Commonwealth v. Reed
Commonwealth v. Reed
Opinion of the Court
Opinion by
It appears from the record in this case that William Reed was tried in the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Franklin County, for the murder of Sarah E. Mathna. The latter was employed as a domestic in Weistling Hall, the administration building of the Forestry Academy located on the State Reservation at Mont Alto, Franklin County. Although married to another man, she had lived from September 1909 to August 1910 with Reed, - but on the latter date they had separated, and the following November she obtained a position in the Forestry Academy where she had previously been employed. On the morning of May 9, 1911, while she was grinding coffee in the kitchen of the administration building, Reed came in. They talked together for about a quarter of an hour, being alone, when Reed drew a revolver and shot her three times, the last bullet, which penetrated near the heart, causing her death. Reed was arrested and indicted for her murder; and on the trial in September, 1911, Avas convicted of murder of the first degree.
Counsel for appellant are to be commended for the faithful but temperate manner in which they have discharged their duty. The record does not, however, dis
The second assignment of error is to the lo [lowing extract from the charge: “It is not necessary that you find that he went to the house with the intént to kill; if he formed the intent to kill, with a mind capable of forming that intent, an instant before he pulled that trigger, he is guilty of murder of the first degree.”' This instruction was proper, under the authorities. In Keenan v. Commonwealth, 44 Pa. 55, Chief Justice Lowrie said (p. 56) : “Our reported jurisprudence is very uniform in holding that the true criterion of the first degree is the intent to take life. The deliberation
The third and fourth assignments allege error in portions of the charge containing instructions as to the deductions to be drawn from the evidence as to the use of a deadly weapon, and as to the rules governing the proof of intent to kill. There was no error in these in
In the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth assignments of error complaint is made of portions of the charge as tending “to unduly affect and prejudice the jury against the defendant.” These parts of the charge, however, are fair statements of the evidence and accurate presentations of the law.
We do not find any basis for the tenth assignment of error, which complains that the trial judge misstated to the jury the testimony of the defendant as to his recollection of the number of shots he fired. The language quoted seems to state correctly the testimony of the defendant in this respect.
In the eleventh and twelfth assignments of error it is alleged that the trial judge quoted to the jury testimony as to threats made by the defendant prior to the killing, without telling them that the testimony was specifically denied by the defendant. But an inspection of the charge shows that immediately after repeating this testimony, the trial judge said, “I am not saying that these things are so; what I am saying to you is that that is the testimony of the Commonwealth; consider if this testimony is true, and if it is true, does it show that he had a specific intent to take life. You will consider all of this evidence and determine whether or not the testimony of these witnesses is the truth.” And after a few sentences he says further, “Remember not only the testimony of the Commonwealth, but remember especially the testimony of the defendant himself, notwithstanding the circumstances under which he testifies. Weigh all the evidence on both sides: Give each its due weight.”
In the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth assignments of error, the charge is criticised in general terms, but no part of it is quoted ipsissimis verbis in the specifications, as required by Rule 27. These assignments will therefore be disregarded.
In the eighteenth assignment it is alleged that the court, erred in failing to call the attention of the jury to the defendant’s specific denial of any intent to kill. There was no specific request for such an instruction, but it does appear that the trial judge twice said to the jury in charging on the subject of intent, that “the prisoner says that he shot to scare her.” And that, as noted above he charged the jury to “remember especially the testimony of the defendant himself.”
The judgment is affirmed, and it is ordered that the record be remitted to the Court of Oyer and Terminer of Franklin County, that the judgment may be executed according to law.
Reference
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- Appeals — Assignments of error — Charge of court. 1. An assignment of error quoting two distinct sentences in the charge separated by a page and a half of printed matter, is bad practice. 2. Assignments of error criticising the charge in general terms, without quoting any of it ipsissimis verbis, are improper and will be disregarded. Criminal law — Murder—Degree of murder — Second degree— Manslaughter — Deadly weapon — Premeditation. 3. Where the evidence on a trial of an indictment for murder has established a felonious homicide committed by the use of a deadly weapon upon a vital part of the body of the deceased, there is a presumption of murder of the second degree, and the burden is on the defendant to reduce the grade of the crime. 4. On the trial of an indictment for murder it is not error for the court to charge the jury as follows: “It is not necessary that you find that he went to the house with the intent to kill; if he formed the intent to kill with a mind capable of forming that intent, an instant before he pulled that trigger, he is guilty of murder of the first degree.”