Court Opinion

ID: 9696409
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:47:02.935086+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:22.049538
License: Public Domain

T. M. Burns, J.
(dissenting). I disagree with the holding of the majority insofar sis they would find no reversible error with respect to defendant’s *836argument that he was denied a fair trial when the trial judge permitted the prosecutor to present a rebuttal witness to impeach Jerome Johnson’s testimony on direct examination. The substance of this rebuttal testimony was a statement by the witness that impeached Jerome Johnson’s testimony that he had not seen his brother, defendant, on May 10 or May 12, 1977. Whether Jerome Johnson had seen defendant on either of these two dates was a matter that was entirely collateral to any relevant issue at trial.
This Court in People v Ellerhorst, 12 Mich App 661, 670-671; 163 NW2d 465 (1968), clearly stated Michigan law regarding the impeachment of a witness on a collateral issue:
"On collateral matters, the testimony of a witness is binding except as it may be shaken by his own cross-examination, and even such cross-examination may be limited in the discretion of the trial judge to keep the trial within the bounds of relevancy and pertinency. Under no circumstances may the testimony of others be produced to impeach by putting in issue the accuracy or truthfulness of the witness on unrelated matters.” (Emphasis supplied.)
More recently, the Supreme Court recognized the potential for prejudice to a criminal defendant when the prosecutor deems it expedient to impeach a witness with regard to a collateral trial issue. People v Spalla, 408 Mich 876 (1980), rev’g 83 Mich App 661; 269 NW2d 259 (1978).
Therefore, because the rebuttal testimony unquestionably was improper, I believe that reversible error has occurred that could not have been cured by the trial judge’s instructions to the jury. I would reverse and remand this cause for a new trial.