People v. Thomas

192 N.W. 602, 221 Mich. 651, 1923 Mich. LEXIS 514
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 22, 1923
DocketDocket No. 155
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 192 N.W. 602 (People v. Thomas) 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. Thomas, 192 N.W. 602, 221 Mich. 651, 1923 Mich. LEXIS 514 (Mich. 1923).

Opinion

Moore, J.

The defendant was charged with breaking and entering a store in the nighttime and with the offense of larceny of property of the value of $328. Mr. Thomas was convicted of the larceny of property of the value of $328. The record fairly shows that about the hour of 3 o’clock on the morning of July 15, 1922, the store of Leslie F. Taylor, located at 1866 Michigan avenue in the city of Detroit, was broken into and 13 automobile tires stolen therefrom. A police officer testified that he saw two men carrying tires from this store, but he was unable to identify the men or the car as the men made a “get away” as they saw him approaching them. Some time later, but the same night, a car with automobile tires in it and driven by Christler, and in which was Thomas, was overtaken by an officer who was in chase of the car about a mile from Mr. Taylor’s store. The tires were piled in the back seat of the car.

At the time of the arrest Mr. Thomas told the officer that he had been picked up by Christler and taken as an innocent passenger. Christler said the same thing and told the officers that Thomas knew nothing of the theft of the tires and was merely a passenger with him.

Before the jury was sworn the defendant filed a written challenge to the array claiming that Act No. 364, Pub. Acts 1921 (Comp. Laws Supp. 1922, § 14725 [15]), was unconstitutional. This is the act creating the new and separate jury commission for the recorder’s court for the city of Detroit.

Soon after the burglary Mr. Taylor, was notified of what happened at his store which he had locked [653]*653securely the night before, and upon arriving at the store soon after he was notified found that the front door had been pried open with a jimmy, and that 13 tires had been stolen. He identified the tires which were in the automobile with Thomas and Christler as his tires which had been stolen from his store. During the course of the trial the defense sought* on cross-examination, to have the witness, Leslie F„. Taylor, testify as to his conversation with the defendant, Thomas, when Thomas was in jail. The testimony was excluded. Not all the errors assigned are. discussed by counsel, and we suppose those not discussed are abandoned.

The first assignment of error requiring attention is-the claim that the court erred in refusing to permit Leslie F. Taylor, a witness for the people, to testify as to his conversation with the defendant, because it was a part of the res gestee. This conversation was. not at the time of the breaking open of the store, nor’ at the time of the arrest, but it was after the defendant was locked up.

We quote from the record:

“The Court: You hardly claim that it is a part of the res gestee?
“Mr. MeClear: No, I couldn’t say it is a part of the res gestee.” ¡

We think the counsel was right when he answered the inquiry of the judge, and is wrong in his present contention.

The second assignment requiring attention is the claim that the court erred in admitting in evidence-people’s Exhibit 1, because the same was not properly identified. It is a complete answer to this claim that Mr. Taylor identified the tire, Exhibit 1, as one of those stolen from him.

The remaining assignment of error requiring attention is the claim that the court erred in his charge [654]*654to the jury that recent possession of stolen property is some evidence of guilt.

The particular portion of the court’s charge assigned here reads as follows:

“Now I might say in this connection — there has been some parlance between counsel, that is why I have referred to it that recent possession of stolen property is some evidence of guilt on the part of the person thus in possession but it is not conclusive evidence. It is evidence that you have a right to take into consideration, giving it such weight or consideration as you in your judgment believe under the facts, as you may find the facts to be, as disclosed by the testimony in this case; that is such weight as you believe those facts would merit.”

It may be well here to refer to what the judge called the parlance of counsel.

The prosecuting attorney was arguing that the recent' possession of stolen property as shown by this record, we quote: “is proof of guilt and is proof of it beyond a reasonable doubt.”

“Mr: McClear: Well, just a minute. I object to that. Proof of possession isn’t any evidence of breaking and entering.
“The Court: I think the rule of law is that recent possession is some evidence. Recent possession of stolen property is some evidence, but not conclusive evidence of larceny.
“Mr. McClear: Yes, but not of breaking and.entering as the charge is here.
“The Court: No.”

It will be noticed that the counsel agreed with the court at that time.

It may be well to quote what the trial judge said to the jury upon the subject of larceny:

“Now, gentlemen of the jury, there is included within the offense charged in the information the offense of larceny. As I have already said, larceny is defined as the felonious taking and carrying away of the goods [655]*655and chattels of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of his' property. By ‘felonious taking’ is meant taking without any color of right. ‘Carrying away’ means the removal from the place of the goods where the owner has left them. The goods taken of course .must be the property of some person other than;the one taking them. It must be the goods of another, and the goods so taken must be taken with the intent on the part of the person taking them to permanently deprive the- owner of his property. I think it is unnecessary for me to go into any discussion of that further than that. ■ Now,; I might say in this connection — there has been some parlance between counsel, that is why I have referred to it — that recent possession of stolen property is some evidence of guilt on the part of the person thus in possession, but it is not conclusive evidence. It is evidence that you have a right to take into consideration, giving it such weight or consideration as you in your judgment believe under the facts, as you may find the facts to be_, as disclosed by the testimony in this case, that is, such weight as you believe those facts would merit.
“Now, if you find from the testimony in this case that there was not a breaking on the part of this defendant, as I have defined that to you, but that the respondent entered the store of Leslie F. Taylor on the night of the 14th of; July, 1922, and from such building or store carried away property of value, then you should find the respondent guilty of larceny, in which event it would be .necessary for you to fix the value of the property so taken. The value of the ■property alleged to have been taken in the information is the sum of $328, but that does not govern you. If you are. convinced beyond a reasonable doubt the testimony here has established the respondent guilty of the offense of larceny, then you would determine from the testimony in the case what the value of the goods so taken amounted to.

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

Related

People v. Coward
188 N.W.2d 182 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1971)
State v. Costin
28 P.2d 782 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1934)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
192 N.W. 602, 221 Mich. 651, 1923 Mich. LEXIS 514, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-thomas-mich-1923.