People v. Williams

Defendant was charged with burning a dwelling house, MCL 750.72; MSA 28.267, and, in a jury trial, was convicted of the lesser included offense of attempted burning of a dwelling house, MCL 750.92; MSA 28.287. He was sentenced to a prison term of two to five years and now appeals as of right.

The charge against defendant arose out of the October 4, 1979, burning of the home of Homer and Patricia Arnold. At the time of the fire, the Arnolds were purchasing the house from defendant’s father under a land contract. Within minutes of when the fire was reported, the police were called to the home of…