People v. Kimble

236 N.W.2d 109, 64 Mich. App. 484, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1286
Michigan Court of Appeals·Decided September 23, 1975·No. Docket 20286·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinions

After Remand

D. E. Holbrook, P. J.

Our previous opinion in this case is found at 60 Mich App 690; 233 NW2d 26 (1975). Therein we remanded in accord with GCR 1963, 820.1(5) for a hearing in accord with People v Robinson, 390 Mich 629; 213 NW2d 106 (1973). We said therein at 60 Mich App 698; 233 NW2d at 30:

"It shall be the obligation of the trial judge to require the prosecutor to produce or explain why he cannot produce Edrita Roth át such hearing, and why she was [486]*486not produced at trial. If [Miss] Roth is produced she shall be examined regarding her knowledge of the crime of which defendant was convicted.”

The remand hearing was held May 28, 1975, and several witnesses testified. Jack Billingsley, a Grand Rapids police officer, testified as follows concerning the failure to produce Edrita Roth, an indorsed res gestae witness, at the trial:

"Q [defense attorney]: To answer my question though, prior to January 7, if that is the date, January 7, 1974, two days before trial, prior to January 7 you had made no attempt to serve the subpoenas?
"A. Not that I recall.
"Q. Specifically with respect to Edrita Roth you had made no effort to serve the subpoena?
'A. Not that I recall.
”Q. When you went out to the bank on January 7, 1974, someone told you that Edrita no longer worked there?
’A. Yes.
"Q. You don’t recall who informed you of that?
’A. I don’t remember specifically who that was.
”Q. To the best of your recollection someone simply said she lived in Seattle?
'A. Whether it was a manager or another teller, I don’t remember.
”Q. Did you talk to her employer to find out her home address?
'A. I talked — going back to my standard procedure, if I find someone out of town—
"Q. Well, Officer, in all due respect, I want you to try to recall your memory of this case.
'A. To say specifically if I remember talking to them at this point in time, I do not.
”Q. You have no recollection then of attempting to serve the subpoena on Edrita Roth at any home address in the Grand Rapids area?
’A. I don’t recall having a home address on them, sir.
[487]*487"Q. Well, do you recall what you did to try to obtain a home address on them?
"A. As I recall, I went to the bank and received the information from that point. I don’t recall if I had any other information or not.
”Q. Would it be fair to say then, Officer, that you went to the bank approximately two days prior to the scheduled trial to serve the subpoena on Edrita Roth?
’A. Yes.
”Q. Would it further be true that someone at the bank, the person whom you are not sure whether it was a manager or coemployee, informed you that she lived in Seattle, Washington?
'A. Yes.
"Q. Is it further true that after that you did nothing to attempt to serve the subpoena other than to advise the prosecutor’s office of the situation?
'A. As I recall, yes.
”Q. You did nothing to contact any of her family?
'A. I don’t recall that, no.
”Q. You did nothing to try to locate the home address for Edrita Roth in the Grand Rapids area?
'A. I may have, but I don’t recall doing so.
“Q. Do you recall talking with anyone other than one person who said to you that she now lived in Seattle, Washington?
’A. As I recall there were two other people subpoenaed. Whether I discussed with each of those or both of those, at this point in time, I don’t remember.
"Q. Were you given any directions by the prosecutor’s office as to further efforts that you should undertake to serve Edrita Roth?
'A. None that I remember.
”Q. Do you recall making any telephone conversations or telephone calls to anyone to try to locate Edrita Roth?
"A. None that I can recall.
”Q. Officer, are you familiar as a server of subpoenas that the statute which authorizes one to secure the attendance of a witness who resides in the sister state? [sic.]
[488]*488"A. No, I am not.
”Q. You made no efforts then I take it to request from the trial court a certificate or a subpoena for purposes of service of this subpoena on Edrita Roth in the state of Washington?
'A. On no cases do I handle any mail or subpoenas to persons outside of the city. It is done by the prosecutor or the city attorney or whoever handles the subpoenas originally.
"Q. In this particular case then, to answer my question, you did not apply to the court for the issuance of the subpoena for out of the state service?
’A. No, I did not.
”Q. To your knowledge did any one else in this particular case?
’A. Not to my knowledge.”

It is obvious that the prosecution failed to follow the statutory procedure for securing the out-of-state witness’s attendance at the trial, and further, that the people failed to exercise the degree of due diligence required. People v Harrison, 44 Mich App 578; 205 NW2d 900 (1973), People v Nieto, 33 Mich App 535; 190 NW2d 579 (1971).

The trial judge also ruled on the remand to the circuit court that the testimony of Edrita Roth, the res gestae witness, would be merely cumulative. There was no additional testimony taken at the remand hearing of witnesses who observed the occurrence concerning the alleged crime. In our previous opinion we determined that there was no evidence presented at trial that Edrita Roth’s testimony would be merely cumulative.

We also note that the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Craig S. Neckers, testified as follows at the remand hearing concerning efforts to obtain Edrita Roth’s presence at the remand hearing:

”Q Iby Mr. Johnston, assistant prosecuting attorney. [489]*489Mr. Neckers, would you state your full name for the record, please.
"A. Craig S. Neckers.
"Q.

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People v. Kimble, 236 N.W.2d 109, 64 Mich. App. 484, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 1286 (Mich. Ct. App. 1975).

236 N.W.2d 109 (People v. Kimble) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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300 N.W.2d 616 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1980)
People v. Kimble
236 N.W.2d 109 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1975)