Case Name: PEOPLE v. WILLIE PEARSON; PEOPLE v. LINDSAY PEARSON; PEOPLE v. WYNN; PEOPLE v. SCHWARTZ
Court: Michigan Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1979-01-08
Citations: 404 Mich. 698
Docket Number: Docket Nos. 57147, 56977, 57273
Parties: PEOPLE v WILLIE PEARSON PEOPLE v LINDSAY PEARSON PEOPLE v WYNN PEOPLE v SCHWARTZ
Judges: Fitzgerald, Ryan, and Blair Moody, Jr., JJ., concurred with Coleman, J.
Reporter: Michigan Reports
Volume: 404
Pages: 698–752

Head Matter:
PEOPLE v WILLIE PEARSON PEOPLE v LINDSAY PEARSON PEOPLE v WYNN PEOPLE v SCHWARTZ
Docket Nos. 57147, 56977, 57273.
Argued February 3, 1977
(Calendar Nos. 8-10).
Decided January 8, 1979.
Rehearing denied as to Pearson 406 Mich 1104.
These cases raise claims that the failure of the prosecution to produce res gestae witnesses entitles the defendants to relief.
Willie Pearson and Lindsay Pearson were convicted by a jury in Recorder’s Court of Detroit, Robert J. Colombo, J., of first-degree murder. Defendants argued that a third man had participated in the crime and they moved at trial that Raymond Collins be indorsed as a res gestae witness; he had been charged with the murder but the charge was dismissed after further investigation. A police officer testified that witnesses present at the scene of the killing said that Collins was not present and that further investigation showed that Collins was at Selfridge Air Force Base at the time of the crime. The court denied the defendants’ motion on the basis of the police officer’s testimony. The court also found that even if Collins had been present he would have been an accomplice and, therefore, need not be indorsed as a res gestae witness. The Court of Appeals, D. E. Holbrook, Jr., and O’Hara, JJ. (V. J. Brennan, P.J., concurring in part) affirmed (Docket Nos. 20062, 20063). Defendants Pearson appeal, and raise several other issues which concern prosecutorial misconduct.
References for Points in Headnotes
[1, 2, 10, 21, 22] 29 Am Jur 2d, Evidence § 180.
81 Am Jur 2d, Witnesses § 2.
[3, 9, 11] 5 Am Jur 2d, Appeal and Error § 783.
[4, 6, 7, 17, 18] 29 Am Jur 2d, Evidence § 180.
[5] 81 Am Jur 2d, Witnesses § 2.
[8] 23 Am Jur 2d, Depositions and Discovery §§ 314-323.
[12, 13] 63 Am Jur 2d, Prosecuting Attorneys § 27.
[13] 29 Am Jur 2d, Evidence § 225.
41 Am Jur 2d, Indictments and Informations §§ 56, 60.
[14] 21 Am Jur 2d, Criminal Law § 328.
[15] 30 Am Jur 2d, Evidence §§ 1094, 1095.
[16] 29 Am Jur 2d, Evidence § 181.
[19] 30 Am Jur 2d, Evidence § 1172.
81 Am Jur 2d, Witnesses § 2.
[20] 81 Am Jur 2d, Witnesses § 2.
[23] 81 Am Jur 2d, Witnesses §§ 560, 561.
[24] 81 Am Jur 2d, Witnesses § 480.
[25] 75 Am Jur 2d, Trial § 193.
[26] 40 Am Jur 2d, Homicide §§ 72, 474.
[27] 75 Am Jur 2d, Trial § 884.
[28] 40 Am Jur 2d, Homicide § 525.
Willie Wynn was convicted by a jury in Recorder’s Court of Detroit, John Patrick O’Brien, J., of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. The trial judge instructed the jury that they might infer that a res gestae witness, James Moore, that the people failed to produce at trial would have testified unfavorably to the people, if produced, although the trial judge found that the prosecution did not show due diligence in producing Moore and another witness whose production the judge had ordered at trial. The Court of Appeals, R. B. Burns, P.J., and T. M. Burns and R. M. Maher, JJ., reversed and remanded for a new trial (Docket No. 19808). The people appeal.
John J. Schwartz was convicted by a jury in Recorder’s' Court of Detroit, Thomas L. Poindexter, J., of delivering heroin. The Court of Appeals, R. B. Burns, P.J., and M. J. Kelly, J. (O’Hara, J., dissenting), reversed and remanded for a new trial on the ground that the people had failed to show due diligence in attempting to produce a res gestae witness indorsed on the information (Docket No. 18615). The people appeal. Held:
The convictions of the defendants Pearson are affirmed. The convictions of Wynn and Schwartz are reversed, subject to the prosecution’s right to seek a post-remand hearing concerning the existence of prejudice within 30 days. If such a hearing is not sought, then the conviction shall be deemed vacated and the prosecution may commence a new trial.
1. Where there has been a hearing during the course of the trial concerning the prosecution’s obligation to produce a res gestae witness and its diligence in the attempt, the defendant is not always able to raise the issues on appeal without first presenting them to the trial judge in a post-trial hearing.- The purpose of a post-trial hearing concerning the non-production of a witness is twofold. It is not only to determine the reason for a failure to indorse or a failure to produce but also to determine whether the defendant has been prejudiced by non- production of the witness. Where the trial judge has determined that the prosecution failed to exercise due diligence to produce a missing res gestae witness, the issues of the existence of prejudice and the appropriate remedy remain to be resolved, and should be raised in a post-trial hearing to perfect them for appeal. Where the trial judge has ruled that a missing witness is not a res gestae witness or that the prosecution was sufficiently diligent in its efforts to produce, a post-trial hearing would be superfluous and is not required prior to an appeal.
2. A defendant should be presumed to have been prejudiced by the prosecution’s lack of due diligence unless the prosecution overcomes the presumption. However, use of the standard "possible”, i.e., the witness could not "possibly” have been produced or his testimony would have been of no "possible” assistance to the defendant, makes rebuttal of the presumption virtually impossible and is inappropriate. The "possible” standard could also be read as eliminating the "cumulative evidence” and "harmless error” exceptions to the res gestae rule.
3. The trial judge in Schwartz used the wrong standard (“good faith”) in ruling on the prosecution’s effort to locate and produce a res gestae witness. It is clear that the standard is one of due diligence and not good faith. The standard of due diligence was not met. It was clear that the witness was a res gestae witness who would have to be produced, and a diligent attempt would have included serious pretrial efforts to locate and subpoena him; no serious effort was made sufficiently in advance of trial to allow for the difficulties which occurred. Therefore Schwartz’ conviction is vacated, subject to the prosecution’s right to seek relief in a post-remand hearing.
4. In Wynn, the prosecution’s witness testified that Wynn aimed a rifle and fired at Rudy Berry, and Wynn testified that the rifle accidentally discharged as he was raising it. The missing eyewitness Moore could not fairly be called the crucial eyewitness, but given that the only witnesses produced by the prosecution were friends or relatives of Berry, it is fair to conclude that Moore may have provided a different picture of the event. There was a lack of due diligence: an obvious res gestae witness was not indorsed, no pretrial efforts to subpoena him were made, and no serious attempt to comply with the prosecution’s obligation was ever established. Consequently, Wynn’s conviction is vacated, subject to the right of the prosecution to seek relief in a post-remand hearing. However, there is not'a sufficient basis in the record to infer that the prosecution’s lack of due diligence was purposeful. There is no record support for the assumption that Moore’s testimony would have been detrimental to the prosecution’s case beyond the fact that he probably was not favorably disposed toward the Berry family, and indeed the defense was not interested in helping to locate him. Therefore, the defense should not be granted the many depositions and other discovery aids suggested by Justice Levin. Discovery is always available through traditional means.
5. Whether a defendant has been prejudiced by the prosecution’s failure to exercise due diligence is a factual issue which should be resolved by the trial court; whether due diligence was employed and whether a person is a res gestae witness are similar factual issues. Accordingly, the following procedures provide a fair and effective resolution of the problems:
If the question of a missing res gestae witness is raised during the course of the trial, the court should hold a hearing and decide first whether the witness is in fact a res gestae witness; if the witness is determined to be a res gestae witness, production of the witness should be ordered; if the witness is not produced, a hearing should be had on the issue of due diligence.
a) If the trial judge finds a lack of due diligence, then the jury should be instructed that it may infer that the missing witness’s testimony would be unfavorable to the prosecution’s case. Determination of prejudice and possible remedies must await the verdict. If there is a verdict of guilty, then the defendant must raise the issue of prejudice and seek a remedy in a post-trial hearing or be foreclosed from raising these issues on appeal. If the defendant is dissatisfied with the results of the post-trial hearing, review may be sought in his appeal of right.
b) In cases where the missing witness is determined to be a res gestae witness but the court finds due diligence, or where it is determined that the witness is not a res gestae witness, the defendant may seek review of the issue on appeal without first bringing a post-trial motion.
c) In cases where the issue of a possible missing res gestae witness is not raised during the course of trial, it must be raised in a post-trial hearing to be perfected for appeal. The order of inquiry should be as follows:
1. ) The court shall ascertain whether the claimed missing person is a res gestae witness;
2. ) If so, the prosecutor shall produce the witness or explain why the witness cannot be produced and why the witness was not indorsed and produced at trial;
3. ) If the witness is not produced, the court shall determine whether the prosecution was duly diligent in its attempts to produce the witness;
4. ) If a lack of due diligence is found or if the witness is produced, the court shall ascertain whether the defendant has been prejudiced by the failure to produce the witness at trial;
5. ) If the defendant is found to be prejudiced the court shall fashion an appropriate remedy.
6. A new trial is not automatically warranted simply because the prosecution has failed to exercise due diligence in the production of a missing res gestae witness. The key issue in determining the proper remedy for the defendant when the prosecution has failed to fulfill its responsibilities is whether the defendant is prejudiced. At either a post-remand hearing or a post-trial hearing, the trial court should assess whether the defendant actually suffered any prejudice and fashion appropriate remedies. The burden should be on the prosecution to establish that its failure to exercise due diligence in the production of a res gestae witness did not adversely affect the defendant’s right to a fair trial (i.e., the defendant is presumed prejudiced until the contrary is established). If the prosecution can establish that the missing testimony would have been of no assistance to the defendant, that it merely constitutes cumulative evidence, that its absence constitutes harmless error or that the witness could not have been produced at trial, then this burden has been met and the conviction should be affirmed. A failure to meet this burden should result in a new trial.
7. If it appears to the judge that there has been professional misconduct but that defendant’s right to a fair trial has not been adversely affected, then the sanctions should rest upon the individual prosecutor rather than upon society. If professional misconduct also results in prejudice, the defendant should have his remedy and the code violation should be referred to the Attorney Grievance Commission for appropriate action. Although the state is ultimately responsible for the lack of due diligence in the production of res gestae witnesses, not all such failures are the result of prosecutorial negligence or misconduct. For example, it is arguable that the failure to produce the witness in Schwartz is more a result of the lack of diligence of the police officer than the prosecutor. There are many possible fact situations which would amount to a lack of due diligence and yet not rise to the level of professional misconduct proscribed by the Code of Professional Responsibility. The preferred course, however, would be for the trial judge to refer a proper case to the Attorney Grievance Commission for investigation.
Justice Levin, joined by Chief Justice Kavanagh and Justice Williams, concurred in the dispositions of these cases. He wrote:
1. The underlying rationale of the rule which requires the prosecutor to indorse on the information, produce in court and call all known res gestae witnesses is that the prosecutor is obliged to present the whole transaction. The people’s duty is not met where only such evidence as points toward guilt is produced when there exists other evidence which may suggest innocence.
2. The list of witnesses indorsed on the information is the only discovery available to the defendant as a matter of right. While the people argue that modern practice in Michigan is one of wide discovery, discovery is discretionary and discovery orders are the exception, not the rule. The people are in a better position than a defendant to identify and secure the production of witnesses. If the prosecution were relieved of the obligation to produce res gestae witnesses, defendants would call upon the court for assistance. Trials and justice would be delayed and additional costs would be incurred in providing indigent defendants with alternative and duplicative assistance in investigating the crime, and in identifying and locating witnesses and securing their attendance. Post-conviction claims that the prosecution withheld evidence, relatively rare in Michigan, would surely multiply as would post-conviction hearings to determine what the undisclosed witness might have said had he been produced. Allocation to the prosecution of the burden of investigation and production of all res gestae witnesses has served the people of this state and advanced the efficient and fair administration of criminal justice for more than a century.
3. The trial judge in Pearson erred in resolving whether the arrested Raymond Collins was at the scene on the hearsay assertions of the police officer, but there was no affirmative evidence that Collins, if there at all, was there other than as the third man who participated in the commission of the offenses; the only conclusion justified by the record is that if he was there he was an accomplice, and was not required to be produced. Accordingly, the judge’s conclusion that the prosecutor was not obliged to produce Collins is sustained.
4. The only issue in Wynn was whether the shot was intentional or accidental. The people’s witnesses were the complainant, relatives of the complainant, and the complainant’s girlfriend. There was "bad blood” between the complainant’s fam ily and defendant Wynn. James Moore and the third man who accompanied Wynn to the Berry home could have provided evidence regarding the purpose of the visit and Wynn’s expressed intent. It is fair to conclude that Moore may have provided a different picture of the event than the witnesses produced by the prosecution. Manifestly, Moore and the third' man were res gestae witnesses and the prosecutor was obliged to exert due diligence to produce them. The failure to produce Moore cannot be justified on the ground that he was an accomplice if for no other reason than because when the issue of his non-production was raised the prosecutor did not claim that he was an accomplice. Moore could have been produced, and the trial judge correctly found that there was no justification for the failure to do so. It was not open to the prosecutor, in lieu of complying with the rule requiring production of res gestae witnesses, to accept an instruction that the jury may infer that the missing witness would testify unfavorably to the people. A jury instruction on a permissible inference is not an adequate substitute for a live witness. Indeed, the instruction is intended for the case where, despite due diligence, the witness cannot be produced. A prosecutor does not have the option of calling a res gestae witness or of accepting an adverse jury instruction regarding a permissible inference. The order of the Court of Appeals reversing Wynn’s conviction and remanding is affirmed. Because there is reason to believe that the prosecution’s lack of due diligence was purposeful, before a post-remand hearing or a new trial, Wynn should have an opportunity to take the depositions of all officers and prosecutors who may have questioned Moore, and there should be produced any statements made by Moore and the records of such interviews. The prosecutor should exert his best efforts to produce Moore, and Wynn should be afforded an opportunity to take his deposition.
5. The positive burden to produce all res gestae witnesses is imposed upon the people to protect the defendant from false accusations and preserve his presumption of innocence. The obligation to produce res gestae witnesses is essentially derivative pf a defendant’s constitutional right to a fair trial and his right’ to demand prosecutorial proof of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. For these reasons "diligence” means devoted and painstaking application to accomplish an undertaking. The police officer in the Schwartz case was thus obliged to inquire of persons who might know the witness’s whereabouts. He did not do so. Focusing on the officer’s good faith was erroneous. The question is whether the prosecution exerted due diligence. This was not a doubtful case that was resolved by the trial judge’s exercise of discretion. The failure to make timely inquiry, and any inquiry of other persons living at the address, or of parents, neighbors, friends, or authorities who might have information about the witness’s whereabouts, support the conclusion that the prosecution’s efforts were inadequate.
6. In cases such as Wynn and Schwartz where, in the course of the trial, there was a hearing regarding the prosecution’s failure to produce the witness and a finding that the efforts to produce him were insufficient, a defendant should be able to appeal without first seeking a post-trial hearing. However, if the Court of Appeals concludes that a witness should have been produced and the prosecutor’s efforts were insufficient, the order for a new trial should be deemed conditioned by a right of the prosecutor to seek, within 30 days, a hearing to determine whether the defendant was prejudiced at trial by non-production of the witness. If the prosecutor establishes at such a hearing that the defendant was not so prejudiced because the witness could not possibly have been produced or because his testimony would have been of no possible assistance to the defendant, upon the trial judge’s entry of an order so finding the defendant’s conviction should be deemed affirmed. Otherwise, upon expiration of the 30 days without the prosecutor seeking such a hearing or upon entry of an order following such a hearing that the defendant was prejudiced, the conviction should be deemed vacated and the prosecutor allowed to proceed with a new trial. The Court of Appeals should be deemed to have retained jurisdiction for the purpose of reviewing a post-remand hearing record, including a statement by the judge of his findings and reasons for his decision, upon application by the prosecutor or defendant within 30 days of the entry of the judge’s order. The Supreme Court does not address the question whether a prosecutor’s failure to produce a witness may, in some circumstances, require or justify dismissal of the prosecution.
7. It does not appear that the Pearsons were deprived of a fair trial by the prosecuting attorney charging Willie Pearson’s girlfriend with perjury and subpoenaing other witnesses. The girlfriend adhered at the trial to her testimony at the preliminary examination. Since the two witnesses were not subpoenaed or placed under bond until after they had testified at the Pearsons’ trial, there is no reason to believe that their testimony was influenced by the prosecutor’s decisions to charge the girlfriend or to subpoena or place them under bond. Nor is there any reason to believe that but for those decisions the girlfriend would have changed her damaging testimony.
8. The Pearsons further contend that the innuendo of the prosecutor’s questioning of Pearson’s girlfriend was that she had earlier given inconsistent testimony which he improperly, reinforced by suggestively flipping through sheets of paper as he propounded questions. While the judge might have earlier stopped the prosecutor from pursuing this form of inquiry, the questions and answers dealt with a subsidiary issue and the Pearsons were not thereby prejudiced.
9. Nor is there merit in the contention that the prosecutor departed from the record in his summation. The prosecutor was within the bounds of permissible argumentative response in asking the jury to infer that the police and the prosecution knew that Raymond Collins was not the one who had killed the victim after defense counsel had argued that the victim’s girlfriend, who was a witness for the prosecution, was untruthful because she had testified that Collins had killed the victim and his prosecution was later dismissed.
10. The judge instructed the jury on the defense’s theory. After he completed his instructions he was asked to instruct that if the jurors concluded that the killing in one place was not a "continuation” of a robbery in another they could not convict of first-degree murder. The judge said that it would be inconsistent with defense counsel’s request that the jury be instructed to convict of first-degree murder or acquit. There was no error.
11. The jury was instructed that the presumption of innocence attaches until "each and every one of you are satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt of each defendant’s guilt”. After the jury brought in its verdicts of guilty, defense counsel responded in the negative when asked whether there was anything further, and thus the jury was not polled. The Pearsons were not deprived of a fair trial by the judge’s failure to instruct that the verdict must be unanimous.
12. While a recent decision requires an instruction on second-degree murder in a first-degree murder case without regard to whether the instruction is requested or declined, by its terms the rule of that case applies only to cases tried after January 1, 1976. The trial in the Pearson case concluded on February 25, 1974.
61 Mich App 366; 232 NW2d 408 (1975) affirmed.
60 Mich App 636; 231 NW2d 269 (1975) affirmed.
62 Mich App 188; 233 NW2d 517 (1975) affirmed.
Opinion of the Court
1. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Evidentiary Hearing.
The purpose of a post-trial hearing concerning the non-production of a res gestae witness in a criminal trial is twofold; it is not only to determine the reason for a failure to indorse or a failure to produce but also to determine whether the defendant has been prejudiced by non-production of the witness.
2. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Evidentiary Hearing.
The issues of the existence of prejudice to a defendant by the non-production of a res gestae witness in a criminal trial and the appropriate remedy should be raised in a post-trial hearing to perfect them for appeal where the trial judge has determined that the prosecution failed to exercise due diligence to produce the missing res gestae witness.
3. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Evidentiary Hearing.
A post-trial hearing concerning the non-production of a witness in a criminal trial would be superfluous and is not required prior to an appeal where the trial judge has ruled that the missing witness is not a res gestae witness or that the prosecution was sufficiently diligent in its efforts to produce.
4. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Prejudice.
A defendant should be presumed to have been prejudiced by the prosecution’s lack of due diligence in producing a res gestae witness unless the prosecution overcomes the presumption; however, use of the standard "possible”, i.e., the witness could not "possibly” have been produced or his testimony would have been of no "possible” assistance to the defendant, makes the rebuttal of the presumption virtually impossible, is inappropriate, and could also be read as eliminating the "cumulative evidence” and "harmless error” exceptions to the res gestae rule.
5. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Due Diligence.
The standard in ruling on the prosecution’s effort to locate and produce a res gestae witness is one of due diligence and not good faith.
6. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Indorsement — Production.
A defendant’s conviction is vacated, subject to the prosecution’s right to seek relief in a post-remand hearing, because the standard of due diligence in the prosecution’s effort to locate, and produce a res gestae witness was not met where it was clear that the witness was one who would have to be produced, a diligent attempt would have included serious pretrial efforts to locate and subpoena him, and no serious effort was made sufficiently in advance of trial to allow for the difficulties which occurred.
7. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Due Diligence.
There is not a sufficient basis in the record to infer that the prosecution’s lack of due diligence in producing a res gestae witness was purposeful where there was no record support for the assumption that the witness’s testimony would have been detrimental to the prosecution’s case beyond the fact that he probably was not favorably disposed toward the family of the victim of crime charged, and indeed defense was not interested in helping to locate him; therefore the defense should not be granted extraordinary discovery aids concerning any statements the missing witness might have made to the police or prosecutors.
8. Criminal Law — Discovery.
Discovery through traditional means is always available to a criminal defendant.
9. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Due Diligence — Evidentiary Hearing.
Whether a defendant has been prejudiced by the prosecution’s failure to exercise due diligence in producing a res gestae witness is a factual issue which should be resolved by the trial court while the testimony is fresh and available, not after the delays of the appellate process leave only a stale record and failing memories to be assessed by the trier of fact; whether due diligence was employed and whether a person is a res gestae witness are similar factual issues.
10. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Evidentiary Hearing.
The order of inquiry on a possible missing res gestae witness in a criminal trial where the issue is raised after trial should be 1) the court shall ascertain whether the claimed missing person is a res gestae witness; 2) if so, the prosecutor shall produce the witness or explain why the witness cannot be produced and why the witness was not indorsed and produced at trial; 3) if the witness is not produced, the court shall determine whether the prosecution was duly diligent in its attempts to produce the witness; 4) if a lack of due diligence is found or if the witness is produced, the court shall ascertain whether the defendant has been prejudiced by the failure to produce the witness at trial; 5) if the defendant is found to be prejudiced the court shall fashion an appropriate remedy.
11. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Due Diligence — New Trial.
A new trial is not automatically warranted simply because the prosecution has failed to exercise due diligence in the production of a missing res gestae witness; the key issue in determining the proper remedy for the defendant where the prosecution has failed to fulfill its responsibilities is whether the defendant is prejudiced.
12. Criminal Law — New Trial — Professional Misconduct.
A new trial in a criminal case should be awarded because of prejudicial error, whereas professional misconduct of a prosecutor should be remedied by the Attorney Grievance Commission; if professional misconduct also results in prejudice to the defendant’s right to a fair trial, the defendant should have his remedy and the violation of the Code of Professional Conduct should be referred to the Attorney Grievance Commission for appropriate action.
Dissenting Opinion by Levin, J.
13. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Indorsement — Production.
The underlying rationale of the rule which requires the prosecutor to indorse on the information, produce in court, and call all known res gestae witnesses is that the prosecutor is obliged to present the whole transaction; the people’s duty is not met where only such evidence as points toward guilt is produced when there exists other evidence which may suggest innocence (MCL 767.40; MSA 28.980).
14. Criminal Law ■ — • Res Gestae Witnesses — Indorsement — Production.
The list of witnesses indorsed on the information is the only discovery available to the defendant as a matter of right, the people are in a better position than a defendant to identify and secure the production of witnesses, and allocation to the prosecution of the burden of investigation and production of all res gestae witnesses has advanced the efficient and fair administration of criminal justice in this state for more than a century; therefore, the Supreme Court declines to change the rule requiring indorsement and production of all known res gestae witnesses to relieve the prosecution of the obligation in some instances (MCL 767.40; MSA 28.980).
15. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Indorsement — Evidence — Hearsay.
Resolving whether a person was at the scene of a crime on a motion for indorsement of the person on the information as a res gestae witness by relying on the hearsay allegation of a police officer that the person was, in fact, elsewhere at the time of the crime is erroneous (MCL 767.40; MSA 28.980).
16. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Accomplices.
A prosecuting attorney was not obliged to produce as a res gestae witness a man who had been arrested and charged as having participated in an offense with two defendants but later dismissed where there was no affirmative evidence that, if the man had been at the scene of the offense at all, he was there as a mere observer or bystander, and the testimony was that a third man participated in the offense charge to have been committed by the defendants; the only conclusion justified is that if the man was there he was an accomplice of the two defendants and the prosecution was not obligated to produce him (MCL 767.40; MSA 28.980).
17. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Words and Phrases.
7Vo men who accompanied a defendant to the home of a complainant where the defendant allegedly assaulted the complainant with a rifle were res gestae witnesses and the prosecutor was obliged to exert due diligence to produce them where the only issue at trial was whether the defendant’s shot at the victim was intentional or accidental; the people’s witnesses were the complainant, relatives of the complainant, and a girlfriend of the complainant; there was "bad blood” between the complainant’s family and the defendant; the two men who accompanied the defendant could have provided evidence of the purpose of the visit and the defendant’s expressed intent; and one of them may have been the only person who had an unblocked view of the shooting (MCL 767.40; MSA 28.980).
18. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Instructions to Jury.
A prosecutor does not have the option of calling a res gestae witness or of accepting an adverse jury instruction that the jury may infer that the missing witness would testify unfavorably to the people; such a jury instruction is not an adequate
- substitute for a live witness, but is intended for the case where, despite due diligence, the witness cannot be produced.
19. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Diligence — Words and Phrases.
The obligation of the prosecutor to exercise diligent efforts to produce res gestae witnesses at trial is derivative of a defendant’s constitutional right to a fair trial and his right to demand proof of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; therefore "diligence” means "devoted and painstaking application to accomplish an undertaking”.
20. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Diligence — Words and Phrases.
Failure of police to make timely inquiry of a res gestae witness’s whereabouts, and any inquiry of other persons living at the witness’s address, or of his parents, neighbors, friends, or authorities who might have information about his whereabouts support a conclusion that the prosecution’s efforts to produce him were inadequate; in such a case it was error to focus the inquiry into prosecutorial diligence on the "good faith” of the efforts which were made by police.
21. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Diligence.
The prosecutor should have an opportunity, even in a case where the issue of his failure to produce a res gestae witness was preserved by objection at the trial, to show on post-trial motion that the defendant was not prejudiced by the failure to produce the witness; but to avoid undermining the long-established rule requiring indorsement of res gestae witnesses on the information and due diligence in producing them, the nature of the inquiry in such a hearing upon remand from an appeal is limited to whether the defendant suffered prejudice, not whether the missing witness’s testimony may at a subsequent trial bring about a different result.
22. Criminal Law — Res Gestae Witnesses — Production — Diligence — New Trial.
A defendant was not prejudiced at trial and a new trial is not required for failure by the prosecutor to produce a res gestae witness at the ñrst trial where the prosecutor establishes, at the ñrst trial or at a hearing añer trial upon remand from an appeal, that the witness could not possibly have been produced at the trial or his testimony would have been of no possible assistance to the defendant; the consideration of any other evidence adduced by the parties at trial on this question should be limited to its nature and should not extend to the jury questions of its quality or weight in relation or comparison to the missing witness’s testimony.
23. Criminal Law — Witnesses — Intimidation — Fair Trial.
Defendants charged with ñrst-degree murder were not deprived of a fair trial because of the prosecutor’s actions in charging one defendant’s girlfriend with perjury and subpoenaing and placing under bond for her perjury trial two res gestae witnesses añer they testiñed at the defendants’ trial where the girlfriend did not change the exculpatory testimony she had given at the defendants’ preliminary examination, there was no reason to believe that the testimony of the two witnesses was inñuenced by the prosecutor’s actions, and there was no reason to believe that but for those actions the girlfriend of the defendants’ victim would have changed her damaging testimony given at the preliminary examination.
24. Criminal Law — Witnesses — Prosecutorial Misconduct — Fair Trial.
Defendants charged with murder were not prejudiced by the innuendo of the prosecutor in questioning a witness that she had earlier given inconsistent testimony which he improperly reinforced by suggestively dipping through sheets of paper as he asked questions where, although the trial judge might earlier have stopped the prosecutor from pursuing this form of inquiry, the questions and answers dealt with a subsidiary issue.
25. Criminal Law — Argument of Counsel — Improper Remarks.
A prosecutor was within the bounds of permissible argumentative response in asking the jury to infer that the fact that criminal charges were dropped against a man who the defense claimed had participated in the crime with two defendants showed that the police and prosecution knew he was not the third man after defense counsel had argued that the dropping of the charges showed that the prosecution did not believe their own witness, who had testiñed against the third man at his preliminary examination.
26. Homicide — Fikst-Degkee Murder — Instructions to Jury.
Refusal of a request by defendants charged with ñrst-degree murder in the commission of a robbery for an instruction to the jury that if they concluded that the killing in one place was not a "continuation” of a robbery in another they could not convict the defendants of ñrst-degree murder was not erroneous where the request was made after the trial court completed its instructions to the jury on the defendant’s theory that another man killed the victim and the requested instruction would necessitate instructions on the lesser degrees of murder which would have been inconsistent with defense counsel’s previous request that the jury be instructed to convict the defendants of ñrst-degree murder or to acquit them (MCL 750.316; MSA 28.548).
27. Criminal Law — Instructions to Jury — Unanimous Verdict.
Defendants were not deprived of a fair trial by the judge’s failure to instruct the jury that the verdict must be unanimous where the jury was instructed that the presumption of innocence attaches until "each and every one of you are satisñed beyond a reasonable doubt of each defendant’s guilt” and defense counsel did not request that the jury be polled after the verdicts of guilty were announced.
28. Homicide — First-Degree Murder — Second-Degree Murder — Instructions to Jury — Common Law — Precedent.
The decision which requires an instruction to the jury on second-degree murder in a ñrst-degree murder case without regard to whether the instruction is requested or declined applies by its terms only to cases tried after January 1, 1976.
Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Robert A. Derengoski, Solicitor General, and William L. Cahalan, Prosecuting Attorney, for the people.
Edward Reilly Wilson, Research, Training & Appeals, and Raymond P. Walsh, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people in Pearson.
Stephen H. Boak and Raymond P. Walsh, Assistants Prosecuting Attorney, for the people in Wynn.
Edward Reilly Wilson, Research, Training & Appeals, and Maura D. Corrigan, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people in Schwartz.
Carl Ziemba for defendants Pearson.
Leonard Townsend for defendant Wynn.
Theodore B. Sallen (by Alvin C. Sallen) for defendant Schwartz.

Opinion:
Coleman, J.
We agree that the convictions of Willie and Lindsay Pearson should be affirmed. We also concur in the result that the convictions of Willie Wynn and John J. Schwartz should be reversed. In Schwartz, reversal is required because the prosecutor failed to exercise sufficient diligence in his attempts to produce Don Cager (one of two on-the-scene witnesses), regardless of the "good faith" on the part of the prosecution. Reversal in Wynn is predicated upon the prosecution's lack of diligence in attempting to produce Moore and its apparent disregard for its responsibility to present to the judge and jury the "whole transaction" of the alleged crime.
A separate opinion is necessary, however, to set forth the points of departure from Justice Levin's opinion. We do not agree that in all cases where there has been a hearing during the course of trial concerning the prosecution's obligation to produce a given res gestae witness and its diligence in the attempt, the defendant should be able to raise missing res gestae witness issues on appeal without first presenting them to the trial judge in a Robinson (post-trial) hearing. As Justice Levin notes: "The purpose of a Robinson hearing, however, is twofold. It is not only to determine the reason for a failure to indorse or a failure to produce but also to determine whether the defendant has been prejudiced by non-production of the witness."
In cases where the trial judge has determined that the prosecution failed to exercise due diligence when attempting to produce a missing res gestae witness (e.g., Wynn), the issues of the existence of prejudice (if any) and the appropriate remedy remain to be resolved. These issues should be raised in a post-trial hearing in order to perfect them for appeal. In cases where the trial court has ruled that a missing witness is not a res gestae witness or that the prosecution was sufficiently diligent in its efforts to produce (e.g., Schwartz), a Robinson hearing would be superfluous and is not required prior to an appeal.
Furthermore, we are unable to accept our brother's standards for determining whether a defendant has been prejudiced by the prosecution's lack of due diligence. While we agree that the defendant should be presumed prejudiced unless and until the prosecution overcomes this presumption, utilization of the standard "possible" (i.e., the witness could not "possibly" have been produced or his testimony would have been of no "possible" assistance to defendant) makes rebuttal of the presumption virtually impossible. Also, it could be read as eliminating the "cumulative evidence" and "harmless error" exceptions to the res gestae rule. Therefore, in Wynn and Schwartz, post-remand hearings and Robinson hearings, the determination of the existence of prejudice to the defendant as a result of a violation of the prosecution's obligation to indorse, produce and call all known res gestae witnesses should be in accordance with the standards delineated infra.
I
John J. Schwartz was convicted of delivery of heroin. MCL 335.341(l)(a); MSA 18.1070(41)(l)(a). The testimony establishes that the defendant delivered heroin to a police officer who had been introduced to the defendant by Don Cager, an informant. Cager was present during the transaction, but was not produced at trial. Consequently, Cager was clearly a missing res gestae witness. He was indorsed on the information. The defense was entrapment.
During the course of the trial, the defendant raised the issue of non-production. The prosecution recalled the police officer who had worked with Cager. The officer testified that the last time he had seen Cager was about six months prior to trial. In the interim, and particularly over the five weeks preceding trial, he had made several unsuccessful (vaguely described) attempts to find Cager regarding other matters. In preparation for the Schwartz trial (which was to begin the next day), the officer went to Cager's residence in Algonac, Michigan, spoke to several people on the street in Cager's age group, and spoke to a local police officer. He was unsuccessful in locating Cager. On the morning that he was recalled to the witness stand, the same officer had been sent out in search of Cager armed with a subpoena. The officer returned to Algonac and checked Cager's residence, a boathouse, a firehouse, a pool hall, two bars and two restaurants. The court ruled that these efforts constituted a "good faith" attempt to locate and produce Cager.
The Court of Appeals reversed on the grounds that the trial judge used the wrong standard (good faith versus due diligence) and that the prosecution did not exercise sufficient diligence in its attempts to produce Cager. 62 Mich App 188; 233 NW2d 517 (1975). We agree.
It is clear that the standard is one of due diligence and not good faith. We also believe that the standard of due diligence was not met. Prior to trial there was no attempt to subpoena Cager, nor did anyone keep track of his whereabouts between defendant's arrest and trial. It was clear that Cager was a res gestae witness who would have to be produced. Consequently, a diligent attempt would have included serious pretrial efforts to locate and subpoena Cager.
We must agree with Justice Levin's assessment of the police officer's efforts during the two trips to Algonac. A thoughtful, serious attempt, even at that late date, would have included prior telephone inquiries (particularly in the evening) to Cager's residence, his parents, the local police, an inquiry of neighbors, etc. Of particular concern to this Court, however, is that no serious effort was made sufficiently in advance of trial to allow for the difficulties which occurred. Therefore, we agree that the defendant's conviction be vacated, but subject to the prosecution's right to seek relief in a post-remand hearing consistent with the procedures and standards set forth infra.
II
Willie Wynn was convicted of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. MCL 750.84; MSA 28.279. The testimony establishes that Earl Berry had beaten Wynn's ex-girlfriend and threatened Wynn. James Moore (the girlfriend's brother), Wynn and an unknown third person went to the Berry family's home in an alleged attempt to straighten out matters and pacify Earl Berry. A rifle was brought along.
Moore entered the Berry house first. Earl Berry was not home so Moore spoke to Floyd and Arm-stead "Rudy" Berry (Earl's brothers) in a back bedroom. A few minutes later Wynn ran in the house with the rifle and a shot was fired, narrowly missing Rudy Berry.
Wynn was charged with assault with intent to commit murder. The key element of the proofs was Wynn's intent. Wynn testified that he entered the house with the rifle, that he saw Rudy Berry coming toward him, that he ordered Rudy to halt while raising the rifle and that the rifle accidently discharged. The prosecution's witnesses testified that Wynn aimed and ñred at Rudy. All parties agree that Moore was an eyewitness to the incident.
We cannot agree, however, with Justice Levin's characterization of the importance of Moore's testimony. It is stated:
"Moore was standing about two feet in front of and to the side of the complainant when the shot was fired, and may have been the only person who had an unblocked view of the incident."
Rudy Berry testified that Moore preceded him out of a back bedroom as Wynn ran in the front door with a rifle in his hands. Rudy Berry said that when he and Wynn saw each other they both stopped still and Wynn then aimed at him from a distance of 7 or 8 feet. Berry then said:
"Q. What happened then?
"A. He pulled the trigger, you know, and as he fired, you know, I ducked, you know, I seen he fired and I ducked the bullet, and after he ñred it, I grabbed James Moore.
"Q. Okay, where was James Moore standing?
"A. He was standing about two feet in front of me to the left, next to the wall, so all I had to do was jump out and grab him, so I grabbed him, because if he shot again I wanted him to hit James Moore instead of me since they were together." (Emphasis added.)
We understand this and other testimony to place Moore to one side of Rudy Berry when the shot was fired. Because the defendant's intent was the key issue, his actions before the shot were of paramount importance. Further, the evidence establishes that Floyd Berry and Doris Smith also had unobstructed views of the entire transaction. Floyd Berry, Doris Smith and Rudy Berry were produced and called by the prosecution.
Thus, we do not believe it is fair to depict Moore as the crucial eyewitness. However, given that the only witnesses produced by the prosecution were friends or relatives of the Berrys, it is fair to conclude that Moore may have provided a different picture of the event.
Moore was not indorsed prior to trial, but in response to a defense motion the court ordered. Moore indorsed and produced during trial. The police located Moore and he said he would appear. No attempt to serve a subpoena was ever made. Moore did not come to court and the prosecution made no further efforts to produce him. The court found that this constituted a lack of due diligence and instructed the jury that it could infer Moore's testimony would have been unfavorable to the prosecution.
The Court of Appeals reversed. 60 Mich App 636; 231 NW2d 269 (1975). We agree that there was a lack of due diligence. Of particular concern is the fact that an obvious res gestae witness was not indorsed, no pretrial efforts to subpoena him were made and no serious attempt to comply with the prosecution's obligations in this regard was ever established. Consequently, the defendant's conviction should be vacated, subject to the prosecution's right to seek relief in a post-remand hearing consistent with the procedures and standards set forth later in this opinion.
We do not read the record to suggest that Moore's testimony was intentionally withheld. Although the prosecutor may have appeared recalcitrant and less than diligent in his efforts to produce Moore, we still find an insufficient basis to infer "that the prosecution's lack of due diligence was purposeful". To the contrary, there is no record support for the assumption that Moore's testimony would have been detrimental to the prosecution's case beyond the fact that Moore probably was not favorably disposed toward the Berry family. Indeed, the defense was not interested in helping to locate Moore on the basis that he would testify against Wynn.
Therefore, we would not grant the defense the many depositions and other discovery aids provided by Justice Levin. Discovery is always available through traditional means.
Ill
Central to the judicious and efficient administra tion of criminal justice are procedures allowing the trial court to decide all the issues necessary to dispose of a case prior to appeal, whenever possible. Moreover, factual questions should be resolved while the testimony is fresh and available, not after the delays of the appellate process leave only a stale record and failing memories to be assessed by the trier of fact. Whether a defendant has been prejudiced by the prosecution's failure to exercise due diligence is a factual issue which should be resolved by the trial court. Whether due diligence was employed and whether a person, in fact, is a res gestae witness are similar factual issues.
It is our opinion that the following procedures provide a fair and effective resolution of these problems without repeatedly traveling up and down the judicial ladder.
If the question of a missing res gestae witness is raised during the course of trial, it is our opinion that the court should hold a hearing and decide first whether the witness is in fact a res gestae witness. 5If it is determined that the person is a res gestae witness, the court should order the prosecution to produce him or her. If the witness is not produced, then the court should hold a hearing on the issue of whether the prosecution was duly diligent in its attempts to produce the witness.
Assuming the trial judge decides that there was a lack of due diligence, as in Wynn, then the judge should instruct the jury that it may infer that the missing "witness's testimony would have been unfavorable to the prosecutor's case". CJI 5:2:14(3). However, determination of the existence of prejudice to the defendant and possible remedies must await the verdict. Assuming a verdict of guilty, the defendant must raise the issue of prejudice and seek a remedy in a Robinson-type procedure or be foreclosed from raising these issues on appeal. If the defendant is dissatisfied with the results of the Robinson hearing, review may be sought in the defendant's appeal as of right.
In cases like Schwartz, where the missing person is determined to be a res gestae witness but the court finds the attempts to produce sufficiently diligent, there is no purpose in forcing the defendant first to seek a remedy in a Robinson proceeding. The defendant may seek a review of the court's ruling on the due diligence issue in an appeal without first bringing a post-trial motion. Identical procedures should be followed when the issue of a missing witness is raised at trial, but the court determines the person is not a res gestae witness.
The third type of case is the typical Robinson scenario. There, the issue of a possible missing res gestae witness is not raised during the course of trial. We would still require the issues to be raised in a Robinson hearing in order to perfect them for appeal. However, we would refine the procedure to require that the trial court reach all the issues necessary to dispose of the case. In summary, and consistent with our earlier analysis, the order of inquiry should be as follows:
1. The court shall ascertain whether the claimed missing person is a res gestae witness;
2. If so, the prosecutor shall produce the witness or explain why the witness cannot be produced and why the witness was not indorsed and produced at trial;
3. If the witness is not produced, the court shall determine whether the prosecution was duly diligent in its attempts to produce the witness;
4. If a lack of due diligence is found or if the witness is produced, the court shall ascertain whether the defendant has been prejudiced by the failure to produce the witness at trial;
5. If the defendant is found to be prejudiced the court shall fashion an appropriate remedy.
Except in cases where the court finds in favor of the prosecution on the issues of whether a person is a missing res gestae witness or whether due diligence was exercised, these procedures will make it more likely that the missing witness ultimately will be produced and result in a maximum of one appeal, removing the need for a remand and continuing appellate jurisdiction. In the Schwartz type of case, if the defendant is successful on appeal a new trial should be conditioned upon the prosecutor's right to establish a lack of prejudice. Consequently, we would hold that in Wynn, Schwartz, and future similar cases the prosecutor shall have 30 days to seek a hearing to determine the existence of prejudice. The Court of Appeals shall be deemed to have retained jurisdiction to review the hearing record upon application of either party within 30 days of the entry of the judge's order. Should the prosecutor fail to seek a post-remand hearing, within 30 days, the conviction shall be deemed vacated and the prosecutor may proceed with a new trial.
IV
A new trial is not automatically warranted simply because the prosecution has failed to exercise due diligence in the production of a missing res gestae witness. The key issue in determining the proper remedy for the defendant when the prosecution has failed to fulfill its responsibilities is whether the defendant is prejudiced. Our area of disagreement with Justice Levin primarily resides in the standards for determining the existence of prejudice.
In effect, his approach rebuttably presumes that the defendant was prejudiced upon a finding of a lack of due diligence. This presumption could be rebutted only "[i]f the prosecutor establishes that the witness could not possibly have been produced at the trial or his testimony would have been of no possible assistance to the defendant ." (Emphasis added.) Moreover, it is stated that: "If the witness cannot be produced for a post-remand hearing (unless the prosecutor establishes further that the witness could not possibly have been produced at the trial), the conviction must be reversed because there is no way of knowing whether at the trial he might possibly have given testimony of assistance to the defendant." The motivation for fashioning such restrictive standards appears to be that they will discourage prosecutorial failure to employ due diligence. Unfortunately, these standards will also result in many unnecessary new trials.
Such an approach confuses two concepts. New trials should be awarded because of prejudicial error, whereas professional misconduct should be remedied by the Attorney Grievance Commission (e.g., deliberate withholding of res gestae testimony favorable to the defendant).
At either a post-remand hearing or a Robinson hearing, we would have the trial court assess whether the defendant actually suffered any prejudice and fashion appropriate remedies. The burden should be on the prosecution to establish that its failure to exercise due diligence in the production of a res gestae witness did not adversely affect the defendant's right to a fair trial (i.e., the defendant is presumed prejudiced until the contrary is established). If the prosecution can establish that the missing testimony would have been of no assistance to the defendant, that it merely constitutes cumulative evidence, that its absence constitutes harmless error or that the witness could not have been produced at trial, then this burden has been met and the conviction should be affirmed. A failure to meet this burden should result in a new trial.
V
In summary, the procedures delineated in Part III of this opinion provide a means for judiciously and efficiently disposing of missing res gestae witness issues. Emphasis is placed upon disposition of issues prior to appeal in order to avoid post-remand hearings and continuing appellate jurisdiction.
We prefer a less extreme standard than that chosen by Justice Levin for determining whether a defendant has been prejudiced by the prosecution's lack of due diligence in attempting to produce res gestae witnesses.
If it appears to the judge that there has been professional misconduct but that defendant's right to a fair trial has not been adversely affected, then the sanctions should rest upon the individual prosecutor rather than upon society. If professional misconduct also results in prejudice, the defendant should have his remedy and the code violation should be referred to the Grievance Commission for appropriate action.
However, it is worth noting that although the state is ultimately responsible for the lack of due diligence in the production of res gestae witnesses, not all such failures are the result of prosecutorial negligence or misconduct. For example, it is arguable that the failure to produce Cager in Schwartz is more a result of the lack of diligence of the police officer than the prosecutor. There are many possible fact situations which would amount to a lack of due diligence and yet not rise to the level of professional misconduct proscribed by the Code of Professional Responsibility. The preferred course, however, would be for the trial judge to refer a proper case to the Grievance Commission for investigation.
We affirm in Pearson. In Wynn and Schwartz, we reverse subject to the prosecution's right to seek a post-remand hearing, concerning the existence of prejudice, within 30 days from the issuance of this opinion. Should the prosecutor seek such a hearing in either case, within 30 days from the entry of the judge's order either party may seek review of the hearing from the Court of Appeals. The Court of Appeals shall be deemed to have continuing jurisdiction for the purpose of reviewing such hearings. If the prosecutor does not seek a post-remand hearing within 30 days, then the conviction(s) shall be deemed vacated and the prosecutor may commence a new trial.
Fitzgerald, Ryan, and Blair Moody, Jr., JJ., concurred with Coleman, J.
People v Robinson, 390 Mich 629; 213 NW2d 106 (1973).
Justice Levin focuses on the standard a prosecutor would have to meet to rebut a presumption of prejudice. He says:
"If the prosecutor establishes at such a post-remand hearing that the defendant was not so prejudiced because the witness could not possibly have been produced or because his testimony would have been of no possible assistance to the defendant, upon the trial judge's •entry of an order so finding the defendant's conviction shall be deemed affirmed." (Emphasis added.)
The good faith or bad faith of the prosecution is simply irrelevant when deciding whether the prosecution has fulfilled its obligation to present the "whole transaction" of an alleged crime. Due diligence is the standard. Good faith-bad faith becomes relevant when prejudice and professional misconduct are considered.
To prevent a repetition of evidence, this hearing should be held at the close of the prosecution's proofs in most cases. However, the exact point during trial when this hearing and the hearing on due diligence (if necessary) are to be held should be within the trial court's discretion.
The court may want to consider a continuance to allow the prosecution time to produce the witness, particularly when the witness was unknown to the prosecution prior to trial. Clearly, it is preferable that this testimony be presented to the jury whenever possible.
Footnote 6 on next page.
For discussion of the cumulative evidence rule see, e.g., People v Raider, 256 Mich 131, 134; 239 NW 387 (1931), People v Bartlett, 312 Mich 648, 654-655; 20 NW2d 758 (1945), People v Cooper, 326 Mich 514, 523; 40 NW2d 708 (1950), People v Reynold, 20 Mich App 397, 399; 174 NW2d 25 (1969), People v Harrison, 44 Mich App 578, 588-590; 205 NW2d 900 (1973), People v Sims, 62 Mich App 550, 554-555; 233 NW2d 645 (1975), People v Saunders, 68 Mich App 546; 243 NW2d 679 (1976).
For discussion of the harmless error rule see, e.g., Chapman v California, 386 US 18; 87 S Ct 824; 17 L Ed 2d 705 (1967), People v Shirk, 383 Mich 180, 195-197; 174 NW2d 772 (1970), People v Robinson, 386 Mich 551, 560-564; 194 NW2d 709 (1972), People v Mobley, 390 Mich 57, 65-66; 210 NW2d 327 (1973), People v Wichman, 15 Mich App 110; 166 NW2d 298 (1968), People v Swan, 56 Mich App 22, 30-35; 223 NW2d 346 (1974), People v Hadley, 67 Mich App 688; 242 NW2d 32 (1976). See, generally, Saltzburg, The Harm of Harmless Error, 59 Va L Rev 988 (1973).
It is clear that the Disciplinary Rules encompass and proscribe prosecutorial misconduct. E.g., Code of Professional Responsibility, DR 7-103; DR 7-109, subds (A), (B); DR 7-106, subds (A), (C)(7); DR 7-102, subds (A)(1), (A)(3), (A)(6)-(A)(8); DR 1-102.
Standard Criminal Jury Instruction 5:2:14 allows the judge to submit the issue of due diligence to the jury. We believe that this procedure should not be utilized. Such a determination is essential to resolve cases where the missing witness is a res gestae witness and there is a guilty verdict. Because the jury would not ordinarily disclose its decision on the issue, we believe that the court must hold the hearing, make a record and state its determination of the issue so that the parties and the court may know whether due diligence was exercised and the reasons for this finding.