State v. Burton
State v. Burton
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Further along the accused testified that when he fired the fatal shot he thought his life was in danger ; that when Hoffman entered the restaurant he made a motion of his right hand as if to draw a revolver ; that he put all the circumstances that had happened together and could n’t see how he coúld avoid taking Hoffman’s life ; that he considered and weighed the conversations held between them and came to the conclusion that Hoffman intended to kill him. The following questions, and the action of the court thereon, appear in the record :
“Ques. Mr. Burton, at any time were any other threats made by Fred. Hoffman conveyed to you ? Ans. At any time ?
“Q. Prior to that time. A. Yes, sir.
“Q. When were they conveyed to you? A. Saturday evening. (Counsel for the state objects to the witness stating that threats were conveyed to him as incompetent and immaterial.)
“By the court: Sustained. (To which ruling the defendant excepts.)
“Q. I will ask you if you was told that Fred. Hoff*607 man made a statement at that cake-walk that if he could find you he would do you up ? (Objected to by the state as incompetent.)
"By the court: At this time the objection is sustained. (The defendant excepts.)”
It appears that the first question propounded was in fact answered by the witness, but immediately afterward an objection was made by the state that it was incompetent and immaterial, and the court sustained the objection on those grounds. The court instructed the jury as follows :
"Any evidence which has been admitted by the court should be considered by you in making up your verdict; and when any evidence heard by you has been afterwards struck out by the court, you should absolutely and entirely disregard and give it no consideration. Your verdict should be based alone upon the evidence which the court has permitted to stand, and upon the law as stated to you in these instructions.”
It is quite apparent that the court did not intend that the answer of the witness should be considered by the jury, and we regard it as having been stricken out.
The court refused to permit the defendant to answer the following questions :
“ Q. I will ask you if, at the time of this tragedy, you had ascertained and knew the reputation of Fred. Hoffman for being a violent and turbulent man, and for carrying a gun ?
“ Q. I will ask you, Mr. Burton, if you knew what Fred. Hoffman’s reputation was at the time of the tragedy as a violent and turbulent man?”
If the defendant was justified in acting on the ap
In the case of State v. Lull, 48 Vt. 581, 586, 11 L. R. A. 75, a prison-keeper was indicted for assault and battery on a prisoner. The latter had a hammer in his hand and appeared nervous and excited, though he made no attempt to strike, but the keeper .expected and feared a blow from him. It was held that the accused might show that the sheriff who committed the prisoner informed him that he- was dangerous and desperate. The court said :
“We think that the court erred in excluding the testimony offered to be shown by Mr. Tripp as to what he told the respondent at the time he delivered Kefoe to him at the state prison in respect to his being a violent and desperate man. It was an offer to show that Tripp told the respondent what the character of Kefoe was in respect to his being a violent and desperate man. The form of the words used is not so material as the idea conveyed. This evidence we think was fairly within the rule that the court laid*610 down as governing the kind of testimony that was admissible, not particular acts of violence, but the character of the man in that respect. Such evidence would be material in determining how far the respondent was justified in inflicting the blow which he did, taken in connection with the surrounding circumstances and the evidence exhibited by Kefoe of an intention at the time to make an attack upon the respondent ; and such evidence is always admissible as bearing upon the question as to whether a respondent had good reason to fear an attack upon himself, and acted in self-defense.” ( See, also, People v. Powell, 87 Cal. 348, 25 Pac. 481, 11 L. R. A. 75.)
The judgment of the court below will be reversed ' and a new trial ordered.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The State of Kansas v. Robert Hawthorn Burton
- Cited By
- 18 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. 1. Murder — Competent Testimony. It is competent, in a trial for murder, for the state to show that the accused, who was a single man, endeavored to induce a woman, to whom the deceased was engaged to be married, to break the engagement. Such conduct is some evidence that the deceased was an obstacle in the way of the desire of the accused to marry the woman, and goes to the question of motive. 2. - Instruction Construed. In a criminal case, an objection was sustained to a question after it had been answered by the witness. The court instructed the jury that only such evidence as had been admitted and permitted to stand should be considered. Held, that the answer will be treated as having been stricken out. 3. - Character and Reputation — Exception to Rule. Information conveyed before the killing to a party on trial for murder, who justifies on the ground of self-defense, that the deceased was a violent and turbulent man and accustomed to go about armed, is admissible, whether the informant gained his knowledge from general reputation of the deceased or from personal observation of his specific acts. The rule that bad character in the respect mentioned can be established only by general reputation of the deceased in the community has no application to the admission of such testimony. It is competent for the purpose of determining the state of mind of the accused at the time of the homicide, and whether he was induced to believe, in good faith, that he was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm at the hands of the person killed. 4. - Threats by Deceased. It is competent for a defendant on trial for murder to prove threats by the deceased against him, when the former justifies the homicide on the ground of self-defense.