State v. Turner
State v. Turner
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was,delivered by
This is a criminal prosecution for being a persistent violator of the intoxicating liquor law. Defendant was found guilty on two counts, and he has appealed.
Appellant contends that the court erred in permitting the county attorney to make prejudicial statements to the jury in his final argument. Counsel, in his argument, made statements as to what certain witnesses had testified. Defendant’s counsel objected that the testimony was incorrectly quoted. The court, at the request of defendant, had the stenographer read from his notes the testimony of the witnesses mentioned. This reading disclosed that the witnesses
Appellant complains of this admonition of the court as being an instruction given after argument for defendant in the case had closed, and argues that the statute provides when instructions should be given, which should be before the argument. But naturally a question of this kind would have to be dealt with when it arose. There was no error in this respect.
A witness on behalf of defendant was absent from the state and her affidavit was read as her deposition. When this affidavit was read counsel for the prosecution stated that the- state admits that if the witness were present she would testify as stated in the affidavit, “but the state does not admit the truth of the matter testified to.” Counsel for defendant moved to strike out the remarks of counsel. This was overruled, the court stating that it saved him from instructing the jury on that point. Appellant complains of the quoted remark of counsel for the prosecution and of the ruling of the court thereon. There is no merit in this complaint. It was proper — in fact essential — that the jury at some stage of the trial should understand that the contents of the affidavit of the absent witness were received in evidence as-her testimony, and that when the prosecution consented it should be so received there was no consent with reference to the truth of the statement any more than there would be if the witness had been called by the 'defendant and had testified.
Appellant contends he should be granted a new trial for the reason that he was prepared to meet the claim of the state that
The judgment of the court below is affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The State of Kansas v. Eddie Turner, Jr.
- Status
- Published