People of Michigan v. Tony Lee Linton, 328930

On Oct. 23, 2014, deputies stopped a pickup; occupants were driver Ethan Cumberledge, passenger Tony Linton (defendant), and Mark Grove. A strong chemical odor and a previously unseen black bag were observed in the truck.
Officers recovered materials consistent with a one‑pot methamphetamine lab (Sudafed blister packs, pill grinder, lithium batteries, lye, unlabeled acidic bottle, cold pack packaging, Coleman fuel, Mountain Dew bottle showing chemical reaction).
Detective Abendroth, testifying as an expert, identified the device as a failed one‑pot meth lab; Cumberledge and Grove testified Linton mixed components in a bottle in the truck and had used/supplied meth earlier that evening.
Linton denied involvement, claiming the co‑defendants implicated him to get leniency; he testified at trial. Cumberledge and Grove implicated Linton at trial.
A jury convicted Linton of manufacturing/delivering methamphetamine (second offense) and operating/maintaining a meth lab (second offense); he was sentenced to concurrent 5–40 year terms and appealed.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Whether the verdict that Linton manufactured/delivered meth was against the great weight of the evidence	People: eyewitness testimony, expert identification of one‑pot lab, recovered components, evidence of prior Sudafed purchases and prior use/sales established elements beyond a reasonable doubt	Linton: testimony was unreliable; claimed only a failed attempt occurred and failed attempts cannot constitute "manufacturing" under the statute	Court: Issue unpreserved; plain‑error review fails — evidence supported each element (manufacture, substance, knowledge); verdict not against great weight

People v Musser, 259 Mich. App. 215 (2003) (standard for a great‑weight challenge to a verdict)
People v Cameron, 291 Mich. App. 599 (2011) (preservation and review standards for new‑trial/great‑weight claims)
People v Carines, 460 Mich. 750 (1999) (plain‑error test for unpreserved claims)
People v McCray, 245 Mich. App. 631 (2001) (definition of miscarriage of justice for great‑weight review)
People v Lemmon, 456 Mich. 625 (1998) (deference to jury credibility determinations; limits on granting new trial for credibility issues)
People v Meshell, 265 Mich. App. 616 (2005) (elements of manufacturing methamphetamine)
People v Jolly, 442 Mich. 458 (1993) (circumstantial evidence and reasonable inferences may establish criminal elements)
People v Schultz, 246 Mich. App. 695 (2001) (definition of delivery as transfer sufficing to prove delivery)
People v Kelly, 231 Mich. App. 627 (1998) (abandonment of argument where no supporting authority provided)