Case Name: PEOPLE v. JACKSON
Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1982-04-29
Citations: 119 Mich. App. 138
Docket Number: Docket No. 58907
Parties: PEOPLE v JACKSON
Judges: Before: R. M. Maher, P.J., and Beasley and P. J. Marutiak, JJ.
Reporter: Michigan appeals reports; cases decided in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Volume: 119
Pages: 138–142

Head Matter:
PEOPLE v JACKSON
Docket No. 58907.
Submitted March 5, 1982, at Detroit.
Decided April 29, 1982.
Damon B. Jackson was convicted of armed robbery in Detroit Recorder’s Court, Evelyn Cooper, J. The defendant appeals alleging that (1) the trial court erred 'by admitting into evidence photographs of the victim which were highly prejudicial and inflammatory, and (2) the prosecutor’s closing argument was so prejudicial as to constitute error requiring reversal. Held:
1. The trial judge did not err in admitting the photographs of the victim; the photographs were relevant, admissible, and appeared to have probative value.
2. The defendant did not object to the prosecutor’s closing argument or rebuttal argument at the time of trial and, thus, the trial judge did not have any opportunity to make a corrective instruction if the prosecutor’s arguments constituted misconduct. While the prosecutor’s arguments verged upon improper references to the jurors’ civil duty, the evidence of the defendant’s guilt was overwhelming and the Court of Appeals declines to find any miscarriage of justice.
Affirmed.
R. M. Maher, P.J., dissented. He believed that the photographs of the victim had no probative value because the defendant presented a defense of alibi and did not deny that the ■complainant had been robbed and assaulted or contest the extent of the complainant’s injuries. He believed that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting that evidence. He would reverse and remand for a new trial.
Opinion of the Court
1. Evidence — Photographs.
Photographic evidence relative to a material point may be admis sible if its probative value outweighs its possible prejudicial effects.
References for Points in Headnotes
[1, 2] 29 Am Jur 2d, Evidence §§ 785, 787.
29 Am Jur 2d, Evidence § 790.
Dissent by R. M. Maher, P.J.
2. Criminal Law — Evidence — Photographs — Victims.
The admission of photographs of victims of crime is committed to the discretion of the trial court; the issue to be addressed in the admission of photographic evidence is whether the photograph is substantially necessary or instructive to show material facts or conditions or is merely calculated to excite passion and prejudice.
Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Louis J. Caruso, Solicitor General, William L. Cahalan, Prosecuting Attorney, Edward Reilly Wilson, Principal Attorney, Appeals, and Don W. Atkins, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people.
Lawrence R. Greene, for defendant on appeal.
Before: R. M. Maher, P.J., and Beasley and P. J. Marutiak, JJ.
Circuit judge, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
Defendant, Damon Blair Jackson, was charged with armed robbery of a jewelry store in Detroit and felony-firearm. The jury found defendant guilty of armed robbery, in violation of MCL 750.529; MSA 28.797, but not guilty of felony-firearm. Defendant was sentenced to not less than 20 years nor more than 30 years in prison, after which he appeals as of right, raising two issues.
First, defendant claims that the trial court erred reversibly by admitting into evidence photographs of the complainant, which were highly prejudicial and inflammatory. We disagree.
The applicable test is whether the trial court exercised sound discretion in permitting admission of photographs which might be inflammatory. The photographs were relevant and strong evidence in support of the prosecutor's reliance upon the following portion of the statute:
"If an aggravated assault or serious injury is inflicted by any person while committing an armed robbery as defined in this section, the sentence shall be not less than 2 years' imprisonment in the state prison." (Emphasis added.)
Thus, in exercising her discretion, the trial judge did not err in admitting these photographs which were relevant, admissible, and appeared to have probative value.
Second, defendant claims that the prosecutor's closing argument was so prejudicial as to constitute error requiring reversal. We note that defendant did not make any objection to the prosecutor's closing argument or rebuttal argument at the time of trial. As a result, the trial judge did not have any opportunity to make a corrective instruction if, indeed, the prosecutor's arguments constituted misconduct. While the prosecutor's arguments verged upon rising to the level of the so-called civil duty argument that we have disapproved of, the proofs in this case were overwhelming and, consequently, we decline to find any miscarriage of justice.
Affirmed.
People v Myers, 30 Mich App 409, 429; 186 NW2d 381 (1971).
MCL 750.529; MSA 28.797.
People v Paintman, 92 Mich App 412; 285 NW2d 206 (1979), rev'd on other grounds 412 Mich 518; 315 NW2d 418 (1982).
People v Biondo, 76 Mich App 155; 256 NW2d 60 (1977), lv den 402 Mich 835 (1977).