People v. Lowenstein

14 N.W.2d 794, 309 Mich. 94, 1944 Mich. LEXIS 304
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedJune 5, 1944
DocketDocket No. 68, Calendar No. 42,538.
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 14 N.W.2d 794 (People v. Lowenstein) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Lowenstein, 14 N.W.2d 794, 309 Mich. 94, 1944 Mich. LEXIS 304 (Mich. 1944).

Opinion

Boyles, J.

Defendant appeals from a conviction and sentence on an information charging him in the first count with the crime of sodomy, and in a second count with having debauched the morals of a boy under the age of 15 years. Two errors are relied on for reversal: (1) That the court erred in denying defendant’s motion for a new trial based *96 on a claimed repudiation by George Kusulin, the 14-year-old boy, of his testimony as the principal witness for the people; and (2) that the verdict of the jury finding the defendant guilty on both counts was faulty, erroneous and void.

A detailed recital of the repulsive testimony is not necessary to decision. George Kusulin, the 14-year-old boy who was the subject of the crime, is an epileptic, attending special school since the age of seven. lie was working for the defendant at defendant’s gasoline filling station, doing odd jobs, changing tire's, et cetera. His testimony before the jury, while inconsistent in many details, was sufficient to convince a jury of defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable - doubt. It was corroborated to some extent by other witnesses—the clerk and another employee of the hotel where defendant had a room and where the offense is claimed to have been committed. The defendant testified in his own behalf and denied committing the offense. He admitted having been convicted and sentenced in New York for a felony, and having been sentenced to a term of 3% to 4 years in Michigan for larceny. At the time of the present trial he was serving a 90-day sentence in the county jail for another offense. Several witnesses for the defendant testified regarding certain inconsistencies in the people’s testimony. Credibility of witnesses was for the jury. The testimony is important only as it bears on the denial of defendant’s motion for a new trial.

After conviction and before-sentence the defendant moved for a new trial. The ground then urged which is now before us for consideration was that the 14-year-old boy had testified falsely and that he had subsequently repudiated his testimony. Neither the court’s opinion nor order denying the motion for new trial is in the printed record, although the *97 motion obviously was denied as tbe court later imposed sentence and mittimus was issued. However, we take judicial notice of the files of this court on defendant’s application for leave to appeal and his showing in support thereof, on which showing leave to appeal was granted. The proceedings on the motion, omitted from the printed record, are in the files of this court.

Affidavits in support of the motion for new trial were filed, showing that George Kusulin, the 14-year-old boy, had signed an unsworn written statement before witnesses that he had testified falsely. His counsel stated he would ask the court to direct police officers to produce this boy before the court. In defendant’s statement of facts filed in this court with his application for leave to appeal, signed by defendant’s, present counsel and certified to this court by the trial judge, it appears that the 14-year-old boy was called and did testify before the court on the hearing on defendant’s motion for new trial. Such procedure was approved by this court in People v. Keller, 227 Mich. 520, where a motion for new trial was granted in this court after the complaining witness had recanted her former testimony. There the court said:

“We think it unfortunate that the court did not require Leah to be produced as a witness on the hearing of this motion. The unreliability of affidavits as evidence has long been recognized. Had Leah been brought before the court and examined, the judge would have been enabled to form an opinion of the weight which should be given to her conflicting sworn statements, which we would be loath to disturb.”

From defendant’s statement of facts, certified by the trial judge, we quote what occurred in court on defendant’s motion for a new trial:

*98 “At the hearing on the motion for new trial, George Kusulin testified that after defendant’s convictions, his brother, Dave, a taxi driver, picked up George Kusulin on the street at 10 p.m. on Saturday, February 20th, threatened him for having framed his brother, saying he could kill him and then promised him that he would pay the family rent and that nobody in the family would have to work if George would go to defendant’s attorney and tell him that the charge against defendant and a similar charge against one Rubin, were false and had been framed by the Canfield police. Dave did not permit the boy to go home, but kept him with him until the following Tuesday morning, during which time Dave wrote up an alleged confession, showing that the story was a frame-up and had the boy sign it in the presence of some taxi drivers and a passenger. During the same time, the boy was taken to the office of defendant’s attorney to tell his story, but made no written statement. When he returned home on Tuesday, February 23d, his mother had already called the juvenile officers, reporting his absence. Since he was on probation, the officers took him back to juvenile court where he told them what had happened and repeated that his original story was true. Defendant filed a motion for a new trial after conviction, alleging the testimony of George Kusulin ivas false and attaching a copy of the alleged confession. At the hearing of the motion, George was sworn as a witness, and admitted that he had made these statements to defendant’s attorney, but stated that they were not true and that he had only told this and answered the questions because Dave had told him to. He related that Dave kept him with him in the caji all night during the two nights he was away from home, and that when he was not in the cab, he Avas kept in Dave’s home on Blaine avenue, sleeping on the floor. George’s mother was also sworn, and testified as to his absence and that she had informed the juvenile authorities. Defense counsel asked time *99 to file additional affidavits in support of the motion. The motion for a new trial was denied after an adjournment.”

The granting or denying of a motion for a new trial rests in the sound discretion of the court. We find no abuse of discretion of the trial court in denying defendant’s motion. People v. Van Den Dreissche, 233 Mich. 38; People v. Sanford, 252 Mich. 240.

The first count in the information charged defendant with having committed the abominable and detestable crime against nature with George Kusulin (sodomy). The punishment for this crime is imprisonment in the State prison for not more than 15 years. Act No. 328, § 158, Pub. Acts 1931 (Michigan penal code) (Comp. Laws Supp. 1940, § 17115-158, Stat. Ann. § 28.355). The second count charged defendant with having debauched and depraved the morals of George Kusulin, a boy under 15 years of age, by enticing and soliciting him to commit the abominable and detestable crime against nature. The punishment for this crime is imprisonment in the State prison not more than five years. Act No. 328, § 340, Pub. Acts 1931 (Michigan penal code) (Comp. Laws Supp. 1940, §17115-340, Stat. Ann. §28.572). The jury returned a verdict of guilty of both offenses.

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Bluebook (online)
14 N.W.2d 794, 309 Mich. 94, 1944 Mich. LEXIS 304, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-lowenstein-mich-1944.