Ellerbe v. State

Mississippi Supreme Court
Ellerbe v. State, 79 Miss. 10 (Miss. 1901)
Calhoon

Ellerbe v. State

Opinion of the Court

CalhooN, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

This is an indictment for murder and a conviction of manslaughter. The entire defense was put on the ground that the killing was justifiable, and in self-defense. In this condition the state asked an instruction, numbered 3, in these words : “ The court instructs the jury that they may find either one of the four following verdicts : First. ‘ We, the jury, find the *17defendant guilty as charged in the indictment.’ Under this verdict the punishment is death. Second. ‘We, the jury, find the defendant guilty as charged in the indictment, and fix his punishment at imprisonment in the penitentiary for life,’'— in which case the court will sentence the defendant to the penitentiary for life. Third. ‘ We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of manslaughter.’ Under this verdict the court may fine the defendant in any sum not less than $500, or imprison him in the county jail not more than one year, or both, or may sentence him to the penitentiary not less than two years. Or, fourth, ‘ We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty,’ which would be an acquittal.” We think the granting of this charge reversible error, because of its third clause. It is faulty in stating the punishment, and that in its milder forms. It looks too much like an invitation to the jury to compromise on the lesser offense. The jury have nothing to do with, and should be told nothing of, the character or degrees of punishment in any case whatever, except in those capital' cases in which the statutes authorize them, upon conviction, if they see proper, to fix the penalty at imprisonment fot life in the penitentiary; and in such cases they should not be charged touching the punishment which the court may inflict if the accused should be convicted of any constituent offense not so punishable. It may be that this charge, and it alone, produced the manslaughter verdict. The ninth instruction given for the state, we think, was also erroneous. It tells the jury the danger, to justify the killing, must be so urgent that there is no reasonable mode of escape except to take life.” Bang v. State, 60 Miss., 571, and the authorities it cites. Besides, the charge assumes that the shooting was “ on sight,” which was not the fact, and assumes also as true that deceased was not ‘ prepared and armed, ’ ’ and that he was ‘‘ at the time making no hostile demonstrations, ’ ’ —both questions of fact. The thirteenth charge for the state, after an effort to define a reasonable doubt, concludes thus : “ All that is required to enable a jury to return a verdict of *18guilty is, after a comparison and consideration of all the testimony, to believe conscientiously that it establishes the guilt of defendant.” We think this instruction should have- been refused. Powers v. State, 74 Miss., 777, 21 So., 657, and the authorities cited in the opinion in that case.

Reversed and remanded.

Reference

Full Case Name
J. H. Ellerbe v. State of Mississippi
Cited By
17 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Ceiminal Law. Homicide. Murder. Instruction. Penalty. An instruction in a murder case that if defendant is found guilty of manslaughter, the court may fine him not less than five hundred dollars, or imprison him in jail for one year, or sentence him to the penitentiary for not less than two years, is erroneous. The jury should not he instructed by the court touching the punishment for manslaughter. 2. Same. Self defense. An instruction in a murder case, where self defense is relied on, that to make out the defense the danger to defendant must have been so urgent that there was no reasonable mode of escape except to kill the deceased, is erroneous. Bang v. State, 60 Miss., 571. ' ' 3. Same. Controverted facts. An instruction in a murder case which assumes as true matters which are controverted by the evidence is erroneous. 4. Same. Reasonable doubt. An instruction in a criminal case defining a reasonable doubt as only requiring the jury to conscientiously believe, after comparing and considering all the evidence, that it establishes the guilt of the prisoner, is erroneous.