Lewis v. State

Mississippi Supreme Court
Lewis v. State, 85 Miss. 35 (Miss. 1904)
Calhoon

Lewis v. State

Opinion of the Court

Calhoon, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Oode 1892, § 1502, defines “crime” to mean, “when used in any statute, any violation of law liable to punishment by criminal prosecution.” Section 1746 authorizes the examination of any witness as to “his conviction of any crime,” and Helm v. State, 67 Miss., 562 (s.o., 7 South., 487), properly holds that the inquiry applies as well to misdemeanors as to infamous crimes.

It was not reversible error to sustain the state’s challenge of the juror Jackson for the cause that there was a criminal case pending against him in that court. If the court had set him aside of its own motion, the action could not have been assigned for error. Code 1892, § 2355. The court is under a duty to see that there is a fair and impartial jury. There is no pretense here that the trial was not by such a jury; neither side exhausted its peremptory challenges, and neither side has any vested right in particular jurors.

*40Thé ownership of the property as charged in the indictment and shown in the evidence is sufficient. The charge is that the place was “a certain baker shop, the’property of one William Grimes,” 'and ’the proof is that William Grimes had used and occupied it as a baker’s shop for eighteen months. ’ This is enough, though the fee simple of the house was in another person. Possession is enough as against burglars. Wharton, Or.' Law (10th ed.), sec. 804. And this is true even if the possession be a wrongful possession. 1 McClain, Or. Law, sec. 508.

We think Jaines Patterson, who was jointly indicted with appellants, was a competent witness in this state, especially after nol. pros, as to him. He alone could object to being examined. State v. Michel (La.), 35 South., 629.

It'is not just ground of error that the jury was retired pendr ing argument to the court on the competency of a witness.

Affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
Robert Lewis v. State of Mississippi
Cited By
12 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
1. Witnesses. Credibility. Conviction of crime. Code 1893, $ 1503. Code 1893, § 1746. The examination of a witness touching his conviction of a crime may extend to misdemeanors as well as to felonies, under Code 1892, § 1746, authorizing the examination of any witness as to his conviction of crime, and Code 1892, § 1502, defining “crime” as used in any statute to mean any violation of law liable to punishment by criminal prosecution. 2. Same. Criminal law. Co-defendants. The objection of a defendant upon trial for crime to the competency as a witness of one jointly indicted with' him, especially after a nolle prosequi has' been entered as to the witness, is without merit, since the witness alone can object to being examined. 3. Jtjbobs. Competency. Code 1892, ¡¡ 2355. Exclusion. Review. An appellant cannot predicate error of the action of the trial court in excluding a proffered juror from the panel of its own motion, under Code 1892, § 2355, providing that any juror shall be excluded if the court be of opinion that he cannot try the case impartially, and the exclusion shall not be assignable as error; nor can error be predicated of tbe action of tbe trial court in sustaining a challenge on the ground that there is a criminal case pending against the challenged juror. (See last sentence, Code 1892, § 2354,, amended Laws 1894, p. 60.) . . 4.''Criminal Law. Burglary. Ownership of premises. Actual possession of a house is the equivalent of a fee simple, title as against a burglar, although the possession be wrongful as against the real owner. 5. Trials. ReMrement of jury. It. is not error for the jury to be, retired pending argument to the court on the competency of a witness.