Court Opinion

ID: 9696237
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:41:48.246276+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:19.883544
License: Public Domain

O’Hara, J.
Defendant was charged with and convicted of the crime of manslaughter.1 The trial judge found it necessary to define all of the elements of the various degrees of homicide from murder through manslaughter. The crime of first-degree murder is defined by statute,2 as is second-degree murder.3 The definition of second-degree murder is a negative one, to wit: “All other kinds of murder shall be murder of the second degree * * * .” The next highest degree of illegal homicide, manslaughter, is not even defined by statute and the courts must look to the common law for its definition. People v. Clark (1967), 5 Mich App 672. “Manslaughter” is the unlawful killing of another without malice, express or implied. People v. Clark, supra.
The various degrees of homicide were defined only to enable the jury to reach an intelligent verdict ; the trial judge told them as much. They were never instructed that they could find the defendant guilty of any of the higher crimes, and his claim of a “compromised verdict” is unpersuasive.
The conviction is affirmed.
Y. J. Brennan, P. J., concurred.

MCLA § 750.321 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.553).

MCLA § 750.316 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.548).

MCLA § 750.317 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.549).