McNiece v. State
McNiece v. State
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
On the trial of one Nancy Tigue in the court of the mayor of the city of Meridian for the unlawful sale of intoxicating liquor, appellant, a witness for the prosecution, testified that he had not purchased any such liquor from Nancy. Afterwards he was indicted for perjury, alleged to have been committed in so testifying.
On the trial there was evidence onβ the part of the state that appellant had purchased whisky from Nancy, and on the part of appellant there was evidence in denial thereof. Appellant offered to prove by the mayor of Meridian, before whom Nancy Tigue was tried, that after two witnesses had testified that they had seen her sell intoxicating liquor to appellant, she withdrew her plea of not guilty and entered a plea of guilty; that after this plea of guilty had been entered, but before sentence had been pronounced, he (.the mayor) had appellant called, sworn, and interrogated as a witness, for the purpose of having him prosecuted for perury, should he deny purchasing the liquor. This evidence, on objection by the state, was by the court excluded.
In the absence of an issue of fact between the parties to a cause, there is no occasion for the introduction of testimony, and, if introduced, it could in no way affect
The judgment of the court below is reversed, and the cause remanded. Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Ballard McNiece v. State
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Pee jury. Materiality of testimony. The false swearing of a witness in a case, in order to constitute perjury, must refer to a matter material to an issue then being tried.