People v. Rich

212 N.W. 105, 237 Mich. 481, 1927 Mich. LEXIS 555
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 4, 1927
DocketDocket No. 122.
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 212 N.W. 105 (People v. Rich) 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. Rich, 212 N.W. 105, 237 Mich. 481, 1927 Mich. LEXIS 555 (Mich. 1927).

Opinions

Defendant was informed against in the Calhoun circuit court charged with common-law rape. The facts, briefly stated, are these: Defendant, a young man 21 years old, and the prosecutrix, Louise King, a young lady student at the Battle Creek College, aged about 19 years, in company with another young couple, Mr. Baker and Miss Reasoner, on the evening of May 25, 1925, drove out to the grounds of the Country Club at Goguac lake near Battle Creek in defendant's car. When they reached a point in the drive spoken of in the record as the "turn around" defendant and prosecutrix got out of the car. The prosecutrix claims defendant said he wanted to show her where he had made a remarkable shot in golf. Mr. Baker and Miss Reasoner remained in the car. The distance defendant and prosecutrix went from the *Page 483 car is in dispute, defendant fixing it at a short distance and prosecutrix fixing it at from 350 to 500 feet. It is the claim of prosecutrix that defendant attacked her, beat her into insensibility and accomplished his purpose by force and against her will. Defendant admits the act of intercourse but insists that it was with the consent of the prosecutrix. It will not be necessary to detail subsequent events that evening, and it will suffice to state that the party returned to Battle Creek; defendant stated to friends of prosecutrix where she was living that she was intoxicated, and some of them accompanied the party in a drive taken for the purpose of resuscitating prosecutrix; she was returned to Battle Creek and during the night medical aid was summoned. The testimony established beyond doubt that from some source prosecutrix had received a most serious injury; her jaw was fractured and she was semi-conscious for many hours.

Defendant made a motion for change of venue from Calhoun county and filed affidavits in support thereof. This motion was opposed by the prosecuting attorney and counter-affidavits were filed. These affidavits do not appear in the record, although the argument in this court proceeded on the theory that they were of similar purport to those filed in the Ingham circuit on a similar motion, and which later affidavits are before us. The motion for a change of venue was denied, and a trial was had in Calhoun county resulting in a disagreement of the jury. The prosecuting attorney then made a motion for a change of venue, which was granted, and the case transferred to Ingham county over objection of defendant. Defendant sought a change of venue from Ingham county after the case had reached that county, but this request was refused and a trial was there had resulting in a verdict of guilty, followed by a life sentence. The case is before us on writ of error with a record of 1,199 pages and upon 198 assignments of error. *Page 484

Much of defendant's brief is devoted to the question of change of venue, and it is insisted that section 10 of Act No. 157, Laws 1851, as amended (3 Comp. Laws 1915, § 14563), in so far as it permits a change of venue in criminal cases on application of the people, offends both the State and Federal Constitutions, and it is urged that, taking into consideration all of the opinions in the case of Glinnan v. Judge ofRecorder's Court, 173 Mich. 674, it was so held in that case. While it is doubtless true that the Glinnan Case does modify the case of Lyle v. Cass Circuit Judge, 157 Mich. 33, it does not in any way modify the holding in People v. Peterson,93 Mich. 27, and People v. Fuhrmann, 103 Mich. 593. So far as the State Constitution is concerned, it must be held that thePeterson, Fuhrmann, and Glinnan cases settle the constitutionality of this legislation, and long ago, in Gut v.The State, 9 Wall. (U.S.) 35, it was settled by the Supreme Court of the United States that such legislation by a State presented no Federal question. It was there said by Mr. Justice Field, speaking for the court:

"Undoubtedly the provision securing to the accused a public trial within the county or district in which the offense is committed is of the highest importance. It prevents the possibility of sending him for trial to a remote district, at a distance from friends, among strangers, and perhaps parties animated by prejudices of a personal or partisan character; but its enforcement in cases arising under State laws is not a matter within the jurisdiction of the Federal courts."

It must be held that this legislation offends neither the State nor the Federal Constitutions. We do not overlookState v. Gossett, 117 S.C. 76 (108 S.E. 290, 16 A.L.R. 1299), upon which much reliance is placed by defendant's counsel. The opinion in that case is both forceful and able. But entirely different legislation was there before the court than is here involved. *Page 485 Under the act there before the court, the solicitor of the circuit was empowered without any showing to apply to the governor to call a special term of court; the governor was required to call such special term and the chief justice was required to designate a disengaged circuit judge to hold the term. Under the act, the governor and chief justice were but automatons in the hands of the solicitor. It was held that the legislation was invalid and it was pointed out wherein it differed from former legislation which permitted the courts to function in the discharge of judicial duties in their proper sphere. Here, while the motion is made by the prosecuting attorney, the court in the discharge of its judicial functions determines as a judicial question whether the motion shall be granted or denied and the change is made by, and only by, an order of the court. The cases are clearly distinguishable.

But it is insisted the section is no longer in force. When the judicature act was passed the provision stood as section 309, 1 Comp. Laws 1897, being section 10 of chapter 25 of that compilation, although it had been amended. By the judicature act (3 Comp. Laws 1915, § 14465), chapter 25 "with the exception of section 309," was repealed. It is the contention of defendant's counsel that if the legislature desired to save this section it should have re-enacted it under the provisions of art. 5, § 21, of the Constitution, which reads:

"No law shall be revised, altered or amended by reference to its title only; but the act revised and the section or sections of the act altered or amended shall be re-enacted and published at length."

But this section was neither revised, altered, or amended. It was left to stand as it then was. Manifestly this section of the Constitution does not require the legislature to re-enact laws it determines shall be left as they are. *Page 486

It is next urged that the showing for a change of venue was insufficient and that the order made was an abuse of discretion. The affidavit of the prosecuting attorney, which accompanied the petition for change of venue, standing alone, was not sufficient to authorize the order, the ground alleged being that a fair and impartial trial could not be had in Calhoun county "without great expense to the people of Calhoun county." The criminal laws must be enforced, and defendants charged with crime are entitled to a trial by a fair and impartial jury notwithstanding great expense to the taxpayers is caused. But the trial judge had before him not only this affidavit but also the numerous affidavits filed by defendant himself on his motion for a change of venue.

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

Related

People v. Schmitz
586 N.W.2d 766 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1998)
State v. House
1998 NMCA 018 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1998)
In Re Attorney General
341 N.W.2d 253 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1983)
People v. Goode
261 N.W.2d 47 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1977)
People v. Stanley Jones
245 N.W.2d 91 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1976)
People v. Riley
240 N.W.2d 787 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1976)
People v. Gant
209 N.W.2d 874 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1973)
People v. Grant
207 N.W.2d 198 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1973)
State v. Champagne
198 N.W.2d 218 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1972)
People v. Karalla
192 N.W.2d 676 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1971)
People v. Oates
119 N.W.2d 530 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1963)
Garrigan v. LaSalle Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
106 N.W.2d 807 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1961)
Nail v. State
328 S.W.2d 836 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1959)
In Re Fitch Drain No. 129
77 N.W.2d 450 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1956)
Cary v. Thomas
76 N.W.2d 817 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1956)
State v. Foley
237 P.2d 1033 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1951)
Frank v. State
35 N.W.2d 816 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1949)
Hillman Township Board v. Empire Mutual Fire Insurance
235 N.W. 194 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1931)
Garton v. Powers
233 N.W. 373 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1930)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
212 N.W. 105, 237 Mich. 481, 1927 Mich. LEXIS 555, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-rich-mich-1927.