People v. Roeder

Defendant was charged with two counts of felony murder in the death by fire of her two young children. She was found guilty by a jury of two counts of second-degree murder, MCLA 750.317; MSA 28.549, and was sentenced to terms of 10 to 20 years imprisonment. She now brings this appeal as of right.

The charges against defendant arose out of a nighttime fire which destroyed the mobile home in which she resided with her husband and children. Defendant and her husband were able to escape, but their two sons, ages two and three, were killed in the blaze. The fire was discovered when defendant’s…