State v. Kearns
Can I rely on this case?
Yes — no negative treatment found
- —
Analysis generated from citing opinions in this archive. Not legal advice.
State v. Kearns
Opinion of the Court
Defendant was convicted of the crime of permitting a gambling device or gaming table to be set- up and used upon his premises at which the game of poker is played. The evidence was conflicting. The defendant “does not upon this appeal question the sufficiency of the evidence to support the verdict.” The only objection raised is to the charge of the court. To understand the charge it is necessary to note some of the evidence.
Defendant conducted a pool room in East Grand Forks. Soft drinks, confectionery and cigars were sold. The place was “open all night.” In the rear of the pool room was a card room with four public c&rd tables. The evidence varies as to the kind of games played there and as to the extent to which stakes were played for there. This is not of great
The judge in his charge to the jury instructed them clearly that they were the exclusive judges of all questions of fact and instructed them properly as to the presumption of innocence and the degree of proof necessary to establish guilt. Referring to the testimony he said that, “the testimony of Dr. Kirk and Sheriff Kelly” and others “would very strongly show that the gas in that room was so strong when they were there, that it would be impossible that persons could play cards as the witnesses on the part of the state say they did, in that room,” and that, if gas was there at all times as these witnesses testified it was, “then the witnesses for. the state are either mistaken or wilfully falsifying when tjiey stated they were in there and played cards for a couple of hours,” and then he told them it was for them to say whether there was gas in that room continuously as claimed on the part of the defendant, “or whether or not the testimony on the part of the defense, as they give it, itself, throws suspicion upon the honesty of their case. Dse your own common sense with regard to that. The testimony of Mr. Kearns is, in explaining where the gas comes from, that the gas main in the street in front of these premises burst some time ago 'and there was a leak in it, and that there was manure filled in the street there, and, if I remember his testimony
“So on the whole, if you are satisfied from the evidence in the case beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty you should find the verdict” of guilty.
It is claimed this charge was argumentative and did not allow the defendant a fair trial and a free and untrammelled verdict- by the jury. The-charge is not to be commended. In much detail it indulges in inferences that might be drawn in favor of both the state and the defendant. Still the court emphasized that all questions of fact were for the jury 'and impressed upon them so strongly that they must acquit if defendant’s testimony as to the constant presence of Ngas was true, that we cannot say there was error prejudicial to the defendant. State v. Yates, 99 Minn. 461, 109 N. W. 1070, and State v. Jones, 126 Minn. 45, 147 N. W. 822, cited by defendant were quite different.
Order affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE v. J. W. KEARNS
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published