James v. State
James v. State
Opinion of the Court
Appellant was indicted at the July term, 1918, of the circuit court of Talladega county, in which it was charged that he “manufactured, sold, offered for sale, kept or had in his possession for sale, prohibited liquors and beverages, contrary to law.”
When this case was finally called for trial in said court on. to wit, November 26, 1919, the defendant filed a motion to quash the indictment on the grounds that one of the grand jurors who served thereon was not selected or drawn as a grand juror by the officer whose duty it was to select grand jurors for said term of court, etc.
This statute, supra, does provide, however, that an objection can he taken to an indictment by a plea in abatement if said plea be predicated upon the ground that the grand jurors who found the indictment were not drawn by the officer designated by law to draw the same.
After the motion to quash had been stricken, the defendant thereupon filed a plea in abatement, as follows:
“Gomes the defendant in the above-entitled cause, and for plea in abatement to said indictment separately and severally says:
“(1) That the indictment in this case is void for that one S. M. Vickers, who sat upon the grand jury which found this indictment, was not drawn and summoned as a grand juror.
“(2) Eor that the indictment in this case is void and illegal for that one S. M. Vickers acted as a grand juror at the time said indictment was found and participated in the proceedings of said grand jury in finding said indictment, and that said S. M. Vickers was not selected or drawn as a grand juror by the officers whose duty it was to select grand jurors for said term of the court, nor was said S. M. Vickers placed or drawn on said grand jury to supply a deficiency in the number of said grand jury or in any other manner whatever.
“(3) Eor that the indictment in this case is illegal and void, for that one S. M. Vickers was improperly added to said grand jury as a member thereof and served on said grand jury which found this indictment.
“Knox, Acker, Dixon & Sims,
“Attorneys for the Defendant.
“The defendant in this cause being duly sworn says on oath that the facts therein stated are true to the best of his knowledge, information and belief. M. R. James.
“Subscribed and sworn to before me. this the 26th day of Nov., 1919.
“Frank Lanier, Clerk.”
, • This' was a good plea in form and substance and followed the statute; that is to say, it was a good plea and available, provided it was filed in time. This same statute, supra, further provides that “any plea in abatement to an indictment must be filed at the first term at which it is practicable after the defendant has been arrested,” and in all cases before the plea to the merits.
It follows therefore that this question is presented: Was the defendant’s plea in abatement filed in time, or did it come too late to meet the requirements of the statute?
The indictment was returned into court and duly filed on December 5, 1918. There is nothing in the record to show when the defendant was arrested, and the only information on the question as to whether or not this plea was filed in time is contained in the judgment recited, which says:
“And this cause being now submitted to the court upon the motion of the state to strike defendant’s plea in abatement, it is considered, ordered and adjudged by the court that said motion be and the same is hereby granted on the ground that said plea was not filed within the time required by law.”
“The court charges the jury that before they can convict the defendant in this case they must believe, not only that he was present at the still, but that he was interested in or assisted in operating it.”
This charge was properly refused for two reasons. The belief of the jury must be predicated or based upon the evidence in the case, which this charge pretermits. And the measure of proof is not only to believe (as here stated), but the jury must so believe beyond a reasonable doubt. Collins v. State, 14 Ala. App. 54, 70 South. 995; McClain v. State, 182 Ala. 67, 62 South. 241; Barnett v. State, 16 Ala. App. 539, 79 South 675.
No error appearing, the judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.
Affirmed.
(S=>For other oases see same tonic and KEY-NUMBER in all Key-Numbered Digests and Indexes
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