Court Opinion

ID: 9727846
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 13:51:07.885715+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:28.214686
License: Public Domain

Shepherd, J.
(dissenting). I dissent. At the Ginther hearing, People v Ginther, 390 Mich 436; 212 NW2d 922 (1973), defense counsel indicated that the victim’s substantial improvement and his subsequent death shortly thereafter did not raise a question of a possible intervening cause. However, he admitted hearing "rumors” that visitors may have brought the victim drugs. He stated that no investigation was initiated because "the funds were unavailable.” In Michigan, an indigent accused has the right to subpoena material witnesses in his favor at government expense. MCL 775.15; MSA 28.1252. Although counsel was retained in this case, if it could be shown that defendant was out of money and further investigation was necessary, I believe the trial court could have subpoenaed witnesses at government expense under the statute on motion by defense counsel.
I would remand. I am not prepared to say on this record that counsel’s failure to pursue an investigation, or apprise the court of a lack of funds for that purpose, amounted to ineffective assistance of counsel. However, I believe a remand is necessary to determine if evidence was available, or is now available, such that defense counsel’s failure to investigate did amount to ineffective assistance of counsel. At this point, it is unclear whether counsel had sufficient reason to pursue an investigation. We do know that he did *547not pursue the investigation because he claimed not to have sufficient funds.
A criminal defendant is entitled to have defense counsel investigate, prepare and assert all substantial defenses. A substantial defense is one which, if asserted, might have made a difference in the outcome of the trial. People v Turner, 115 Mich App 247; 320 NW2d 57 (1982). Neglecting to interview witnesses is not, by itself, enough to constitute ineffective assistance of counsel unless it can be shown that such failure resulted in counsel’s ignorance of valuable evidence which would have substantially benefitted the accused. People v Johnson (After Remand), 125 Mich App 76; 336 NW2d 7 (1983). The question is whether defendant could have legitimately asserted an intervening cause defense.
I would require an evidentiary hearing at which it could be determined whether such evidence exists. Defendant, through his appointed appellate counsel, should have the right to subpoena material witnesses, including expert witnesses, at government expense. MCL 775.15; MSA 28.1252. At the hearing defendant will have the opportunity to present evidence to support his claim that the victim’s death was induced by drugs provided by the victim’s friends while the victim was recovering from his stab wounds in the hospital. Such evidence would support a contention that counsel’s failure to pursue an intervening cause defense or, at the least, to investigate the rumors, constituted ineffective assistance of counsel. Johnson, supra; see also Friedman v United States, 588 F2d 1010 (CA 5, 1979); Proffitt v United States, 582 F2d 854 (CA 4,1978).
If such evidence is not available, the conviction should stand.
I would retain jurisdiction.