People v. Jones

Following a jury trial, defendant was convicted of first-degree murder, MCL 750.316, and conspiracy to commit murder, MCL 750.157a. The Court of Appeals reversed defendant’s convictions, holding that defendant was denied a fair trial when the prosecution elicited testimony from its “key witness” that the witness had taken and passed a polygraph test. Although we agree with the Court of Appeals that introduction of this testimony was error, we hold that defendant’s convictions should not be reversed because the unpreserved, nonconstitutional error did not affect defendant’s substantial rights.

W…