Neal v. State
Neal v. State
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. I cannot concur with the majority of the court in the conclusion that the defendant’s conviction was demanded. As I understand the evidence, there was an issue of fact for the jury as to whether or not the defendant had knowledge of the existence of a still upon his premises. "While his statement is long and argumentative and full of irrelevancies, it can be construed only as a denial of such knowledge. He stated this (in referring to the branch on which the still was found): “It’s a thick branch. I never had my foot in it before, until this still was found, and I didn’t know anybody else ever did. As I stated about this,—I don’t know anything about the spring and I have no occasion to visit my branches, and have no occasion to know of a still in there.” He further said: “I ask you, gentlemen, to direct your attention to the fact that I have no opportunity to be away from the office; that I have been there with a
Besides, the “incriminatory admissions made to [the sheriff] by the defendant—which admissions,” in the language of the majority of the court, “under the particular facts of this case, amounted to a confession of his guilt of the offense charged,” are, I respectfully submit, no more than “incriminatory admissions.” The sheriff
The statement of the sheriff tended to establish by way of admission Icnowledge only of the existence of the still on the part of the defendant. The statement contained no admission of the entire offense-charged, the offense being, to “knowingly permit or allow” a still upon one’s premises. Nothing which the defendant
The evidence having clearly made an issue as to the defendant’s guilt or innocence, and the charge of the court excepted to having necessarily controlled the verdict, and being an erroneous statement of the law, the verdict should be set aside and a new trial granted.
The defendant was indicted under two counts. One charged him with distilling and manufacturing prohibited liquors, and the other charged him with knowingly permitting, having, and possessing distilling apparatus on his premises. He was convicted on both counts. Section 22 of the act approved March 28th, 1917, making it unlawful for any one “to knowingly permit or allow any one to have or possess or locate on his premises any apparatus for the distilling or manufacturing of the liquors and beverages specified in this act,” provides that “when any such apparatus is found or discovered upon said premises the same shall be prima facie evidence that the person in actual possession had knowledge of the existence of the same, . . the burden of proof in all cases being upon the person in actual possession to show the want of knowledge of the existence of such apparatus on his premises.” (Italics mine.) The evidence in this case showed that a distilling apparatus was found upon the premises of the defendant, upon which lived defendant’s tenant or cropper, the defendant himself not living upon the premises, but controlling the same as landlord and visiting the same daily. Defendant in his statement, however, stated that the tenant had been on the place two years and superintended the entire farm just as if it were his, the tenant’s. The judge charged the jury as follows: “The burden is upon the State to show that the apparatus was upon the premises or property
Since the law places the burden of showing absence of knowledge of the existence of a still upon the one in “actual possession” of the premises upon which the still was found, it must necessarily follow that “actual possession” in the sense here used means such close proximity to the premises as will reasonably lead to the inference that the party in possession had knowledge of the existence of the still. Such knowledge could justly be imputed to one in actual possession, pedis possessio, whereas it could not justly be imputed to one who merely owned the premises and had control thereof, but lived elsewhere. It will be seen, therefore, that where premises are immediately occupied by a tenant or cropper who actually lives thereon, and the owner or landlord, as the defendant in this case, does not live thereon, although such owner or landlord may be in control of the premises as owner, such control of the premises is not the actual possession in the sense of this act. The owner may not live upon the premises, and yet, from the particular circumstances, such as going over the place daily and inspecting it, etc., it may be inferred that he had knowledge of the existence of a distilling apparatus thereon. This inference would not arise, however, from the fact that he controlled the place, but would arise from all the facts and circumstances of the particular ease going to show knowledge on the part of the defendant. The statute makes it unlawful for the owner of the premises, whether he lives thereon or not, to allow distilling apparatus thereon, hut the statute makes actual possession, and not ownership or control, prima facie evidence of knowledge of the existence of the still on the premises. Ownership or control alone are not sufficient, without more, to authorize the inference that the owner knew of the existence of a still on his premises.
Where, in a criminal case, a prima facie case for the State is made, a verdict of guilty is not demanded. A prima facie case merely authorizes the jury to find a verdict of guilty under the evidence. It is, therefore, error for the court to charge the jury that a prima facie ease under this .act “entitled” the State to a verdict. The possession of distilling apparatus upon the premises of the defendant does not, as a matter of law, demand the defendant’s conviction. Such possession merely authorizes the jury to
I deem it unnecessary here to touch upon the grounds of the .motion for a new trial upon newly discovered evidence, and upon the manner in which the jury was drawn.
I am of the opinion that the judgment should be reversed.
Opinion of the Court
The indictment contained two counts. The first count charged the defendant with the offense of manufacturing alcoholic liquors. The second count charged him with knowingly permitting apparatus for the distilling and manufacturing of intoxicating liquors to be located on his premises. He was convicted on both counts. The court instructed the jury, in substance, that if the evidence showed that such apparatus was found on premises "possessed or controlled” by the defendant, the State made a prima facie case, and this would entitle the State to a verdict in its favor unless the defendant showed that the apparatus was there without his knowledge. This charge was excepted to. Conceding, but not deciding, that this charge was erroneous, it does
There was ample evidence to authorize the defendant’s conviction under the first count of the indictment, and no error in the charge, as to this count, is complained of.
The remaining special grounds of the motion for a new trial are without merit. The court did not err in overruling the motion for a new trial.
Judgment affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.