People v. Grenier

• Court: Court of Appeal of Michigan
• Writing for the Court: PER CURIAM; O'HARA
• Citation: People v. Grenier, 190 N.W.2d 742, 34 Mich.App. 93 (Mich. App. 1971)
• Decision Date: 25 May 1971
• Docket Number: Docket No. 9578,No. 3,3
• Parties: PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Peter L. GRENIER, Defendant-Appellant

Page 742

190 N.W.2d 742

34 Mich.App. 93

PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Peter L. GRENIER, Defendant-Appellant.

Docket No. 9578.

Court of Appeals of Michigan, Division No. 3.

May 25, 1971.

Released for Publication Oct. 22, 1971.

Leave to Appeal Denied Nov. 18, 1971.

James G. Orford, Bay City, for defendant-appellant.

Frank J. Kelley, Atty. Gen., Robert A. Derengoski, Sol. Gen., Eugene C. Penzien, Pros. Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

Before McGREGOR, P.J., and BRONSON and O'HARA, ^* JJ.

PER CURIAM.

On May 20, 1970, a jury found the defendant guilty of armed robbery ¹ and kidnapping. ²

Evidence was introduced at trial indicating that the defendant and a youthful accomplice robbed a service station at gunpoint on the morning of October 18, 1969. Defendant forced the station attendant into his car, taking him on a twenty-five minute ride during which his wallet was taken and he was required to remove his clothes. Later, when the car stopped on a dirt road, the defendant forced the attendant out of the car, beat him over the head, and left him unclothed in a farm field.

Defendant's first contention is that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of the lineup identification and permitting the in-court identification of the defendant by the complaining witness. He claims that the fact that the witness viewed a photograph of the defendant and briefly saw the defendant in person the night before he made the lineup identification taints all subsequent identification evidence. The complaining witness had sufficient opportunity to identify the defendant at the time of the commission of the crime. Defendant, at no time prior to or during the course of the trial, objected to the use of identification evidence. Where no objection was made below, there errors may not be raised for the first time on appeal, unless to avoid clear injustice. People v. Reese (1970), 28 Mich.App. 555, 184 N.W.2d 511; People v. Schram (1970), 23 Mich.App. 91, 178 N.W.2d 93; People v. Childers (1969), 20 Mich.App. 639, 174 N.W.2d 565.

Defendant contends that the court erred in denying his motion for a new court-appointed attorney. He offered no concrete reasons for seeking a new attorney. An indigent defendant does not have the right to select the attorney to be assigned to represent him. People v. Jones (1968), 11 Mich.App. 703, 162 N.W.2d 152; People v. Kerridge (1969), 20 Mich.App. 184, 173 N.W.2d 789. The trial court is not required to order, Sua sponte, as defendant contends, a hearing into the effectiveness of counsel. People v. Miller (1970), 21 Mich.App. 113, 174 N.W.2d 868. No error was committed.

It is alleged that the court erred in refusing to grant defendant's request for a continuance. The decision whether or not to grant a continuance rests with the sound discretion of the trial court. People v. Williams (1970), 26 Mich.App. 46, 181 N.W.2d 825. A review of the record reveals that there was no abuse of discretion and no reversible error.

Affirmed.

O'HARA, J., sat but did not participate in the decision of this case.

* MICHAEL D. O'HARA, former Supreme Court Justice, sitting on Court of Appeals by assignment...