Opinion ID: 831671
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: spencer's delivery of heroin to corson

Text: At oral argument before this Court, defense counsel admitted that Spencer's delivery of heroin to Corson violated both MCL 333.7401 and MCL 750.317a. It is thus unchallenged that, on the basis of the evidence presented at defendant's preliminary examination, there is probable cause to conclude that Spencer delivered heroin in violation of MCL 333.7401 and delivered heroin causing death in violation of MCL 750.317a when he sold the heroin to Corson that subsequently killed Gregory. MCL 333.7401 provides, in relevant part: (1) Except as authorized by [MCL 333.7101 et seq. ], a person shall not manufacture, create, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture, create, or deliver a controlled substance. . . . (2) A person who violates this section as to: (a) A controlled substance classified in schedule 1 or 2 that is a narcotic drug or a drug described in [MCL 333.7214(a)( iv )] and:    (iv) Which is in an amount less than 50 grams, of any mixture containing that substance is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years or a fine of not more than $25,000.00, or both. The Legislature has determined that heroin, a narcotic, is a schedule 1 controlled substance within the meaning of the controlled substances act. [22] In directly selling heroin to Corson, Spencer violated MCL 333.7401. It is also clear that Spencer violated MCL 750.317a (delivery of heroin causing death). The Legislature recently added MCL 750.317a to the Michigan Penal Code. [23] It provides, in relevant part: A person who delivers a schedule 1 or 2 controlled substance . . . to another person in violation of . . . MCL 333.7401. . . that is consumed by that person or any other person and that causes the death of that person or other person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for life or any term of years. It is clear from the plain language of the statute that MCL 750.317a provides an additional punishment for persons who deliver[] a controlled substance in violation of MCL 333.7401 when that substance is subsequently consumed by any . . . person and it causes that person's death. It punishes an individual's role in placing the controlled substance in the stream of commerce, even when that individual is not directly linked to the resultant death. Consequently, MCL 750.317a is a general intent crime, and as such does not require the intent that death occur from the controlled substance first delivered in violation of MCL 333.7401. Rather, the general intent required to violate MCL 750.317a is identical to the general intent required to violate MCL 333.7401(2)(a): the delivery of a schedule 1 or 2 controlled substance. Accordingly, Spencer violated MCL 750.317a when he sold heroin to Corson because that heroin subsequently caused Gregory's death.