Porter v. State
Porter v. State
Opinion of the Court
The indictment contained three counts. The first charged burglary of a dwelling house; the second charged larceny of certain articles from the dwelling house; the third charged that the defendant did buy, receive, conceal, or aid in concealing one pistol, one flashlight, .and one box of cartridges, knowing that these articles were stolen from a dwelling house, and not having the intent to restore them to the owner.
“(4) The court charges the jury that, if you believe the evidence in this case, you cannot convict the defendant under the third count of the indictment.”
As there was no evidence whatever in the entire record to sustaiii the allegations of the third count, and no facts from which the guilt of the defendant in this regard could even be inferred, the charge should have been given, and its refusal was error. James v. State, 15 Ala. App. 569, 74 South. 395; Jeffries v. State, 7 Ala. App. 144, 62 South. 270; Thomas v. State, 109 Ala. 25, 19 South. 403; Sanders v. State, 167 Ala. 85, 52 South. 417, 28 L. R. A. (N. S.) 536; Aline Clisby v. State, ante, p. 475, 86 South. 140; Jordan v. State, 87 South. 433.
As to the charges contained in the first and second counts of the indictment, there was some evidence, though slight, which authorized the court in submitting the ease to the jury on those counts, but, as before stated, there is not a scintilla of evidence to sustain the allegations of the third count, or any testimony offered from which the guilt of the defendant under this charge could even be inferred. There was no attempt to show that the defendant bought the stolen articles, or that at any time he received them or even had them in his possession, nor was there any evidence whatever to sustain the charge that he concealed, or aided in concealing, the articles named, knowing that they were stolen. This being true, the verdict of the jury was manifestly contrary to any of the evidence in the case, and was therefore not predicated upon the evidence or any part thereof. All these questions were fully presented on the motion for a new trial, and the court erred in overruling said motion. It is our opinion that the defendant, under all the evidence in this case, and under every inference possible to deduce therefrom, was entitled to his discharge under count 3 of the indictment.
For the errors pointed out, the judgment' of the circuit court is reversed and -the cause remanded.
Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Porter v. State.
- Cited By
- 10 cases
- Status
- Published