 1970 Mich. App. LEXIS 1102 (Mich. Ct. App. 1970).

Opinions

Holbrook, J.

Defendant was found guilty by a jury in the Recorder’s Court for the City of Detroit of assault with intent to rape, MCLA § 750.85 (Stat Ann 1962 Rev § 28.280). He was sentenced on July 28, 1969, to prison for a term of not less than three years nor more than ten years.

He appeals his conviction and asserts four issues for determination which we restate and consider as follows:

1. Did the trial court abuse its discretion in denying a continuance?

In this case, a complaint was filed and warrant issued July 18, 1968. The examination was held on August 8, 1968, and defendant was bound over for trial. On August 20, 1968, the people filed an information. On September 11, 1968, defendant was arraigned and stood mute. Defendant requested an adjournment at the trial court conference April 11, 1969, which was granted. On June 10, 1969, the case was set for trial on June 24,1969. On the day [216]*216of commencement of trial, defendant requested a continuance for the reasons that a fire at defendant’s house took place the day before and that defense counsel lacked preparation. There was no showing of inability to proceed to trial because of the fire at defendant’s home. Defendant’s attorney had been retained prior to the examination held in August 1968 and had represented defendant throughout all of the court proceedings. The record fails to disclose any lack of preparation for trial, and defense counsel failed to demonstrate on the motion that he had lacked time in which to prepare for trial. The general rule prevailing recognizes that the granting of a continuance in a criminal case rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. People v. Fleisher (1948), 322 Mich 474; People v. Jackzo (1919), 206 Mich 183, 190; and, also see, GCR 1963, 503. Under the facts in this case, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying a continuance.

2. Did the trial court abuse its discretion in allowing the prosecutor to use leading questions and in making comments during defense counsel’s oral argument?

The complainant was a young girl of the tender age of 11 years and the trial court in its discretion allowed the prosecutor to use leading questions in questioning her. The defense counsel was also permitted wide latitude in questioning the witness. We determine under the circumstances present in this case that the trial court did not abuse its discretion. People v. Kratz (1925), 230 Mich 334; People v. Farrell (1906), 146 Mich 264; and People v. Roat (1898), 117 Mich 578.

The judge’s comments to which defendant objects are contained in the transcript as follows:

[217]*217“Mr. Roth (defense counsel): “Now, I will say this. What the girl says is true.- When this man was arrested he had no reason — where he was working as a guard they could have gotten a search warrant and searched the place to find a camera or films of obscene pictures.

“Mr. McCarthy (prosecutor): I would like to object to that statement as a misstatement of the law.

“The Court: Let me hear that context again, will you please, Mr. French?

(Whereupon the pending statement was read back by the reporter.)

“Mr. Roth: I. wasn’t referring to that. At the shoe shine place they could have got a search warrant.

“The Court: That is all conjecture.

“Mr. Roth: That is what the prosecutor is basing this on, conjecture.

“The Court: I am making a ruling that that comment is improper and I do not appreciate any other comments in addition to that.

# * #

“Prosecutor: Now, the defense, you know, did bring out on cross-examination that this girl didn’t complain to so and so and she didn’t complain to anyone. Then, Mr. Roth would have you believe just because the people didn’t bring out that she was afraid under direct examination that you shouldn’t believe it, that I talked to her out in the hall or I talked to her somewhere during recess. ■

“Mr. Roth: That is objected to. I never said he talked to her.

“Mr. McCarthy: I said the defense would have you believe that. I didn’t say he said that.

“The Court: Did you not ask her, the girl, on cross-examination whether or not she talked to the prosecutor?

“Mr. Roth: Only to the mother.

“Mr. McCarthy: I asked that question.

[218]*218“The Court: "Well, he can refer to it.

“Mr. Roth: He can refer to the mother but not say that I inferred that he talked to the girl outside. That is the objection, that it is an inference that he is leaving.

“The Court: Well, thex jury will remember the facts.”

We determine that the comments made under the circumstances were within the discretion of the trial court and do not constitute reversible error.

3. Was it error for the court to allow a friend of the defendant to testify that the complainant told her a day or two after the alleged offense that, “She said that the shoemaker hurt her down there and she didn’t want to go back. She was afraid”?

The facts disclose that the complainant was allowed to visit at the defendant’s home; that her parents lived in Toronto, Canada; that the friends she had, were the previous friends of the defendant; and that the complainant being of tender years was afraid of defendant, a large man weighing 225 pounds. The trial judge allowed Mrs. Cole, who had come to know the complainant by reason of being a friend of the defendant, to testify to the limited conversation of the complainant as a part of the res gestae.

The trial judge under the facts in this case properly ruled that the spontaneous, voluntary complaint to Mrs. Cole by the complainant was admissible as a part of the res gestae, despite the lapse of a day or two between the incident and complaint, the delay having been explained because of the fear engendered in the complainant by the defendant.1 People [219]*219v. Davison (1968), 12 Mich App 429; People v. Baker (1930), 251 Mich 322; People v. Harrington (1915), 186 Mich 482; People v. Rich, (1903), 133 Mich 14; and People v. Glover (1888), 71 Mich 303.

4. Did the introduction into evidence of testimony as to other similar acts between the complainant and the defendant constitute reversible error?

Defendant asserts that (a) the testimony as to similar acts between complainant and defendant should not have been admitted; (b) even if admissible, the people should have shown the purpose for which the testimony was introduced; and (c) the trial court was required to immediately instruct the jury after the introduction of the testimony as to the limited purpose for which it may be used. For the law applicable in this matter, we turn to what was said by the Court in People v. Donald D. Williams (1965), 2 Mich App 91, 94:

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

Related

State v. Jenkins
326 N.W.2d 67 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1982)
People v. Merritt
238 N.W.2d 31 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1976)
People v. DerMartzex
213 N.W.2d 97 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1973)
People v. Mitchell
205 N.W.2d 876 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1973)
People v. Kozlow
196 N.W.2d 792 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1972)
People v. Dermartzex
185 N.W.2d 33 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1970)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
185 N.W.2d 33, 29 Mich. App. 213, 1970 Mich. App. LEXIS 1102, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-dermartzex-michctapp-1970.