People v. Potts

223 N.W.2d 96, 55 Mich. App. 622, 1974 Mich. App. LEXIS 861
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 25, 1974
DocketDocket 17275
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 223 N.W.2d 96 (People v. Potts) 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. Potts, 223 N.W.2d 96, 55 Mich. App. 622, 1974 Mich. App. LEXIS 861 (Mich. Ct. App. 1974).

Opinions

Holbrook, P. J.

On February 3, 1971, the defendant was charged with aiding a prisoner, namely one Weldon Fossey, to escape from the Van Burén County Jail. MCLA 750.183; MSA 28.380. On February 9, the defendant was charged as a second offender in a supplemental information. MCLA 769.10; MSA 28.1082 and MCLA 769.13; MSA 28.1085. Defendant pled guilty to both charges and was sentenced to 7 to 10-1/2 years in prison.

Thereafter, appeal was had. This Court affirmed, 39 Mich App 104; 197 NW2d 139 (1972). However, the Supreme Court, by order, granted leave, vacated the judgment, and remanded to the circuit court for further proceedings "consonant with People v Jaworski”, 387 Mich 21; 194 NW2d 868 (1972). Upon remand, at arraignment, the defendant stood mute and a plea of not guilty was entered. An amended supplemental information was filed on August 7, 1972, which charged defendant as a fourth felony offender. MCLA 769.12; MSA 28.1084.

On August 9, the people filed a motion to strike the name of Weldon Fossey from the list of witnesses indorsed on the information. The people alleged that Fossey was an accomplice and was outside of the state. The motion was granted and an order in accord was entered striking the name on September 8, 1972.

Trial proceeded on December 6, and defendant was convicted by a jury of aiding an escape. On December 21, another supplemental information was filed which recited that the recent conviction [626]*626was defendant’s second. Defendant pled guilty to this charge and the previous amended supplemental information charging him as a fourth offender was dismissed. Defendant was sentenced to 7 to 10-1/2 years in prison.

Defendant here appeals as of right and sets out a number of issues which will be dealt with in proper order.

I

Defendant asserts that the trial court erred in granting the prosecution’s motion to strike the witness Fossey from the information on the basis that there is not an absolute accomplice exception to MCLA 767.40; MSA 28.980, and that under the circumstances of this case the interests of justice would have been served by the production of the witness. Further, defendant asserts that an accomplice that has been voluntarily indorsed cannot be striken solely on the basis of the so-called accomplice exception. The statute provides:

"All informations shall be filed in the court having jurisdiction of the offense specified therein, after the proper return is filed by the examining magistrate, by the prosecuting attorney of the county as informant; he shall indorse thereon the names of the witnesses known to him at the time of filing the same. The information shall be subscribed by the prosecuting attorney or in his name by an assistant prosecuting attorney. Names of additional witnesses may be indorsed before or during the trial by leave of the court and upon such conditions as the court shall determine.”

It is a settled rule of law that the prosecution is not required to call accomplices, even though indorsed upon the information. See People v Virgil Brown, 15 Mich App 600, 603; 167 NW2d 107, 108 [627]*627(1969), and cases cited therein; and People v Margaret Jones, 48 Mich App 334, 339-340; 210 NW2d 396, 398-399 (1973), wherein Judge Bronson wrote:

"We find no need for the accomplice to be formally charged before the accomplice exception is applicable. Cf. People v Raider, 256 Mich 131; 239 NW 387 (1931); People v Moore, 29 Mich App 597; 185 NW2d 834 (1971); People v Peck, 39 Mich App 150; 197 NW2d 346 (1972).” [See also People v Threlkeld, 47 Mich App 691, 696; 209 NW2d 852, 855 (1973).]

and

"After reviewing the cited authorities, we recognize the persuasive appeal of defendant’s argument. Due to the duration of controlling precedents we decline defendant’s invitation to establish a new rule of law. This argument is more properly addressed to our Supreme Court. See, e.g., People v Henderson, 47 Mich App 53; 209 NW2d 326 (1973).”

We agree that defendant’s argument is more properly directed to the Supreme Court, rather than our Court. See also People v Mitchell, 48 Mich App 361, 363; 210 NW2d 509, 510 (1973); and People v Irwin, 47 Mich App 608, 610; 209 NW2d 718, 720 (1973). As an intermediate court we are constrained to follow precedent. As to this issue the precedent is clear, namely, that the prosecution was under no duty to call the witness Fossey, notwithstanding having indorsed him on the information.

II

The defendant next asserts that the trial court erred in its comments on the evidence to the jury in that it failed to point out conflicting prosecution [628]*628evidence and misrepresented the defendant’s position.

"The people claim that about 2:30 in the afternoon Mr. Vorpagel was taken to the visitors’ room by David McGuire, the turnkey; that after visiting with his relatives, Mr. Vorpagel was returned to cell block 9 by Mr. McGuire, and that as Mr. McGuire opened the door to return Mr. Vorpagel to the cell, defendant and Mr. Fossey assaulted and beat Mr. McGuire, rendering him unconscious, and that defendant and Mr. Fossey then went to the visitors’ room and escaped through the window. It is the claim of the people that defendant by joining in an assault on the turnkey assisted in rendering the turnkey unconscious and thereby assisted and aided Mr. Fossey in his escape as well as procuring his own escape from the jail.

"The defendant denies his guilt and asserts his innocence. He says that on the day in question he was confined in the jail and that he saw an opportunity to escape from jail and availed himself of that opportunity. He says that he did not aid or assist Mr. Fossey in any way, nor did he intend to aid or assist Mr. Fossey to escape, and that whatever he did was done solely to effect his own escape from jail, and did not in fact assist in Mr. Fossey’s escape or his attempt to escape.”

If a judge elects to comment on the evidence, "he must take great pains to make sure his comment is at least an accurate representation of the subject”. People v King, 384 Mich 310, 315; 181 NW2d 916, 918 (1970). The review should be fair and impartial. People v Wichman, 15 Mich App 110, 115; 166 NW2d 298, 301 (1968). We find the trial court’s comments to be fair, impartial and accurate.

Ill

The defendant asserts that the instructions as to [629]*629the required intent were insufficient. The jury was instructed:

"It is not necessary to show that there was a prior agreement or conspiracy between Mr. Fossey and the defendant, nor is it necessary to show that defendant’s acts were done for the express and sole purpose of aiding Mr. Fossey in his attempt to escape.

"It is sufficient if defendant acted knowingly and intentionally, and if his act did in fact aid or assist Mr. Fossey in his attempt to escape.

"In determining intent, you may determine the intent with which an act was done by any evidence in the case which fairly establishes its existence. In the absence of any reasonable explanation to the contrary, a person is considered to intend the natural and ordinary consequences of his act. Thus, in this case, if you find that defendant assaulted David McGuire, and that the natural and ordinary consequences of his assault on McGuire would be to assist Mr.

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Bluebook (online)
223 N.W.2d 96, 55 Mich. App. 622, 1974 Mich. App. LEXIS 861, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-potts-michctapp-1974.