Ex Parte Jones
Ex Parte Jones
Opinion
The circuit court, sitting without a jury, adjudged the petitioner guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol. Petitioner appealed the judgment of conviction to the Court of Criminal Appeals and obtained a reversal of his conviction. Being unsatisfied with portions of the opinion and judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeals,
We have read the entire record of the trial proceedings and find no evidence whatsoever tending to establish when the offense was committed.
Harris v. State,"If the evidence fails to disclose that the offense was committed within the statute, the state fails to make out a case."
Neither do we find sufficient evidence to establish that the offense occurred within the city limits or police jurisdiction of the City of Daphne. "Failure to prove venue is ground for reversal." Willcutt v. State,
Mayhall v. State,"A conviction in a criminal case can never be had except upon proof of the venue, and this need not be proved by direct evidence, but evidence from which it may be inferred is sufficient; but the venue of a crime should never be left in doubt, nor supplied by inference, when it may be readily proved."
While the trial judge may have unintentionally been misled into concluding that the parties stipulated to the existence of a prima facie case, the record will not support that conclusion.
The judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeals reversing the judgment of the circuit court is correct; however, that judgment was incorrect in remanding this case, because, in view of the pronouncements herein made, the petitioner is due to be discharged. It is so ordered.
AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED IN PART; AND JUDGMENT RENDERED FOR DEFENDANT.
All the Justices concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ex Parte Stephen Rodgers Jones. (Re Stephen Rodgers Jones v. City of Daphne).
- Cited By
- 7 cases
- Status
- Published