Court Opinion

ID: 9685994
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 15:12:43.266309+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:12.366101
License: Public Domain

V. J. Brennan, J.
(dissenting). I find no abuse of discretion by the trial court regarding his ruling on impeachment by evidence of prior convictions. There is no showing on the record that the trial *320court misapplied the factors set forth in People v Crawford, 83 Mich App 35; 268 NW2d 275 (1978).
The majority opinion is concerned with the propensity of the jury to speculate as to the nature of the prior felony committed. Here the majority moves into the realm of trial tactics which is better left to the defendant and his attorney. Trial strategy differs with the circumstances surrounding each case. A defendant may be well advised under certain conditions to keep the nature of his prior felony from the jury. If disclosure is determined to be more beneficial, there is nothing to impede the defense attorney from bringing to light the exact nature of the prior conviction.
Under the practice employed below the defendant had the choice. As long as evidence of prior convictions is admissible, I see no error in affording a defendant a choice of impeachment by the general term "felony” or by the specific crime.
I would affirm.