People v. Thompson
People v. Thompson
Dissenting Opinion
(dissenting). On August 18, 1975,
First of all, the parties agree that the conviction and sentence for armed robbery, the lesser charge, should be vacated. I would so order. This Court held in People v Anderson, 62 Mich App 475, 482; 233 NW2d 620 (1975):
"To punish defendant both for the greater offense, that is, first-degree (felony) murder, and for the included offense, which would be in this case armed robbery, would constitute double punishment in violation of the double jeopardy clauses of the United States Constitution and the Michigan Constitution.”
Since the murder took place during the perpetration of the armed robbery, the armed robbery conviction must be reversed. See also People v Stewart (On Rehearing), 400 Mich 540, 549-550; 256 NW2d 31 (1977), People v Martin, 398 Mich 303, 309-310; 247 NW2d 303 (1976), People v Longuemire, 77 Mich App 17, 24; 257 NW2d 273 (1977), People v Goodchild, 68 Mich App 226, 236-237; 242 NW2d 465 (1976), lv den, 397 Mich 830 (1976).
Defendant next argues that the trial court committed reversible error by failing to instruct the jury on the element of malice, and, in effect, letting the jury imply malice from the underlying armed robbery to the killing. Defendant did not object. I would hold that the failure to object precludes this Court from reviewing the issue because there is no manifest injustice. People v
The right to a trial by jury allows a defendant a common sense buffer between the complicated legalistic language of the law and the conscience of the community. Much of the debate between varying legalistic points of view is lost on a jury of laymen. Where legislatures and courts disagree, why do we posit reversible error on a surmise that a jury has been misled? It is possible for the layman to use murder and killing interchangeably even if incorrectly. It is conceivable that a Legislature could do likewise.
Our Court has recently issued conflicting opinions on this issue. People v Till, 80 Mich App 16; 263 NW2d 586 (1977), People v Wright, 80 Mich App 172; 262 NW2d 917 (1977). I would follow the Till Court in finding the existence of common law felony-murder in this state. The Till majority
The third issue raised by defendant alleges that the trial court’s Allen
The trial judge’s Allen charge does not necessar
The record indicates that the trial court appeared willing to dismiss the jury, but defense counsel apparently wanted to have the jury continue deliberations. Furthermore, the jury deliberated for four hours after the Allen instruction before it returned a verdict of guilty. There was no objection and there does not appear to be a clear abuse of discretion by the trial court resulting in manifest injustice. I, therefore, find no reversible error in the charge. GCR 1963, 516.2. See People v Newby, 66 Mich App 400, 404; 239 NW2d 387 (1976), lv den, 397 Mich 867 (1976), People v Tooks, 55 Mich App 537, 540; 223 NW2d 63 (1974).
Defendant’s other issues are without merit and do not require discussion.
I would affirm.
"Malice means the defendant intended to kill or that he knowingly created a very high risk of death with knowledge that it probably would result in death, and that he did so under circumstances which did not justify, excuse, or lessen the crime.”
See Perkins on Criminal Law (2d ed), p 46 (1969), for such a definition of malice. See also People v Morrin, 31 Mich App 301, 322, n 28; 187 NW2d 434 (1971), lv den, 385 Mich 775 (1971).
Allen v United States, 164 US 492; 17 S Ct 154; 41 L Ed 528 (1896).
Opinion of the Court
For the reasons stated in People v Fountain, 71 Mich App 491; 248 NW2d 589 (1976), in People v Wright, 80 Mich App 172; 262 NW2d 917 (1977), and in Judge Riley’s dissent in People v Till, 80 Mich App 16; 263 NW2d 586 (1977), we disagree with our brother’s conclusion that reversible error did not result from the trial court’s failure to instruct the jury on the element of malice in the felony-murder charge. We join, however, in his disposition of the other issues raised.
For this reason, we would reverse the first-degree murder conviction and remand to the trial court. Upon remand, as we find no error relating to the armed robbery conviction, we would allow the prosecutor to choose either to have the armed robbery conviction and sentence stand or to have it vacated and to retry the defendant on armed robbery and first-degree murder.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- People v. Robert G. Thompson
- Cited By
- 25 cases
- Status
- Published