Case ID: mich-app_16/html/0179-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "Per Curiam.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

PEOPLE v. MILLS
    1. Indictment and Information — Witnesses—Duty of Prosecution to Indorse — Appeal and Error.
    Failure of prosecution to indorse the names of the arresting officers on an information for rape as res gestae witnesses held, not reversible error where the arrest was made two months after the alleged ofEense and therefore the officers were not res gestae witnesses and where the defendant failed to raise the point at trial even though he knew of the existence of these witnesses before trial.
    2. Trial — Summation to Jury — Appeal and Error — Saving Question for Review.
    Defendant’s contention that the prosecutor’s summation to the jury was prejudicial will not be considered on appeal where defendant failed to object to it at the time of trial or ask for cautionary instructions.
    Appeal from Wayne, George T. Martin, J.
    Submitted Division 1 January 10, 1969, at Detroit.
    (Docket No. 4,794.)
    Decided February 26, 1969.
    Rehearing denied April 2, 1969.
    . Ernest Mills, also known as Melvin R. Welsh, was, convicted of rape. Defendant appeals.
    Affirmed.
    
      Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Robert A. Derengoski, Solicitor General, William L. Gahalan, Prosecuting Attorney, Samuel J. Torina, Chief Appellate Lawyer, and Joseph G. Murphy, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people.
    
      References for Points in Headnotes
    
       41 Am Jur 2d, Indictments and Informations §§ 56, 60.
    
       5 Am Jur 2d, Appeal and Error § 624 et seq.
    
    
      
      James A. Sullivan, for defendant.
    BEFORE: Lesinski, O. J., and J. H. Gillis and T. M. Burns, JJ.
   Per Curiam.

Ernest Mills, alias Melvin R. Welsh, was convicted by a jury of rape, CLS 1961, § 750.520 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.788). He appeals the dehia.1 of a motion for a new trial.

Defendant’s contention that the verdict was against the great weight of the evidence is not supported by the record. Complainant and defendant each testified and each was supported by friendly witnesses. Their stories were in direct conflict as to whether or not complainant consented to the intercourse, and the jury, having seen and heard the witnesses, was entitled to choose which side to believe. People v. Bonowski (1951), 330 Mich 120, 129. The trial judge also viewed the witnesses and elected not to disturb the verdict. People v. Petty (1926), 234 Mich 282. We will not do so on the basis of the record before us.

Defendant contends on appeal that there was error in the failure of the prosecutor to endorse certain res gestae witnesses on the information. . CLS 1961, § 767.40 (Stat Ann 1969 Cum Supp § 28.980). A review of the record reveals that the witnesses who were not endorsed were arresting officers who arrested the defendant some two months after the alleged offense. We do not find these to be res gestae witnesses. Assuming arguendo these were res gestae witnesses, defendant cannot raise this point on motion for new trial or on appeal for the first time when he was aware that these witnesses did exist. People v. Rasmus (1967), 8 Mich App 239; People v. Dimitroff (1948), 321 Mich 205.

Defendant further contends that the prosecutor’s summation to the jury was prejudicial. The prosecutor’s summation was perhaps overzealous, but we do not find that it prejudiced the jury against defendant. Since defendant did not object at time of trial or ask for cautionary instructions, we will not consider this assignment of error for the first time on appeal. See People v. Desimone (1928), 243 Mich 539.

Affirmed.