People v. Hickey

The defendant, William Hickey, was found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder contrary to MCL 750.317; MSA 28.549 and was sentenced to from 50 to 75 years in prison. Defendant appeals as a matter of right.

Defendant’s conviction followed a second trial on the charge of first-degree murder, the first trial having ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. At the first trial, the jury was instructed that it could return one of four possible verdicts: guilty of first-degree murder, guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of voluntary manslaughter, or not guilty. When the jury indicated to the…