People v. Wilson
People v. Wilson
Opinion of the Court
The defendant Wilson was convicted in the recorder’s court of Detroit on an information against him and Henry Poster for stealing a gold medal belonging to William I. Mason.
Evidence was given tending to prove that the medal was kept in Lang & Co.’s store; that it was seen lying
The counsel for defendant then interposed and suggested to the recorder that he had not adverted to the doubt whether the package seen in the defendant’s pocket contained such a thing as the medal, and had not alluded to the circumstance that there were others present having equal opportunity with the defendant to place the medal where it was found. The judge then proceeded : “ There is no evidence that this man was there, except the testimony of Mr. Berger. I do not myself put much confidence in that. I do not regard that of any particular importance. The principal point is, that this paclcage was in his pocket. If it was there, there is no evidence that any one else had any such package in his pocket, that I am aware of. It appears that Lang & Co. had this champion badge there. Of course it was a curiosity, and a great many people were going into Lang & Co.’s to see it, and a great many people might have taken it. The only evidence that tends, in my judgment, to connect the defendant with it is this fact that is testified to, if you believe it is a fact, that the package was found in his pocket. If you are not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt, there is no evidence to convict him. Unless you are satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that this champion medal was in his pocket, then, in my judgment, you would not be justified in convicting the defendant;
Every part of the charge bearing on the ground of objection is given in these extracts, and the complaint is, not that the jury were instructed in substance that if they believed the evidence, the very recent possession of the stolen property by the defendant, coupled with the fact that he was in a situation to enable him to steal it, that the circumstances did not explain how he came in possession by any honest course, and that he was in position to bring evidence to furnish some account of his possession, if it was an honest one, it would be admissible on his failure to afford any such explanation to infer that he obtained possession by the theft. But the objection is, that the' charge left the jury to presume against the defendant because he did not elect to make a statement to explain how he got possession.
This idea, I think, was sufficiently guarded against by the charge. The recorder not only told the jury that, in speaking of explanations, he did not refer to explanations by way of statement, but in other ways, and the whole tenor of the charge on this part of the case shows that explanation by way of statement was not intended, and we think it is plain that the jury could not have misunderstood the judge’s meaning.
There is no error.
It must be certified that the exception -is overruled, and that the court should proceed to judgment.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The People v. Charles Wilson
- Status
- Published