Court Opinion

ID: 9686939
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 16:11:51.363101+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:18:23.114161
License: Public Domain

D. E. Holbrook, J.
(dissenting in part and concurring in part). This writer is in complete agreement with the fine opinion of the majority as to Issue No. I. However, as to Issue No. II, this writer is constrained to disagree as explained hereinafter.
Counsel for defendant requested instructions concerning "the assaults” and the court replied:
"I don’t see where any of them in this case would be appropriate.
"Mr. Murphy [defense attorney]: No attempt, then, either?
"The Court: The testimony is clear. The offense, whatever it was, was completed.
"Mr. Murphy: I’m not questioning the Court.
"The Court: I think there was a question here of identification, but the offense was made out by the complaining witness and is certainly a completed offense, whatever that is.
"Mr. Weisberg [assistant prosecutor]: Your Honor, just to protect the record, it’s my understanding that if in fact counsel is requesting attempt, you have to give it because it’s a lesser included, a necessarily lesser *423included offense. It’s not a cognitive [sic]; it’s necessarily lesser included.
’’The Court: I don’t have to give any lesser included offense unless it’s made out by the testimony.
”Mr. Weisberg: That’s only as to cognitive [sic] offenses, not necessarily. It seems to me in reading Chamblis that—
’’The Court: No, I don’t have to. Anything else?”
It appears to this writer that Mr. Murphy was stating that he was not questioning the court as to whether the testimony was clear, but he certainly didn’t abandon his request for assault instructions and request for attempt instructions. Possibly taking Mr. Murphy’s statements alone, it would not be too clear but with the assistant prosecutor’s explanation, it appears to this writer the trial court was put on notice that he should give the attempt instruction, People v Lovett; 396 Mich 101, 102; 238 NW2d 44 (1976).
Under the circumstances this writer would rule that the attempted armed robbery instruction should have been given. This writer would rule that the conviction must be vacated and a conviction for attempted armed robbery should be entered, and the defendant sentenced accordingly. However, if the prosecutor is of the opinion that justice would be better served by a new trial, the trial court should, upon notification by the prosecutor prior to resentencing, vacate the judgment of conviction and grant a new trial. This writer so votes.