Court Opinion

ID: 9672665
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 03:58:39.367404+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:16:17.677961
License: Public Domain

J. H. Gillis, J.
(concurring in part, dissenting in part). For the reasons set out below, I concur in the affirmance of defendant Holly’s conviction and dissent from the reversal of defendant Pearson’s conviction.
Defendants assign as error the trial court’s denial of their motion for severance. This Court in People v American Medical Centers of Michigan, Ltd, 118 Mich App 135, 145; 324 NW2d 782 (1982), recently summarized the law governing a defendant’s motion for separate trials:
"Defendants do not have an absolute right to separate trials; rather there is a strong policy favoring joint trials. People v Carroll, 396 Mich 408, 414; 240 NW2d 722 (1976). When moving for severance, the defendant must clearly, affirmatively, and fully show that his 'substantial rights’ will be prejudiced by joint trial. Id., 414; People v Kramer, 103 Mich App 747, 753; 303 NW2d 880 (1981). Where defendants’ separate defenses are antagonistic, severance should be granted. People v Hurst, 396 Mich 1, 6; 238 NW2d 6 (1976); Kramer, supra, 753. A conclusory statement of antagonistic defenses must be supported by an affidavit defining the inconsistencies between defenses. People v Kramer, 108 Mich App 240, 256; 310 NW2d 347 (1981). Where a defendant fails to show prejudice to his substantial rights, the competing interest of benefit to the courts, the public, and the administration of justice from join*418der comes into play. People v Clark, 85 Mich App 96, 101; 270 NW2d 717 (1978). Finally, we will not reverse a trial court’s decision concerning joint trials unless there has been an abuse of discretion by the trial court. MCL 768.5; MSA 28.1028; Carroll, supra, 414.”
In the case at bar, the affidavit contained a general averment that each defendant would testify to exculpate himself and inculpate the other, but did not specifically define the alleged inconsistencies between the defenses. Nor were these alleged inconsistencies ever specifically defined during argument on thé motion for severance. I would conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying severance, and would affirm both convictions.