Order Michigan Supreme Court
Lansing, Michigan
November 4, 2016 Robert P. Young, Jr.,
Chief Justice
Stephen J. Markman
Brian K. Zahra
153651 Bridget M. McCormack
David F. Viviano
Richard H. Bernstein
Joan L. Larsen,
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, Justices
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v SC: 153651
COA: 324388
Washtenaw CC: 13-001442-FH
MELVIN EARL HOWARD,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________________________/
On order of the Court, the application for leave to appeal the March 8, 2016
judgment of the Court of Appeals is considered. We direct the Clerk to schedule oral
argument on whether to grant the application or take other action. MCR 7.305(H)(1).
The parties shall file supplemental briefs within 42 days of the date of this order
addressing: (1) whether manifest necessity justified the grant of a mistrial at the
defendant’s first trial; (2) whether defense counsel implicitly consented to the grant of a
mistrial; (3) whether defense counsel was ineffective for not moving to dismiss on double
jeopardy grounds prior to retrial; and (4) whether the statement in People v Johnson, 396
Mich 424, 432 (1976), that “[m]ere silence or failure to object to the jury’s discharge is
not such consent,” is an accurate statement of law. Compare Johnson with People v Lett,
466 Mich 206, 223 n 15 (2002), and cases cited therein. The parties should not submit
mere restatements of their application papers.
I, Larry S. Royster, Clerk of the Michigan Supreme Court, certify that the
foregoing is a true and complete copy of the order entered at the direction of the Court.
November 4, 2016
a1101
Clerk