People v. Williams
People v. Williams
Opinion of the Court
1. Ho point is made upon the instructions, and we will, therefore, not consider them.
2. The transcript does not purport to contain all the evidence in the case, but the alleged errors relied upon are such as appear in the bill of exceptions. It is well settled that all omissions or uncertainties in a bill of exceptions are to be construed against the party presenting it—this is an obvious corrollary to the rule that mere intendments here go in support of the judgment below, and that error is not to be presumed, but must affirmatively appear in the record.
3. The first error relied upon is, that the District Attorney
4. The question, as asked of the witness Eupley, even if objectionable in itself, does not seem to have been answered by him, at least no answer appears in the record, and in that view the question asked and objection taken become mere abstractions.
5. The Constable, Hill, who had arrested the defendant, was asked by the District Attorney how be came to do so. This was objected to, because the reason why he did so was “immaterial and not competent evidence.” The Court overruled the objection, and we are asked to reverse its ruling, without our being informed by the record as to the circumstances under which the question was asked. There are some questions, of course, which are per se objectionable and which are inadmissible under any supposable circumstances in judicial proceedings, but this is not one of those. Its admissibility or inadmissibility at the trial would rest upon a consideration of the other evidence given—and that, as we have said already, is not before us. It might be that
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE PEOPLE v. WILLIAMS
- Cited By
- 11 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Bill of Exceptions Must Show Error Affirmatively—If a defendant who is jointly indicted with another for a crime relies, on appeal, on the fact that the declarations of his confederate were received in evidence against him on his trial, and that be was not present when they were made, the bill of exceptions must show that he was not present when the declarations were made, or it will not show error. Bill of Exceptions.—All omissions or uncertainties in a bill of exceptions are to be construed against the party presenting it. Question not Answered.—When a question, even if objectionable, is not answered, an objection to it becomes a mere abstraction, and no injury is done to the party excepting. Exception Must Show on What it Bests.—When a question which is not per se objectionable, and which might be admissible under some circumstances, is put to a witness and answered under objection, the record must show the facts previously established in evidence, or the Court will not be able to pass on the propriety of the question or answer.