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No. 124811
| The People of the State of Michigan |
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Jon P. Wojtala |
Plaintiff-Appellee, |
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vs (Appeal from Ct of Appeals) |
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(Wayne - Fresard, P.) |
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| Wayne L. Young, |
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Valerie R. Newman |
Defendant-Appellant. |
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Plaintiff-Appellee's Brief on Appeal>>
Defendant-Appellant's Brief on Appeal>>
Background
Following a jury trial, defendant Wayne Young was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and other related crimes. The testimony against Young came primarily from Michael Martin and Eugene Lawrence. Martin testified that Young came to his home and asked for a gun to "hit a lick" - to rob someone of money and drugs. Martin did not have a gun, so Young called Lawrence , and then asked Martin to drive him to see Lawrence . Young and Lawrence spoke privately, and then Martin drove Young a few blocks away and dropped him off. Martin testified that he did not know that Lawrence gave Young a gun. He also testified that Young called him twice more that day. The first time, Young told Martin that he was deciding how to rob several people in a drug house. The second time, Young told Martin that he had shot two people in the head. Young later repeated this statement to Lawrence , and also disclosed where he had hidden the gun. Martin was questioned by the police in connection with the shootings; he told the police about Lawrence and Young. In addition, a third person told the police that Young had asked him for a gun. After being convicted, Young argued that the trial court should have instructed the jury about the unreliability of accomplice testimony, which would have caused the jury to more closely scrutinize the testimony Martin and Lawrence gave at trial. The Court of Appeals affirmed Young's convictions. Young appeals.
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