Court Opinion

ID: 9851306
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:10:30.39496+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:20:53.257146
License: Public Domain

Connor, Brennan, and Neff, JJ.
(concurring). We concur in resolving the conflict in favor of the Dexter definition, because we would also find that Howell did not overrule binding Supreme Court precedent defining gross indecency. However, having leapt into the brier patch, we believe we should take this opportunity to express our belief that Carey was wrongly decided or is no longer viable. People v Mitchell, 428 Mich 364, 370; 408 NW2d 798 (1987).
It has become increasingly clear that the "common sense of society” test is too vague and imprecise to provide fair notice of the conduct proscribed. We should align this Court with the Howell plurality and note our agreement that there is no longer any "common sense of society” regarding sexual behavior between consenting adults in private and that defining gross indecency in terms of the "common sense of society” vests unstructured discretion in the trier of fact to determine whether a crime has been committed.
*680The Howell definition, which construed the statute to prohibit "oral and manual sexual acts committed without consent or with a person under the age of consent or any ultimate sexual act committed in public,” is clear, concise, and sufficiently inclusive to include defendant Brashier’s grossly indecent conduct.1

 The principal, Goike, performed manual sex acts, masturbation, while defendant encouraged and assisted several persons under the age of consent to abuse Goike until he experienced orgasm. Defendant paid the juveniles; he threatened them; he scripted their actions; he participated in the abuse. He aided and abetted the commission of gross indecency as defined by Howell. See MCL 767.39; MSA 28.979; CJI2d 8.1.