Warren v. State
Warren v. State
Opinion of the Court
“Could it be contended either in law or morals that, because a defendant had failed to ask the affirmative charge when it was patent that there was not evidence to sustain a conviction, and the jury should find him guilty and fix the death sentence, that the court would say you will forfeit your life, not for a crime against our law, but because of your ignorance or neglect in failing to ask the affirmative charge? Would not, in this instance, the law be violated by the judge in allowing such a judgment to stand, and a great crime be committed, namely, murder, not for the taking of human life, but for the failure on account of ignorance or neglect to ask a charge?”
However meritorious this contention may appear from the defendant’s viewpoint, under the many adjudications of the Supreme Court and this court, and the oft-pronounced rules of procedure and practice, so necessary to a proper administration of the law, the contention is wholly untenable, and has been many times so held. McPherson v. State, 198 Ala. 5, 73 South. 387; Tucker v. State, 202 Ala. 5, ,79 South. 303; Ross v. State, 16 Ala. App. 393, 78 South. 309; Morrissette v. State, *246 16 Ala. App. 32, 75 South. 177; Ex parte State, 204 Ala. 389, 85 South. 785. See, also, Code 1907, § 5362.
We are of the opinion that the court erred in overruling the objection of defendant to the question propounded to Mrs. Nero Warren, “You used to live down there?” Whether or not this witness used to live down there, referring to the place upon which the still was found, was wholly immaterial to any of the issues involved in this ease, and the testimony thus adduced over the objection was irrelevant and immaterial. The defendant insists that the court itself erred in asking the question, “I mean who was in charge of it?” It would appear that this question was objectionable as calling for a conclusion upon the part of the witness, but, as no exception is shown to have been reserved in this connection, the matter is not presented for review. For like reasons, several statements claimed to have been made by the defendant to the officers without any predicate having been laid for such statements cannot be considered on this appeal. Appellate courts are charged with the duty of considering all questions apparent on the record, or reserved by bill of exceptions, and, as before stated, if no exception is reserved it cannot be reviewed. Authorities supra.
The judgment appealed from is reversed, and the cause remanded.
Reversed and remanded.
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