People v. Hoskins

Originally charged with murder, James E. Hoskins pled guilty of manslaughter over the prosecutor’s objection in 1972. He received a 7-1/2 to 15-year prison sentence.

After a complaint was filed by the prosecutor’s office, this Court, in Genesee Prosecutor v Genesee Circuit Judge, 391 Mich 115; 215 NW2d 145 (1974), granted an order of superintending control and remanded for trial on the information. A jury convicted defendant of second-degree murder on May 8, 1974, and he was sentenced seven weeks later to 20 to 35 years in prison.

Throughout the trial the defendant’s attorney argued that the…