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People v. Gibson

Michigan Court of Appeals
Jul 31, 1970
25 Mich. App. 622 (Mich. Ct. App. 1970)

Opinion

Docket No. 7,227.

Decided July 31, 1970.

Appeal from Recorder's Court of Detroit, Vincent J. Brennan, J. Submitted Division 1 June 17, 1970, at Detroit. (Docket No. 7,227.) Decided July 31, 1970.

Edward Gibson was convicted of breaking and entering an office with intent to commit larceny. Defendant appeals. Affirmed.

Frank J. Kelley, Attorney General, Robert A. Derengoski, Solicitor General, William L. Cahalan, Prosecuting Attorney, Dominick R. Carnovale, Chief, Appellate Department, and Thomas P. Smith, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for the people.

Kenneth A. Webb, for defendant on appeal.

Before: McGREGOR, P.J., and J.H. GILLIS and O'HARA, JJ.

Former Supreme Court Justice, sitting on the Court of Appeals by assignment pursuant to Const 1963, art 6, § 23 as amended in 1968.


Defendant was convicted of breaking and entering a doctor's office with intent to commit a larceny therein. MCLA § 750.110 (Stat Ann 1970 Cum Supp § 28.305). At trial, the complaining witness testified, over defense counsel's objection, that, after the break-in, defendant came to him and asked that he not press charges because defendant had a bad criminal record. After reviewing the record, we are satisfied that the witness's remark was not anticipated or pressed for by the prosecutor. Under such circumstances, a new trial need not result where, as here, the trial court applies the proper corrective. People v. Smith (1970), 22 Mich. App. 133; People v. Podsiad (1940), 295 Mich. 541; People v. Rozewicz (1924), 228 Mich. 231.

Error also is claimed as to an unresponsive remark by an employee of the complaining witness, who discovered the defendant in the doctor's office. At trial, she was relating the events at the doctor's office, wherein she encountered the defendant and the defendant allegedly told her that he was merely investigating the break-in. The witness then rhetorically asked, "Why did he have on gloves, if that's what he did?" Although error, we have examined the trial transcript and find that the other evidence of defendant's guilt is substantial and that no miscarriage of justice has resulted from the witness's unresponsive testimony. CL 1948, § 769.26 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.1096).

Affirmed.


Summaries of

People v. Gibson

Michigan Court of Appeals
Jul 31, 1970
25 Mich. App. 622 (Mich. Ct. App. 1970)
Case details for

People v. Gibson

Case Details

Full title:PEOPLE v. GIBSON

Court:Michigan Court of Appeals

Date published: Jul 31, 1970

Citations

25 Mich. App. 622 (Mich. Ct. App. 1970)
181 N.W.2d 633

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