People v. Szymanski

• Decision Date: 26 April 1974
• Docket Number: No. 1,Docket No. 15481,1
• Citation: 52 Mich.App. 605,218 N.W.2d 95
• Parties: PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Eugene Joseph SZYMANSKI, Defendant-Appellee
• Court: Court of Appeal of Michigan — District of US

Page 95

218 N.W.2d 95

52 Mich.App. 605

PEOPLE of the State of Michigan, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. Eugene Joseph SZYMANSKI, Defendant-Appellee.

Docket No. 15481.

Court of Appeals of Michigan, Division No. 1.

April 26, 1974.

Released for Publication May 24, 1974.

Leave to Appeal Denied Oct. 11, 1974.

Carl Ziemba, Detroit, for plaintiff-appellant.

Frank J. Kelley, Atty. Gen., Robert A. Derengoski, Sol. Gen., William L. Cahalan, Pros. Atty., Dominick R. Carnovale, Chief, Appellate Div., Leonard Meyers, Asst. Pros. Atty., for defendant-appellee.

Before BASHARA, P.J., and DANHOF and SMITH,* JJ.

BASHARA, Presiding Judge.

Defendant was convicted by a jury of assault with intent to commit murder ¹ in the shooting of a Hamtramck police officer. He was sentenced to prison for a term of 14 to 22 years and appeals.

Defendant first contends that the trial judge erred in failing to quash the complaint and warrant. He alleges that the complaint failed to set forth facts upon which the magistrate could find probable cause to support the issuance of a warrant. ² Although the language of the complaint was conclusory and would therefore lack the requirements for a neutral finding of probable cause, the arrest was valid on other authority. M.C.L.A. § 764.15; M.S.A. § 28.874 provides that peace officers may arrest without warrants when they have probable cause to believe a felony has been committed and that it was committed by the defendant. This Court held in People v. Hernandez, 41 Mich.App. 594, 200 N.W.2d 447 (1972), that where an officer had such probable cause, the arrest will not be invalidated because the officer obtained a warrant which was later found to be defective. In the instant case, the arresting officer had sufficient facts to justify an honest belief that defendant was the perpetrator of the shooting. The arresting officer had been given defendant's name as a suspect in this crime by a companion of defendant. The information supplied by the companion showed that both he and defendant were, shortly before the shooting episode, in the process of robbing a drunk when a patrol car appeared. The men separated and it was soon thereafter that the pursuing officer was wounded. The last allegations, substantiated by the victim police officer, were sufficient to form an honest belief that defendant was involved in the crime. People v. Gunn, 48 Mich.App. 772, 211 N.W.2d 84 (1973). The motion to dismiss was properly granted. This holding is buttressed by the recent decision of our Supreme Court in People v. Burrill, 391 Mich. 124, 133, 214 N.W.2d 823 (1974).

Justice Levin there stated:

'(T)he invalidity of the arrest warrant did not oust the circuit court of jurisdiction. The sole sanction imposed by the United States Supreme Court for the invalidity of an arrest warrant has been the suppression of evidence obtained from the person following his illegal arrest.

'The Court has consistently held that a court's jurisdiction to try an accused person cannot be challenged on the ground that physical custody of the accused was obtained in an unlawful manner. * * *'

In his next four issues, defendant attacks the in-court identification of defendant by the victim officer as being the result of an unlawful lineup identification. His allegations of lack of counsel, suggestiveness, and unnecessary delay in the effort to have the lineup take place were all tested by the trial court in an evidentiary hearing. The result was a finding that the lineup was conducted fairly with full regard to defendant's constitutional rights. We are also in agreement with the court's finding that the short period of delay between arrest and arraignment was proper and not for the unlawful purpose of extracting a confession or other damaging evidence. People v. Matthews, 28 Mich.App. 473, 184 N.W.2d 474 (1970). Nor does that fact that defendant was represented by substituted counsel vitiate the lineup. The procedure whereby counsel is appointed to observe lineups for suggestiveness, but without representing particular clients, has been approved in United States v. Randolph, 143 U.S.App.D.C. 314, 443 F.2d 729 (1970). The appointed counsel in this case was examined at the evidentiary hearing and testified that she was satisfied that the lineup was fairly conducted. We find no evidence in the record to disturb the trial court's ruling that the lineup was proper and that the identification at trial should not have been suppressed.

Defendant next asserts error by the trial court in permitting the prosecutor to impeach his own witness, John Rials, by use of the preliminary examination transcript to show prior inconsistent statements. The alleged error is predicated on defendant's contention that the witness was an accomplice and was not required to be called by the prosecution. People v. Coates, 40 Mich.App. 212, 198 N.W.2d 837 (1972). Where no obligation exists to call a witness, as an accomplice, no Statutory right to impeach him exists. (Emphasis added.) In People v. Fidel, 37 Mich.App. 338, 342--343, 194 N.W.2d 732, 734 (1971). this Court stated the rule of impeachment as follows:

'We hold here that the right of the prosecution to impeach its own witness is derivative of, and coextensive with, the obligation to call that witness. Absent the obligation, a witness thus called becomes the people's witness and subject to the settled rules concerning the examination of any witness voluntarily called by either party.'

The obligation to call all res gestae witnesses is clear in Michigan. People v. Robinson, 390 Mich. [52 Mich.App. 610] 629, 213 N.W.2d 106 (1973); People v. King, 50 Mich.App. 487, 213 N.W.2d 597 (1974). The purpose of the rule is to insure the whole of the res gestae and to protect the accused against suppression of testimony favorable to him. People v. Leon Brown, 35 Mich.App. 173, 192 N.W.2d 337 (1971). In summary the prosecution must call to the stand all res gestae witnesses, ³ but is entitled to impeach them...