Ayers v. Commonwealth
Ayers v. Commonwealth
Opinion of the Court
Opinion op the Court by
Reversing.
Julia Ayres was proceeded against in the Whitley Circuit Court by information filed by the Commonwealth’s Attorney on the charge of selling, bartering and loaning directly or indirectly spirituous, vinous and malt liquors to one George Lawson. ' Upon a trial she was found guilty as charged and her punishment fixed at a fine of $60. From that judgment she appeals.
The evidence for the Commonwealth shows that the witness, George Lawson, in company with Scott Goins and Will Provins, went to the dwelling house of appel
Clearly, upon the showing that the witness went to appellant’s house, inquired of her for whiskey, was directed by her how he could get it, and that, following her directions, he bought and paid for it, and it was delivered to him in her house, the case should have been submitted to a jury. And it is not seriously contended that it should not have been; but it is insisted that the court erred in instructing the jury in several particulars.
Complaint is made of the instructions individually and collectively upon three grounds: First, because they failed to advise the jury as to the time within which the sale, if any, must have been made before a conviction could be secured; second, because they authorized a conviction if appellant was present and aided and assisted Will Hartley in selling the liquor; and third, because there was incorporated in instruction No. 2 an abstract proposition of law and the jury was not advised as to the purpose for which it was incorporated in the instruction or might' be considered.
The court should have told the jury that they must believe from the evidence that the sale was made within the twelve months next before the finding of the indictment before they could convict. The indictment charges that the sale was thus , made, and the evidence beyond
In instruction No. 2 the jury was authorized to find appellant guilty if they believed from the evidence that she was present at the time this sale was made by Hartley and advised or assisted him in making it. This was not a true or correct exposition of the law. It is not enough that she was présent and advised and assisted in making the sale. But, in order to authorize her conviction, she must have either owned the whiskey that she thus aided and assisted in selling or else must have had some interest in the proceeds of sale or reaped some profit therefrom. South v. Commonwealth, 79 Ky., 493. If this instruction had told the jury that, although they believed the sale was made by Hartley, yet if they believed that the whiskey so sold by him belonged to appellant, or that she had some interest in or profited by the sale, and that she advised, assisted, consented to or countenanced its sale, then they might find her guilty, the instruction would not be subject to criticism. Before one can be convicted of the offense of selling liquor in violation of the local option law it must be proven either that the sale was made by the one so charged, or else that the liquor belonged to him or he had an interest in its sale and he suffered or procured some one else to make the sale for him; in which event he would be as guilty as though the sale had been made by him in person. Hence, where there was evidence tending to show that the sale was made, not by appellant, but by Will Hartley, it was incumbent upon the Commonwealth to prove that the liquor so sold belonged to appellant, or that she had some interest in the proceeds of the sale and advised, procured or consented to the sale thereof by Hartley. Giving to the instruction under consideration the broadest and most liberal interpretation, it fails to convey, this idea and the jury could not have so understood it; but under it they would have been authorized to find appellant guilty even though they believe from the evidence that the whiskey did not belong to her or that she had no pecuniary interest in its sale.
The third objection is likewise well taken. The court said at the conclusion of instruction No. 2: “No trick,
Judgment reversed and cause remanded for further proceedings consistent herewith.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.