People v. Watkins

193 N.W.2d 914, 36 Mich. App. 380, 1971 Mich. App. LEXIS 1322
Michigan Court of Appeals·Decided October 19, 1971·No. Docket 9650·Published·Cited by 11 cases

Opinions

Holbrook, J.

In a trial before a jury defendant DeShorn Watkins was tried for the crime of first-degree murder1 and convicted of second-deg'ree murder.2 He was sentenced to prison for a term of from 10 to 15 years. He states one issue on appeal as follows:

Did the trial court err in failing to grant a motion to dismiss the charge of first-degree murder and later in instructing the jury on the offense of first-degree murder in view of the evidence in this case?

On the evening of December 31, 1969, defendant and Crawford Crowell had attended a social gathering in Muskegon Heights with two or three other persons, including Dora Kirks.

There had been some drinking of beer by the men. Earlier defendant and Crowell had been drinking wine at Crawford Crowell’s house. Sometime after 11 p.m. defendant left with Crawford Crowell and Dora Kirks to go to defendant’s apartment. On the way they met Larry Kirk, the deceased, and Arnold Penn who were invited to accompany them to defendant’s apartment. After arriving at defendant’s [384] apartment they entertained themselves by talking and listening to some records. The men engaged in drinking beer and whiskey and Dora Kirks had one beer. For a period of time defendant was demonstrating karate to Larry Kirk. Arnold Penn fell asleep in a chair in the living room. Then defendant and Kirk went to the bathroom and they were apparently in a jovial mood. Shortly before they returned to the living room, Crawford Crowell and Dora Kirks retired to the bedroom. She testified the door was left slightly ajar and he testified he closed it. They engaged in an act of sexual intercourse. After a short time, according to Dora Kirks, the defendant came and opened the bedroom door and said “you better come and get this mother * * * before I kill him”.

Both Dora Kirks and Crawford Crowell testified that at this time their act of intercourse was not completed. Later defendant came back again and said he had cut him or something. At that time Crowell got up and dressed and went out into the living room where he observed that the deceased had been cut with a knife. It was established that the weapon (knife) had been out in the kitchen. Dora Kirks, at the sight of blood, said she felt faint and she was told she could leave and she left.

Dora Kirks and Crawford Crowell testified that they did not notice any animosity between defendant and the deceased during the course of the night except for the two times when defendant came to the bedroom and made the remarks stated.

That night before the police arrived, defendant told Crowell that a guy came into the apartment and got into it with Kirks and cut him and then ran out.

In 3 Gillespie, Michigan Criminal Law & Procedure (2d ed), First-Degree Murder, § 1638, p 1972, the author states:

[385] “To constitute murder in the first degree the killing must have been deliberate and premeditated, but the length of time before the act when this purpose was deliberately formed and the act premeditated is unimportant. It is enough that the purpose was deliberately formed, and preceded and induced the act.”

In the case of People v. Lem Dumas (1970), 25 Mich App 173, 174, our Court stated:

“Defendant contends that there was no direct evidence produced at trial to sustain a verdict of either first- or second-degree murder. We disagree.
“Deliberation and premeditation, which would have been necessary to prove first-degree murder, could have been inferred from the character of the weapon used, the wound inflicted, and the circumstances surrounding the killing. People v. Bauman (1952), 332 Mich 198, 205; People v. Wolf (1895), 95 Mich 625, 629. Since there was ample evidence for the jury to find murder in the first or second degree, it was properly a jury question; thus, there was no reversible error in allowing the question to go to the jury.”

' In determining whether or not there was sufficient evidence present in the case to submit to the jury an instruction on first-degree murder, we follow the rule set forth in the case of People v. Livermore (1967), 9 Mich App 47, 59:

“In passing on the motion for dismissal or nonsuit, the State’s evidence must be taken as true, and viewed in the light most favorable to the State, which is entitled to the benefit of every reasonable inference to be drawn therefrom.”

Dora Kirks testified in part as follows:

“Q. Am I correct in understanding that DeShorn Watkins came into the bedroom at the time he said this?
[386] “A. Yes, he came in and said that and left.
“Q. He opened the door, and he came into the room and said that?
“A. Yes.
“Q. All right. Now, were you still in the act of having intercourse at this particular time?
“A. When he first came in?
“Q. When he came in and uttered those words, were you in the process of and in the act of having intercourse at this time ?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Now, was this the first time you had ever had intercourse with Crawford Crowell?
“A. Yes.
“Q. What is your answer?
“A. Yes.
“Q. Now, he immediately left out of the room again, is that right?
“A. DeShorn?
“Q. Yes.
“A. He came hack in and he left out again.
“Q. Now, how long was he in the room?
“A. He just came in and told him that, and then he left back out.
“Q. Long enough to make one statement?
“A. Yes, and then he came back in and said he had cut him, and went back out.
“Q. Now, he came in the room and he made one statement, and immediately left the room?
“A. Yes.
“Q. Now, did he immediately come back into the room again?
“A. He stayed in there for awhile, and then he came back and he told Crawford that he had cut him, and then Crawford—
“Q. Now, just answer my questions, if you will, please. He went out of the room?
“A. Yes.
“Q. And how long before he came back in again?
[387] “A. It wasn’t that long.
“Q. How long was it?

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People v. Watkins, 193 N.W.2d 914, 36 Mich. App. 380, 1971 Mich. App. LEXIS 1322 (Mich. Ct. App. 1971).

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