People v. Rodríguez Maldonado
People v. Rodríguez Maldonado
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
Héctor Rodríguez Maldonado was convicted by a jury of murder in the second degree and sentenced by the District Court of Humacao to fifteen years ’ imprisonment in the penitentiary. He urges in this appeal that the lower court erred, first, in permitting the district attorney to offer his evidence without having stated orally to the jury the theory of the charge brought by the prosecuting attorney and, second, in rendering judgment on the verdict, the latter being contrary to the evidence.
The first assignment of error lacks merit. The defense did not object or take exception when the district attorney stated that he waived his right to state orally the theory of the ease.
As to the second error, it will suffice to say that the evidence was contradictory, but that notwithstanding the
Since it was not alleged or proved that the jury acted with passion, prejudice or partiality, or that it committed manifest error in weighing the evidence, the judgment appealed from should be affirmed.
It has been held that the provisions of subdivision 3, § 233 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to the effect that the district attorney must open the case “. . . by stating orally to the jury or the court . . . the nature of the crime which he expects to prove, the circumstances under which the crime was committed ...” are not mandatory. See People v. Weber, 86 Pac. 671; People v. Arnold, 250 Pac. 168; and People v. Moore, 160 P. (2d) 857, construing § 1093 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of California equivalent to § 233 of our Code.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.