People v. Evans

Virgil Lee Evans was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder committed during a grocery-store robbery that occurred on October 2, 1967, MCLA § 750.316 (Stat Ann 1954 Rev § 28.548). He has appealed alleging several errors.

Initially, he asserts that it was error for the trial court to refuse to instruct the jury that his codefendant, Richard Tanner, had pled guilty to manslaughter and to prohibit defense counsel from arguing to the jury the effect of that fact on the credibility of both Tanner and Evans.

After the prosecution presented its case and Evans his defense, codefendant Tanner took…