People v. Deblauwe

The defendant was found guilty by a jury of larceny in a building. MCLA 750.360; MSA 28.592. He raises four issues on appeal; only one has merit.

The meritorious issue concerns a letter one of defendant’s alleged accomplices wrote to the owner of the stolen property. The letter exculpated the defendant, but it also mentioned defendant’s status as a parolee. Defense counsel sought to have the letter admitted into evidence and to have that portion which mentioned his parolee status excised before admission. The trial judge refused to allow it. Before that portion was to be read aloud to the jury…