Opinion ID: 1855438
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: the bindover

Text: To bind a defendant over for trial, the district court must find that a specific crime has been committed and probable cause to believe the defendant committed the crime charged. People v. King, 412 Mich. 145, 152-153, 312 N.W.2d 629 (1981). In determining whether bindover is proper, the court should consider the credibility of the witnesses in addition to their competency, and the weight to be accorded their testimony. It is also true that the district court should not dismiss the charge when there is conflicting evidence or reasonable doubt about the defendant's guilt because those are issues for the jury. However, King also instructs: The inquiry is not limited to whether the prosecution has presented evidence on each element of the offense. The [district court] is required to make [its] determination after an examination of the whole matter. Although the prosecution has presented some evidence on each element, if upon an examination of the whole matter the evidence is insufficient to satisfy the [district court] that the offense charged has been committed and that there is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed it, then [it] should not bind the defendant over on the offense charged but may bind him over on a lesser offense as to which [it] is so satisfied. [ Id. at 154, 312 N.W.2d 629 (emphasis added).] The majority should have kept these concepts in mind when it reviewed for abuse of discretion the district court's determination that the evidence was sufficient to warrant a bindover on each conspiracy count. I would hold that the district court abused its discretion in binding the defendant over on either count because there was insufficient evidence to establish that either offense was committed and probable cause to believe that Mr. Justice committed either offense.