State v. Austin
State v. Austin
Opinion of the Court
(after stating the facts as above). Error was committed and a new trial should be had.
We are satisfied that the rule of law is that, on the trial of a man for adultery, evidence of the reputation for chastity of the particeps criminis is admissible in connection with evidence of facts showing-opportunity for committing the offense, but evidence of a specific act of adultery with another than the defendant is not admissible. State v. Walters, 45 Iowa, 389; People v. Molineux, 62 L.R.A. 193, and note 335, 168 N. Y. 264, 61 N. E. 286; McAllister v. State, 112 Wis. 496, 88 N. W. 212; Whart. Crim. Ev. 9th ed. § 46.
There are, it is true, few adjudicated cases upon the subject. It, however, seems to be generally conceded that the adulterous inclination must be mutual. Bass v. State, 103 Ga. 227, 29 S. E. 966; 1 Cyc. 969, 2 C. J. 22.
In this view of the law the evidence of the witness Marks should have been stricken out, the remarks of counsel for the state were improper, and the instruction which was given by the court was at least confusing. The instruction also that asked by counsel for the defendant should, under the circumstances of the case, have been given; for although the record shows that it was “denied as coming too late^arguments having been concluded July 24, 1917, and this request having been presented July 25, 1917, 9 a. m., just as the jury was about to be instructed,” — the record shows that the arguments of counsel were not closed “until just before the time for adjournment on the 24th,” and the instruction was clearly made necessary by the improper remarks of counsel for the state, which emphasized the error in the admission of the testimony; and though counsel, for the defendant did not object to the statement during the argument, we are clearly of the opinion that he was not required to do so, but might seek to cure the wrong by asking for an appropriate instruction. Taft v. Fiske, 140 Mass. 250, 54 Am. Rep. 459, 5 N. E. 621.
Even if the request for the instruction came too late, the court, in view of his error in allowing the objectionable testimony to remain in the record and of the remarles of the counsel for the prosecution, should
The order of the District Court is reversed and a new trial is ordered.
Concurring Opinion
I concur in the result.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA v. VERN AUSTIN
- Status
- Published