People v. Shipp

Defendant David Shipp appeals as of right from a jury conviction of voluntary manslaughter arising out of the death of defendant’s wife.

The cornerstone of the circumstantial case against the accused was an autopsy report which concluded that the deceased died after attempted strangulation and blunt instrument trauma. Over defendant’s objections, the trial court permitted the observations, opinions, and conclusions contained in the autopsy report to be read into evidence.

We hold that the Michigan Rules of Evidence prohibit the admission into evidence of opinions and conclusions contained in an…