Case Name: PEOPLE v. ROHN
Court: Michigan Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: Michigan
Decision Date: 1972-01-20
Citations: 37 Mich. App. 726
Docket Number: Docket No. 11005
Parties: PEOPLE v ROHN
Judges: Before: R. B. Burns, P. J., and Fitzgerald and Y. J. Brennan, JJ.
Reporter: Michigan appeals reports; cases decided in the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Volume: 37
Pages: 726–728

Head Matter:
PEOPLE v ROHN
1. Criminal Law — Lesser Included Offenses — Instructions to Jury.
The duty of the trial judge to instruct the jury on a lessor included offense, where a timely request has been made, is determined by the evidence; if evidence has been presented to support a conviction of the lesser offense, the requested instructions must be given and the failure to do so would constitute error; but, if no evidence has been presented to support a conviction of the lesser offense, then the requested instructions should be refused.
2. Evidence — Hearsay—Prior Convictions.
A witness’s testifying as to what he had said does not constitute hearsay, because the testimony’s value does not depend on the credibility of an out-of-court asserter.
References for Points in Headnotes
53 Am Jur, Trial § 796 ei seq.
30 Am Jur 2d, Evidence § 493 et seq.
Appeal from Montcalm, Leo B. Bebeau, J.
Submitted Division 3 December 7, 1971, at Grand Rapids.
(Docket No. 11005.)
Decided January 20, 1972.
Danny Lee Robn was convicted of breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny. Defendant appeals.
Affirmed.
Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Robert A. Derengo ski, Solicitor General, 0. Homer Miel, Prosecuting Attorney, and Charles H. Miel, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people.
G. R. Pete Frye, for defendant on appeal.
Before: R. B. Burns, P. J., and Fitzgerald and Y. J. Brennan, JJ.

Opinion:
R. B. Burns, P. J.
Defendant was convicted of breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny. MCLA 750.110; MSA 28.305.
Defendant requested the trial court to instruct the jury on the lesser included offense of entering without permission. MCLA 750.115; MSA 28.310. The trial court denied the request and the defendant appeals. However, the trial court gave instructions on the following included offenses: entering without breaking — MCLA 750.111; MSA 28.306, and larceny —MCLA 750.360; MSA 28.592.
In People v Stevens, 9 Mich App 531 (1968), Justice T. Gr. Kavanagh, then a member of this Court, stated on pages 533-534:
"These first two assertions of error indicate confusion about the duty of the trial judge to instruct. Where a request has been made to charge on a lesser included offense, the duty of the trial judge is determined by the evidence.
"If evidence has been presented to support a conviction of the lesser offense, the requested instructions must be given; failure to do so would constitute error. People v. Jones (1935), 273 Mich 430. If, on the other hand, no evidence has been presented to support a conviction of the lesser offense, then the requested instruction should be refused. People v. Utter (1921), 217 Mich 74; People v. Hearn (1958), 354 Mich 468."
In the present case there was no evidence introduced to support the defendant's requested charge.
Defendant also claims the trial judge admitted prejudicial hearsay testimony by a detective. The detective was testifying as to what he had said. Such testimony does not constitute hearsay since its value did not depend on the credibility of an out-of-court asserter. McCormick, Evidence, § 225, pp 459, 460.
Affirmed.
All concurred.