People v. Nawrocki

136 N.W.2d 922, 376 Mich. 252, 1965 Mich. LEXIS 218
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 4, 1965
DocketCalendar 33, Docket 50,591
StatusPublished
Cited by29 cases

This text of 136 N.W.2d 922 (People v. Nawrocki) 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. Nawrocki, 136 N.W.2d 922, 376 Mich. 252, 1965 Mich. LEXIS 218 (Mich. 1965).

Opinions

[254]*254Kelly, J.

Defendant appeals from a Kent county jury conviction of forgery and uttering and publishing a check, claiming that the trial court erred (1) In failing to instruct the jury that evidence of crimes other than the crime charged in the information should be limited to a determination of a fraudulent plan, scheme, or intent, and (2) In failing to specifically instruct the jury that to find defendant guilty the jury must find beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant committed the specific crime charged in the information.

During the weekend of March 25, 1961, a cheek protector and checks bearing the preprinted numbers of 349 to 600 were stolen from the Bos Leather Company, in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Lily LaQue (who was jointly charged with this crime and who, prior to defendant’s trial, pleaded guilty) testified that on or about March 29, 1961, defendant George Nawrocld came to her apartment, having with him certain checks of the Bos Leather Company; that he asked her to sign certain names to these checks'; that some time late in the night of March 31st or the early morning of April 1st, she and-one Robert Hollenbeck 3 met. Mr. Nawrocld; that on April 1st, defendant, Robert Hollenbeck and herself drove to the city of Wyoming -in a car driven by defendant; that they then continued on to Grand-ville where, while she and defendant sat in the car, Hollenbeck'passed one of the forged checks at the Grandville Super Market; that they then drove to Fred’s Trading Post where a similar transaction of passing a forged cheek occurred; that the three of them finally drove to Eberhard’s Supermarket in the city of Wyoming, and that Mr. Hollenbeck went in [255]*255and attempted to pass a check in this establishment, but the store manager became suspicious, called the police, and at that point Mr. Hollenbeck was arrested by the Wyoming police department.

Subsequent to the arrest of Hollenbeck, Lily La-Que was arrested, and at a later time defendant was arrested by the Grand Rapids police department.

Robert Hollenbeck’s testimony corroborated the testimony of Lily LaQue.

Defendant did not testify hut, in opposition to the foregoing testimony, filed notice of alibi, and presented witnesses to establish the fact that he was in a gasoline service station, .which he operated in Grand Rapids, during the time that both Lily LaQue and Hollenbeck testified he was with them cashing the forged checks.

In rebuttal to this alibi, the prosecution offered testimony of a service station operator and a service station attendant, whose stations were located in the vicinity of Eberhard’s Supermarket, in Wyoming. Both corroborated Lily LaQue’s testimony that she was in their respective stations at about the time she said they attempted to cash a check at the Eberhard Supermarket, and the service station attendant identified defendant as being with her.

It was-proper — yes necessary, for the prosecution to introduce the -evidence of the passing of the three checks in order to advise the jury of the continuing operation, involving only a few hours, that led up to the offense for which defendant was charged.

The court did instruct the jury that they must find beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant 'did commit the specific crime charged in the information.

Defendant did not request any instructions which the court refused to give, nor did defendant call to the trial court’s attention any objection to the instructions given. '

[256]*256The jury in this case had the problem of deciding whether they should believe the prosecution witnesses, Lily LaQue and Robert Hollenbeck, or defendant’s alibi witnesses, and the court properly instructed the jury in this regard, stating:

“If you find that the people have not established each and every element of its case as charged by them by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, then your verdict would be not guilty. I will repeat. If you should find that the alibi is sustained by the defendant, of course then he could not be at the scene of the crime, and your verdict then would be not guilty. If you find he has not sustained the alibi, you must still go on and determine whether the prosecutor has proved each and every other element of the case, as I have outlined to you, by evidence beyond a reasonable doubt.”

We find no error. Affirmed.

Addendum :

The principles of law majored in my Brother’s dissent are misapplied to this appeal and to emphasize this point further attention is directed to the record.

Testimony was offered by the people to establish the following:

Defendant Nawrocki and Lily LaQue had been on intimate terms for a period of time previous to the date of passing the forged checks (April 1,1961). He paid for her rent and food and gave her spending-money.

Lily LaQue filched Robert Chivis’ driving license while drinking with him at a bar. Two days before the forged checks in question were presented for payment, defendant brought to Lily LaQue’s apartment checks of the Bos Leather Company and, under defendant’s directions and instructions, she wrote in the name of Robert Chivis as payee,

[257]*257On the night before the checks were passed, defendant advised Lily LaQue that the man he had depended upon to accompany him and pass the checks had failed him, and, when they saw Eobert Hollenbeck passing the car in which they were seated they called him over to their car.

Hollenbeck (21 years of age) was acquainted with Lily LaQue but had never met Nawrocki. Nawrocki, after inquiring as to Hollenbeck’s weight and height and comparing same with the descriptions on Eobert Chivis’ driving license, decided that he would come close to fitting the height and weight descriptions and offered him the job of accompanying him the next morning, making some easy money by passing the forged checks.

Lily LaQue’s direct examination related the trip in the car defendant drove during the 2-hour period from the time she and Hollenbeck got in the car to the time Hollenbeck was arrested while passing the third forged check; how defendant, becoming apprehensive over the delay in the third store, drove away as the police car drove up, and how she and defendant stopped later at a gasoline station and defendant had her enter the station and flush the remaining forged checks down the toilet.

There was no objection to this testimony, and, to the contrary, defense counsel cross-examined in detail in regard to everything that happened from the time Lily LaQue got into the car on the morning of the arrest until she left defendant’s presence.

Lily LaQue’s testimony was corroborated by Hollenbeck’s testimony and neither was broken down by cross-examination.

I quote from appellant’s brief as' follows:

“Other than the fact that some checks were stolen from the Bos Leather Company and other than the fact that two of these checks were passed, one at the Grrandvilie Super Market and one at Fred’s Trading [258]*258Po'st and that a third was attempted to be cashed at Eberhard’s and that Lily LaQue and Robert Hollenbeck pleaded guilty to these passings, the facts are in dispute.”

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Bluebook (online)
136 N.W.2d 922, 376 Mich. 252, 1965 Mich. LEXIS 218, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-nawrocki-mich-1965.