Court Opinion

ID: 9704478
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 00:37:02.20188+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:02.832704
License: Public Domain

D. E. Holbrook, Jr., P. J.
(dissenting). I am unable to agree with the majority that People v Ora Jones, 395 Mich 379, 394; 236 NW2d 461 (1975), mandates reversal of defendant’s conviction in this case. Having reviewed the trial court’s instructions, I am convinced that the trial court adequately informed the jury of defendant’s theory that the homicide was accidental. Since defendant’s three remaining assignments of error present no reversible errors, I vote to affirm defendant’s conviction for first-degree murder. MCLA 750.316; MSA 28.548.
The appellate courts of this state have long enforced the policy of affording a criminal defendant the right to have the trial court inform the jury as to his theory of the case. People v Pepper, 389 Mich 317, 319; 206 NW2d 439 (1973), People v Cummins, 47 Mich 334, 337; 11 NW 184 (1882), People v Bonello, 25 Mich App 600, 602; 181 NW2d 652 (1970). The underlying rationale for this policy is to insure that the defendant receives a fair trial. People v Rich, 237 Mich 481, 496-497; 212 NW 105 (1927) (Fellows, J., for reversal), appeal dismissed, 275 US 500; 48 S Ct 140; 72 L Ed 394 (1927). Unless the trial court sets forth defendant’s theory, the jury may overlook one of defendant’s valid defenses during its deliberations. See, e.g., People v Pepper, supra at 319-320.
Before the trial court is obligated to so instruct, however, there must be some evidence introduced to support the theory. People v Chivas, 322 Mich 384, 390-391; 34 NW2d 22 (1948). In this case *463defendant’s testimony placed some evidence in the record that the homicide was accidental.
Traditionally the trial court has been required to so instruct the jury only when requested by the defendant. People v Bates, 55 Mich App 1, 5; 222 NW2d 6 (1974). Apparently, however, a request is no longer necessary to impose the duty on the trial court to so instruct. See People v Ora Jones, supra at 405 (Coleman, J., dissenting), see also Proposed Criminal Jury Instructions, 6.4, Vols I & II, p 310.
However, I do not read the Supreme Court’s decision in People v Ora Jones as obliterating every necessity for a proper request by the defendant on this point. In my opinion if the defendant makes a timely, written request for such an instruction the trial court should incorporate the body of the request into its instructions, provided there is some evidence to support it. See Proposed Criminal Jury Instructions, 2.6(2), Vols I & II, p 90. On the other hand, if no timely request is made I believe the trial court need only generally instruct the jury in accordance with defendant’s theory. Accord, People v Burden, 395 Mich 462, 467; 236 NW2d 505 (1975).
In the instant case, defendant failed to request an instruction as to his theory of the case. The trial court did, however, instruct the jury in accordance with defendant’s theory of accident. During its instructions the trial court carefully, accurately, and thoroughly defined and explained the elements of intent, malice and premeditation necessary to convict the defendant of murder. Furthermore, the trial court informed the jury that if the homicide was an accident such elements were negated. It also fully explained to the jurors that the prosecution had to prove each of these elements beyond a reasonable doubt. By so instruct*464ing the jury, the trial court effectively presented the defendant’s theory of the case since the jury was instructed that if the homicide was accidental, it could not have been committed intentionally, maliciously or with premeditation. See People v Morrin, 31 Mich App 301, 310-311; 187 NW2d 434 (1971).
I would affirm defendant’s conviction.