Opinion ID: 2978871
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Elements of the Crime

Text: Stewart was convicted of second-degree murder under an aiding and abetting theory. The Supreme Court has stated that the Jackson “standard must be applied with explicit reference to the substantive elements of the criminal offense as defined by state law.” Jackson, 443 U.S. at 324; York v. Tate, 858 F.2d 322 (6th Cir. 1988). Under Michigan law, “Every person concerned in the commission of an offense, whether he directly commits the act constituting the offense or procures, counsels, aids, or abets in its commission may hereafter be prosecuted, indicted, tried and on conviction shall be punished as if he had directly committed such offense.” Mich. Comp. Laws § 767.39. The Michigan Supreme Court has defined aiding and abetting as “all forms of assistance rendered to the perpetrator of a crime” and stated that the phrase “comprehends all words or deeds which may support, encourage or incite the commission of a crime.” People v. Palmer, 220 N.W.2d 393, 396-97 (Mich. 1974). To No. 08-2154 Stewart v. Wolfenbarger Page 7 be found guilty as an aider and abettor, “the amount of advice, aid or encouragement is not material if it had the effect of inducing the commission of the crime.” Id. In order to sustain a conviction under an aiding and abetting theory, the prosecution had to show that “(1) the crime charged was committed by the defendant or some other person; (2) the defendant performed acts or gave encouragement that assisted the commission of the crime; and (3) the defendant intended the commission of the crime or had knowledge that the principal intended its commission at the time that [the defendant] gave aid and encouragement.” People v. Robinson, 715 N.W.2d 44, 47-48 (Mich. 2006). Thus, “under Michigan law, a defendant who intends to aid, abet, counsel, or procure the commission of a crime, is liable for that crime as well as the natural and probable consequences of that crime.” Id. In this case Stewart can be guilty of second-degree murder only if he held the requisite intent to aid and abet that crime, if he had knowledge that the principal held the requisite intent for that crime at the time Stewart gave aid and encouragement, or if second-degree murder is a natural and probable consequence of the crime Stewart did aid and abet. The elements of second-degree murder under Michigan law are: (1) a death, (2) caused by an act of the defendant, (3) with malice, and (4) without justification or excuse. People v. Goecke, 579 N.W.2d 868, 878 (Mich. 1998). Malice is defined as the intent to kill, the intent to cause great bodily harm, or the intent to do an act in wanton and wilful disregard of the likelihood that the natural tendency of such behavior is to cause death or great bodily harm. People v. Aaron, 299 N.W.2d 304, 326 (Mich. 1980).