People v. McClow

• Decision Date: 26 April 1972
• Docket Number: No. 3,Docket No. 11020,3
• Citation: 198 N.W.2d 707,40 Mich.App. 185
• Parties: PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. David McCLOW, Defendant-Appellant
• Court: Court of Appeal of Michigan — District of US

Page 707

198 N.W.2d 707

40 Mich.App. 185

PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. David McCLOW, Defendant-Appellant.

Docket No. 11020.

Court of Appeals of Michigan, Division No. 3.

April 26, 1972.

Released for Publication July 3, 1972.

Arthur J. Tarnow, State Appellate Defender, Detroit, for defendant-appellant.

Frank J. Kelley, Atty. Gen., Robert A. Derengoski, Solicitor Gen., James K. Miller, Pros. Atty., Donald A. Johnston, III, Chief Appellate Atty., for plaintiff-appellee.

Before FITZGERALD, P.J., and R. B. BURNS, and TARGONSKI, ^* JJ.

TARGONSKI, Judge.

On October 27, 1970, defendant, David McClow, was convicted, by a jury, of forcible rape. M.C.L.A. § 750.520; M.S.A. § 28.788. Defendant was sentenced to a term of 12 to 30 years in prison.

On the evening of March 24, 1970, in the city of Grandville, Michigan, complainant was returning home from work. She drove the car into the driveway, spoke with her father at the back door, and then at his request, drove the car into the garage. While she was arranging her effects in the car, she was grabbed from behind and a hand was placed over her mouth. She was then threatened by a male voice and, being in fear of this person, followed his directions to back the car out of the driveway. She did this and once on the street proceeded pursuant to directions given, to drive to a farm driveway.

During the process some sort of object was held at her neck. Once the farm driveway was reached, she was asked by her abductor for a scarf and told to use it as a blindfold. She did this and was then pulled into the back seat and forcibly raped.

After this, and at her assailant's direction, she drove away from the scene. Several times while driving she was able to observe her attacker's forehead and hairline in the rear view mirror. After she had driven to within a few blocks of her home, she was ordered to stop at an intersection. At this point, the assailant exited through a rear door of the car. Because the car had been stopped right under a street light, she was able to see the right profile of the man's face for a period of 10 to 15 seconds as he walked away. She was also able to observe physical dimensions, clothing, hair style, and that the assailant had a high-pitched voice.

After defendant's arrest as a suspect, complainant viewed the defendant through a one-way mirror and identified him as the rapist by physical characteristics and voice. Later, defendant was identified as the assailant in a police lineup. Counsel was not present at the one-way mirror view, but did participate in the lineup. Defendant was then charged with rape.

An evidentiary hearing was held on defendant's motion to suppress evidence. The court held that the pretrial identifications were inadmissible as evidence because the mirror view was without counsel and the lineup was a product of that mirror observation. However, the court then ruled that the anticipated in-court identification would be admissible as being independent of and untainted by the prior illegal confrontations. Subsequently, at the trial complainant identified defendant as the rapist. Defendant now appeals this conviction citing three issues for our consideration.

Defendant's first contention is that the trial judge committed reversible error in refusing to suppress the in-court identification of defendant by the victim. Defendant argues that it was not possible for the victim to identify defendant at the trial independently of her observation of him during the prior illegal confrontations. We disagree.

Even though the mirror and line-up identifications were found to be illegal and violative of defendant's rights under United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, 87 S.Ct. 1926, 18 L.Ed.2d 1149 (1967), and consequently Per se inadmissible as evidence, Gilbert v. California, 388 U.S. 263, 87 S.Ct.1951, 18 L.Ed.2d 1178 (1967), an in-court identification may still be made if, but only if, the prosecutor is first able to establish by clear and convincing evidence that the in-court identification is based upon observations of the suspect other than the illegal confrontations. United States v. Wade, Supra; People v. Hutton, 21 Mich.App. 312, 175 N.W.2d 860 (1970). Whether there is an independent source is a question for the court, to be made outside the presence of a jury, even though that question involves issues of fact. People v. Hutton, Supra; People v. Edmonds, 32 Mich.App. 172, 188 N.W.2d 205 (1971). In making this determination, the proper test for the trial court to apply, according to Wade, is that quoted in Wong Sun v. United States, 371 U.S. 471, 488, 83 S.Ct. 407, 417, 9 L.Ed.2d 441, 455 (1963):

'(W)hether, granting establishment of the primary illegality, the evidence to which instant objection is made has been come at by exploitation of that illegality or instead by means sufficiently distinguishable to be purged of the primary taint.' See United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. at 241; 87 S.Ct. at 1939, 18 L.Ed.2d at 1165; People v. Hutton, Supra, 326.

The various factors to be considered in applying this test are: the witness's prior opportunity to observe the alleged criminal act; the existence of any discrepancy between any pretrial description and defendant's actual appearance; any identification of another person before confrontation; photographic identification before confrontation; failure to identify defendant on a prior occasion; and the lapse of time between the alleged act and the confrontation identification. United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. at 241, 87 S.Ct. at 1939, 18 L.Ed.2d at 1165; People v. Hutton, Supra, 21 Mich.App. 326, 175 N.W.2d 860. Also for consideration is any uncertainty in the witness's response to whether the witness could have identified defendant at trial had he not seen him at the illegal pretrial confrontation. People v. Hutton, Supra, 326, 175 N.W.2d 860.

In the present case, the trial court determined from the evidentiary hearing that:

'She (complainant) is an intelligent and observant young lady. Unhesitatingly, convincingly, and clearly truthfully, she identified the Defendant as her assailant in this courtroom and asserted that her identification was independent of any of her prior confrontations. * * * This Court notes that the witness had a limited but ample prior opportunity to observe the Defendant immediately following the alleged criminal act. She saw his hair and forehead through the rear view mirror. She testified that she saw his profile as he left the car for some 15 to 20 seconds. In addition her description given to the police shortly after the attack coincides fairly closely, as closely as one could reasonably expect, to the Defendant's actual appearance and description. She testified that she has never failed to identify the Defendant on any prior occasion and that she has never identified anybody else as her assailant. The Court further notes that she was not uncertain. In fact, she was absolutely certain in her response to the question concerning whether she could identify the Defendant had she not seen him at any pretrial confrontation.

'The Court, therefore, finds on this question that the prosecution has been able at this hearing to establish by clear and convincing evidence that the in-court identification, thus far, is based upon observations of the suspect other than the line-up and one-way mirror identifications.'

We fully concur with the trial court. As this Court stated in People v. Nugent, 21 Mich.App. 58, 64, 174 N.W.2d 623, 626 (1969):

'It seems to us that on the present record the complainant's testimony, if believed, sustains the trial court's finding and consequently its ruling. The question whether there was an independent source thus narrows to one of credibility. This Court will not substitute its judgment on the credibility of a witness for that of the trier of fact. People v. Szymanski (1948), 321 Mich. 248, 32 N.W.2d 451; People v. Williams (1966), 3 Mich.App. 272, 142 N.W.2d 43. The trial court, sitting as the trier of fact at the hearing, chose to believe the complainant's testimony.'

Here also, by choosing to accept the trial court's belief as to the credibility of complainant's testimony, we find that from the record there is clear and convincing evidence that the in-court identification was not taintec by the prior illegal identifications. Consequently, there was no error in allowing the complainant to identify defendant in the presence of the jury.

Second, defendant argues that the trial judge committed reversible error in permitting the prosecuting attorney to cross-examine defendant's brother, who testified as an alibi witness for defendant, concerning his failure to come forward with the alibi at any time prior to trial. Defendant also alleges that the prosecuting attorney was thereafter erroneously permitted to argue to the jury that the failure of the alibi witness to come forward at an earlier date should be considered as bearing upon the witness' credibility. In permitting this prosecutional comment on the delay in presenting the alibi defense by the witness, defendant contends that the prosecutor, through innuendo and unconstitutional inference, effectively denied him, David McClow, his constitutional right to remain silent.

The extent and control of cross-examination in a prosecution for a crime is largely within the sound discretion of the trial judge, and unless such discretion is abused, an appellate court will not interfere. People v. Johnson, 382 Mich. 632, 172 N.W.2d 369 (1969); People v. Connor, 348 Mich. 456, 83 N.W.2d 315 (1957); People v. Fedderson, 327 Mich. 213, 41 N.W.2d 527 (1950). We can find no abuse of discretion. In People v....