People v. Plummer

237 N.W.2d 482, 65 Mich. App. 396, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 973
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 12, 1975
DocketDocket No. 14946
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 237 N.W.2d 482 (People v. Plummer) 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. Plummer, 237 N.W.2d 482, 65 Mich. App. 396, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 973 (Mich. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

D. E. Holbrook, J.

On September 25, 1970, defendant Keith Plummer was found guilty by an Oakland County jury of kidnapping, MCLA 750.349; MSA 28.581; rape, MCLA 750.520; MSA 28.788; assault with intent to murder, MCLA 750.83; MSA 28.278; and unlawfully driving away an automobile, MCLA 750.413; MSA 28.645. He was sentenced to serve 40 to 60 years on each of-the three capital charges and 4 to 5 years on the charge of unlawfully driving away an automobile. That conviction was reversed by this Court in People v Plummer, 37 Mich App 657; 195 NW2d 328 (1972). On June 27, 1972, defendant was again found guilty of all four offenses and given the same sentences. From that conviction defendant brings this appeal.

The facts in this case are particularly sordid even for cases involving similar crimes, but may be quite easily summarized. At trial, there was ample, unrefuted evidence to show that defendant abducted his 54-year-old victim from a parking lot [398]*398near downtown Detroit. Using his victim’s car, defendant forced her, at knife point, to accompany him to a spot several miles from the city. Upon arriving at a secluded spot in a rural area, defendant parked the car and informed his victim that he was going to rape her. He then took his victim to some bushes a short distance from the road where he did rape her. Because of her age, the rape itself resulted in serious injury to the victim. After raping her, defendant stabbed his victim several times in the neck and abdomen. He then left the scene in the victim’s car. The victim, who had passed out during the attack, regained consciousness and made her way back to the road where she found help.

Defendant was a juvenile at the time of the offense, but juvenile court jurisdiction was waived so that defendant could be tried as an adult. Defendant’s waiver to circuit court was valid, as it complied with JCR 1969, 11.

On this appeal, defendant raises several allegations of error, only two of which we feel merit discussion.

At trial, defendant did not attempt to contest the fact that the crimes had been committed or that he had committed them. Rather, defendant entered a defense of insanity. Defendant called several witnesses who gave testimony which was favorable to his insanity defense. The prosecution called two witnesses in rebuttal of defendant’s insanity defense. Defendant makes allegations of error concerning the testimony of both of the prosecution’s rebuttal witnesses. Defendant claims it was reversible error to allow the testimony of a juvenile court psychologist who had interviewed defendant to assist the juvenile court in deciding whether or not to waive jurisdiction. Before the [399]*399psychologist, Mr. Sokolov, was allowed to testify at trial, defense counsel objected on the basis of confidentiality and public policy. It was argued that since Mr. Sokolov had seen the defendant pursuant to proceedings in juvenile court, any communication was privileged and the introduction of evidence based on it would be contrary to public policy. Defendant’s "privileged communication” argument, based on MCLA 338.1018; MSA 14.677(18), is effectively answered by the case of People v Bol, 23 Mich App 244; 178 NW2d 516 (1970). Defendant cites this case in an attempt to distinguish it, but fails to do so. In Bol, supra, 23 Mich App at 250; 178 NW2d 519, this Court ruled on the applicability of MCLA 338.1018; MSA 14.677(18), to the testimony of a psychologist who had examined the complaining witness at the request of the juvenile court for the purpose of assisting the juvenile authorities:

"This Court concludes that there is no basis for holding that a doctor-patient privilege exists, since before such a finding, this Court must conclude that there did exist a true doctor-patient relationship. Here, the complainant was ordered by the court to submit to the doctor’s examination, with information thus obtained to be used by the authorities in the disposition of the complainant.”

That same reasoning applies to this case and compels us to reach the same result. Defendant’s reliance on MCLA 338.1018; MSA 14.677(18) is misplaced.

Defendant bases his public policy argument for excluding Mr. Sokolov’s testimony upon an analogy between a psychological evaluation undertaken for the benefit of the juvenile court and a competency hearing in circuit court pursuant to [400]*400MCLA 767.27a; MSA 28.966(11). Defendant’s analogy is of no help to him here. MCLA 767.27a(4); MSA 28.966(H)(4) provides:

"Upon receipt of the diagnostic report and recommendations the sheriff shall immediately return the defendant to the committing court and the court shall immediately hear and determine the issue of competence to stand trial. The diagnostic report and recommendations shall be admissible as evidence in the hearing, but not for any other purpose in the pending criminal proceedings. ” (Emphasis supplied.)

This section of the statute concerns itself only with the diagnostic report and recommendations made by the person who evaluates a defendant pursuant to this statute. It does not make any mention of the admissibility of actual testimony as to the sanity of the defendant at a later trial should the defendant put forth an insanity defense. But for some reason, in reliance upon that section of the statute, it has sometimes been assumed that the person performing the evaluation for purposes of determining competency to stand trial could not testify as to defendant’s sanity should the defendant interpose an insanity defense. See People v Martin, 386 Mich 407; 192 NW2d 215 (1971), People v Schneider, 39 Mich App 342; 197 NW2d 539 (1972). We do not believe such a view to be the product of well-reasoned analysis. Rather, we agree with Justice Levin who, concurring in People v Garland, 393 Mich 215, 221-222; 224 NW2d 45, 47 (1974), said:

"In Part I we address the contentions of the parties revolving around the previously quoted words of the Martin opinion and conclude that this statute, limiting the use of diagnostic report and recommendations, does not — contrary to the declaration in Martin — prohibit a [401]*401psychiatrist who conducts a competency examination from testifying at trial.”

Justices T. G. Kavanagh and J. W. Fitzgerald concurred with Justice Levin, and the Court was unanimous in affirming the defendant’s conviction, the other justices deciding they need not face the subject issue, in order to affirm.

Even assuming the validity of such pre- Garland decisions as Martin and Schneider as they construe MCLA 767.27a(4); MSA 28.966(H)(4), defendant’s analogy is still of no help to him. This is for the simple reason that there is no juvenile code counterpart to MCLA 767.27a(4); MSA 28.966(H)(4). In the absence of such analogous statute, we see no reason why a psychologist who interviews a defendant in order to aid the juvenile court in determination of the question of waiver to circuit court cannot testify as to that defendant’s sanity, should the defendant later interpose an insanity defense.

Defendant next asserts that it was error for the prosecution’s other rebuttal witness to be allowed to state what he believed to be the Michigan test for a defense of insanity. Before the expert witness in question was allowed to answer, defense counsel objected:

"I’m going to object, your Honor.

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

Related

People v. Stevens
283 N.W.2d 763 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
237 N.W.2d 482, 65 Mich. App. 396, 1975 Mich. App. LEXIS 973, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-plummer-michctapp-1975.