Wheeler v. State
Wheeler v. State
Dissenting Opinion
dissenting. I dissent from the affirmance of the judgment overruling the general grounds of the motion for new trial.
"To warrant a conviction on circumstantial evidence, the proved facts shall not only be consistent with the hypothesis of guilt, but shall exclude every other reasonable hypothesis save that of the guilt of the accused.” Code § 38-109; Graham v. State, 183 Ga. 881 (189 SE 910); Sentell v. State, 227 Ga. 153 (179 SE2d 234). "In determining whether any other reasonable hypothesis exists, the defendant’s explanation must be taken into consideration insofar as it is consistent with the circumstantial evidence properly admitted. Redwine v. State, 207 Ga. 318, 324 (61 SE2d 481).” Sentell v. State, supra, p. 156. The defendant’s testimony, that he was on his way to his friend’s apartment, is supported, to some extent at least, by his wife’s testimony that the friend called him shortly before he left home, on foot and without a gun'. The fact of his chest wound and its treatment at the hospital, was supported by evidence. Although much of the rest of the defendant’s explanation was unsubstantiated, nevertheless, it is consistent with the other circumstantial evidence properly admitted, with the exception of the identification of the defendant as the one seen fleeing the murder scene. Of the two eyewitnesses, one had never even seen the defendant prior to the time he claimed to have seen him on the night in question and the other one claimed to have seen the defendant on several occasions, but the defendant denied having ever seen him. Although the identifications were made from a fairly close distance in a lighted area, they were, nevertheless, made at night; the dark skin of the man allegedly identified, plus the facts, that he was running at the time and that the identifiers knew the defendant only casually (if at all) and not at all, respectively, might render a positive identification very difficult, even without any consideration of the eyewitnesses’ credibility.
Under the principles above stated, I do not believe that the State carried its burden of proof of the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Certainly, the evidence of his mere presence at the scene of the crime at the time of its commission was not sufficient proof of his guilt. Even if he fired the first shot, as one witness concluded, this does not demand the finding that it was fired at the decedent, or that it was the fatal shot, or that any of his subsequent shots killed the decedent. The evidence raised the strong probability, if it did not demand the finding, that a party or parties other than the defendant and the decedent were involved in the occurrence. Since there was no evidence that the defendant shot himself in the chest, someone elsé probably did it. There was found no gun near the decedent or anywhere else, so apparently the decedent did not shoot the defendant. That another gun was used, is shown not only by the fact that the defendant was shot, but also by the additional facts, that more than 6 shots were heard and the defendant’s pistol held only 6 bullets, and that a large pistol and a smaller one were heard firing. If other parties were involved, then, as it is reasonable to assume, it is just as reasonable to assume that such other party or parties might have shot the decedent, as well as the defendant. This would explain why no gun was found on the scene. This might show also that the defendant, in firing toward the parking area, was firing, not at the decedent, but at such other parties. The defendant’s own wound might indicate that his firing was done in self-defense. This being a possibility, his flight from the scene, rather than being evidence of his guilt, could be interpreted as a flight from the gunman who shot him. "The circumstance of flight by the accused after a crime has been committed is only a circumstance which the jury may consider along with all other
In short, the circumstantial evidence relied on solely in this case, did not clearly prove each separate link winch goes to make the chain of circumstances, so as to exclude every other reasonable hypothesis save that of the guilt of the accused; to the contrary, it presented, along with a theory of guilt, a theory (supported by more than mere possibility) consistent with the accused’s innocence. The State not having carried its burden of excluding every other rea
Opinion of the Court
George Wheeler was indicted, tried and convicted of the offense of murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment. His motion for a new trial as amended was overruled, from which judgment he appeals.
Enumerated error 2, that the verdict was based on circumstantial evidence which did not exclude every other reasonable hypothesis save that of the guilt of the accused, will be considered along with enumerated error 1, the overruling of the motion for new trial.
The State’s case was based upon the theory that the defendant alone shot and killed the decedent, Leo McElhaney, in a robbery attempt in the parking area of the Bellview Motel, situated at the corner of Auburn and Piedmont Avenues in Atlanta. The following evidence was adduced on the trial: At shortly before 9 on the night of January 19, 1971, two eyewitnesses heard three gunshots and saw the flashes therefrom, but nothing else, coming from the motel’s parking area, their view of which was partially obstructed by a portion of the building. Thereafter, a man, identified by both eyewitnesses as the defendant, was observed in the motel driveway leading to Auburn Avenue, firing a pistol several times back in the direction of the parking area, into which a short time before the decedent had been seen driving his brother’s automobile. One of the eyewitnesses testi
The defendant, sworn as a witness, denied being at the scene of the alleged murder, having a gun in his possession, and shooting the decedent. He testified that he left home on the night in question and was going to visit a friend in the Capitol Homes Apartments, off Memorial Drive (near the State Capitol Building). His wife testified that she had answered the telephone when said friend, whom she knew, called the defendant and that the defendant left home "sometime after dark” without a gun. The defendant further testified that, as he was walking along Memorial Drive between Pryor Street and Central Avenue, some 8 to 10 blocks from the scene of the crime, a dark colored Cadillac stopped, an unknown man inside accused him of "snitching” on him to the "Feds” (which he denied having ever done to anyone), then shot him in the chest. He stated that an unidentified stranger gave him a ride to Grady Hospital for treatment of the chest wound. He denied having ever seen eyewitness White or the decedent prior to the trial.
"The credibility of a witness is a matter to be determined by the jury under proper instructions from the court.” Code § 38-1805. "When a witness shall be successfully contradicted as to a material matter, his credit as to other matters shall be for the jury, but if a witness shall swear wilfully and knowingly falsely, his testimony shall be disregarded entirely, unless corroborated by circumstances or other unimpeached evidence. . .” Code § 38-1806. The jury was authorized to find that the defendant’s testimony was at least successfully contradicted by the testimony of two eyewitnesses, placing him at the scene of the crime at the time of its commission. "The rule as to the sufficiency of circumstantial evidence to support a conviction is that the evidence exclude every reasonable hypothesis except the guilt of the accused, not that it removes every possibility of his innocence. John v. State, 33 Ga. 257, 268; Farrar v.
Enumerated error 3 is the court’s failure to charge, without a request therefor, on alibi. The court charged as follows: "If the homicide was, in your opinion, unlawful and was committed by the defendant and you believe that beyond a reasonable doubt that he was present at the time and place of the killing and did commit the offense alleged, it would be your duty to find the defendant guilty of the crime of murder. He denies his guilt and denies his presence at the time and place of the actual killing.” (Emphasis supplied). "It is the duty of the trial court to charge the contentions of the parties where supported by evidence; and although in a criminal case it is proper to charge as to the contentions of the defendant without request, it is not required when the same are supported only by the defendant’s statement.” Wilson v. State, 215 Ga. 672, 676 (113 SE2d 95) and cit. In the absence of a request for a more specific charge on alibi, the above instruction, together with one to the effect that the defendant’s not guilty plea placed upon the State the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt the guilt of the accused, was adequate.
The court did not err in its judgment overruling the motion for new trial as amended.
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