Court Opinion

ID: 9721475
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:00:17.26204+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:25.103941
License: Public Domain

T. E. Brennan, J.
(dissenting). My Brother writes for a judicially declared rule that one indicted by a grand jury is entitled to discovery of all the grand jury proceedings which may bear upon his guilt or innocence. Marginally quoted are three sections of the statute, MCLA 767.4, 767.4a, and 767.6a; MSA 28.944, 28.944(1), 28.946(1)1 The *719meaning of these statutes ought to be abundantly clear to anyone capable of reading and comprehending the English language.
The statutes specifically prohibit the kind of discovery my Brother would allow. His arguments based upon fairness, need and desirability are considerations which should be addressed to the people’s representatives in the legislature. For better or for worse, the elected representatives of the people have adopted, and despite numerous challenges have opted to retain, a one-man grand jury procedure and have declared it to be secret. By what authority do judges arguing from desirability annul this product of the democratic process?
Black, J., concurred with T. E. Brennan, J.
Adams, J., concurred in the result.

 MCLA 767.4; MSA 28.944.
“See. 4. If upon such inquiry the judge shall be satisfied that any offense has been committed and that there is probable cause to suspect any person to be guilty thereof, he may cause the apprehension of such person by proper process and, upon the return of such process served or executed, the judge having jurisdiction shall proceed with the case, matter or proceeding in like manner as upon formal complaint. The judge conducting the inquiry under section 3 shall be disqualified from acting as the examining magistrate in connection with the hearing on the complaint or indictment, or from presiding at any trial arising therefrom, or from hearing any motion to dismiss or quash any complaint or indictment, or from hearing any charge of contempt under section 5, except alleged contempt for neglect or refusal to appear in response to a summons or_ subpoena. If upon such inquiry the judge shall find from the evidence that there is probable cause to believe that any public officer, elective or appointive and subject to removal by law, has been guilty *717of misfeasance or malfeasance in office or wilful neglect of duty or of any other offense prescribed as a ground of removal, the judge shall make a written finding setting up the offense so found and shall serve said finding upon the public officer, public board or body having jurisdiction under the law to conduct removal proceedings against the officer. The finding shall be a sufficient complaint as a basis for removal of said officer and the public officer, public board or public body having jurisdiction of removal proceedings against the officer shall proceed in the method prescribed by law for a hearing and determination of said charges. Except in cases of prosecutions for contempt or perjury against witnesses who may have been summoned before the judge conducting such inquiry, or for the purpose of determining whether the testimony of a witness examined before the judge is consistent with or different from the testimony given by such witness before a court in any subsequent proceeding, or in cases of disciplinary action against attorneys and counselors in this state, any judge conducting the inquiry, any prosecuting attorney and other persons who may at the discretion of the judge be admitted to such inquiry, who shall while conducting such inquiry or while in the services of the judge or after his services with the judge shall have been discontinued, utter or publish any statement pertaining to any information or evidence involved in the inquiry, or who shall disclose the fact that any indictment for a felony has been found against any person not in custody or under recognizance, or who shall disclose that any person has been questioned or summoned in connection with the inquiry, who shall disclose or publish or cause to be published any of the proceedings of the inquiry otherwise than by issuing or executing processes prior to the indictment, or shall disclose, publish or cause to be published any comment, opinion or conclusions related to the proceedings of the inquiry, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not more than 1 year or by a fine of not less than $100.00 nor more than $1,000.00, or both fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court, and the offense when committed by a public official shall also constitute malfeasance in office. The limitations, restrictions and penalties relating to the uttering, publishing or disclosing of any statement pertaining to any information or evidence, imposed by this section, do not apply to disclosures of information or evidence made by a judge conducting such an investigation to another judge concurrently conducting an investigation as provided in section 3. Upon the termination of the inquiry if the judge shall make no presentment of crime or wrongdoing as to any person whose apprehension or removal from office he has not so caused, he may, in his discretion, with the consent of the person who may be named, file with the clerk of the county in which such inquiry has been conducted, a report of no finding of criminal guilt as to any person or persons involved in such inquiry, either as witness or otherwise, whose involvement in sueh inquiry has become publie.
“No inquiry or proceeding under this chapter shall continue longer than 6 months unless extended by specific order of the judge or his successor for an additional period not to exceed 6 months.
“In the event any judge conducting such inquiry shall be unable to continue because of physical disability, disqualification, termina*718tion of office or death, the presiding circuit judge of Michigan shall appoint a successor.”
MOLA 767.4a; MSA 28.944(1).
“See. 4a. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to possess, use, publish, or make known to any other person any testimony, exhibits or secret proceedings obtained or used in connection with any grand jury inquiry conducted prior to the effective date of this act, except in the manner specifically provided herein, and also excepting any information heretofore disclosed before any investigating committee of the Congress of the United States or any agency of the federal government. Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a felony.”
MCLA 767.6a; MSA 28.946(1).
“See. 6a. On termination of any such inquiry lasting not more than 30 calendar days the docket, journal, reporters’ notes, transcript and other record of such judge in such inquiry shall be sealed and filed with the clerk of the court having jurisdiction; and if lasting more than 30 calendar days shall be sealed and filed with the clerk of the supreme court of the state of Michigan, where it shall be held secretly in a separate container securely locked. Any person who shall violate the secrecy herein ordered as to such docket, journal, transcript and. record shall be punished as provided in section 4 hereof. And the entire transcript and record as to any witness, and so far as material, including any grant of immunity, shall be available to such witness in connection with any appeal or other judicial proceeding where it may be relevant upon such witness filing a petition with the eireuit court of the county in which he resides setting forth the proceeding for which such documents are sought and describing the portions of such transcript and record as to such witness only, which such witness requested for such appeal or proceeding; the judge of such circuit court shall issue an order upon the filing of such petition directed to the clerk of the supreme court of the state of Michigan or the clerk of the court, as the ease may be, ordering such clerk to make available to such witness all such portions of the transcript and record as shall pertain to such witness and as set forth in the petition. The clerk shall immediately reseal the remaining transcript and records after compliance with such order. The petitioner shall execute to the clerk of the supreme court a receipt for such documents and such documents shall be returned to the clerk immediately upon the termination of such appeal or proceeding for which the same shall have been obtained: Provided, however, upon the petition of the prosecuting attorney of the county in which such inquiry was conducted, or any other interested person, any circuit judge, acting as such in said county, upon determining that there is no further need for preserving and retaining the same, shall enter an order providing for the referring to the supreme court, for the entry of such order or orders as a majority of the court may at any time determine, for the destruction of said transcripts, notes and records, or any part thereof: Provided further, That no such order shall be entered by such circuit judge until at least 6 years after the termination of such inquiry.”