People v. Vasquez
People v. Vasquez
Opinion of the Court
Hunter, who was examined touching his qualifications as a juror, was challenged for actual bias, and the challenge was disallowed. No objections were taken to the admission or rejection of evidence, nor to any of the proceedings on the hearing of the challenge. The decision of the question of fact raised by the challenge is final, and is not subject to review on appeal. (People v. Cotta, ante p. 166.)
In charging the jury, the Court stated that “testimony has been introduced before you tending to show that the defendant Vasquez, and others, were engaged in the robbery of one Snyder, at Tres Pinos; and that while so engaged, and in furtherance of the common purpose of Vasquez and his associates to accomplish this robbery, the deceased was slain by the defendant, or by some of the parties with whom he was then engaged in the robbery.” This is complained of by the defendant, as an expression of the opinion of the judge as to the effect of the evidence adduced on the trial. The instruction is not subject to that objection. It does not charge the jury with respect to the weight or effect of the evidence, nor as to what facts are thereby established. An instruction is not pertinent nor in any sense proper unless given in view of the evidence, as tending or not tending to prove some fact in issue; and it could not be erroneous for the Court to state to the jury correctly, as was done in this case, the state of the evidence in respect to which the instructions were given.
The tenth instruction is as follows: “It is no defense to a party associated with others in, and engaged in a robbery, that he did not propose or intend to take life in its perpe
Judgment and order affirmed.
Mr. Justice Niles did not express an opinion.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- THE PEOPLE v. TIBURCIO VASQUEZ
- Cited By
- 39 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Challenge of Jubob fob Actual Bias.—If a juror is challenged for actual bias, and evidence is taken as to the existence of such bias, the decision of the Court on the question of fact,.as to whether bias exists, is final, and is not subject to review on appeal. Chabge to the Juey with bespeot to Evidence. — If testimony has been introduced to prove a certain matter, the Court may instruct the jury that testimony has been introduced tending to prove such matter, and such instruction is not an expression of the opinion of the Court as to the weight or effect of the evidence, nor as to what fact has been proved. Mubdeb, while Engaged in Bobbeby.—If several are associated together in the commission of a robbery, and one of the associates does not intend to take life, and prohibits the others from taking life, yet if one of his associates takes life while they are engaged in the robbery, and in furtherance of the common purpose to rob, he is as much guilty of murder in the first degree as though his own hand had given the fatal blow.