State v. Brownfield
State v. Brownfield
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
The defendant was indicted, tried *510 and convicted of murder, at the November, 1900, term of the Court of General Sessions for Georgetown County, in said State, and sentenced to be hanged on the 28th day of December, 1900.
Upon his arraignment the defendant's attorneys made a motion to quash the indictment on the following grounds: “And now comes the defendant, John Brownfield, in his own proper person, and moves the Court to set aside and quash the indictment 'herein against him, because the jury commissioners appointed to select the grand jury which found and presented said indictment, selected no person or persons of color or of African descent, known as negroes, to serve on said grand jury; hut, on the contrary, did exclude from the list of persons to serve as such grand jurors all colored persons or persons of African descent, known as negroes, because of their race and color; and that said.grand jury was composed exclusively of persons of the white race, while all persons of the colored race or persons of African descent, known as negroes, although consisting of and constituting about four-fifths of the population and1 of the registered voters in said city and county of Georgetown, and although otherwise qualified to serve as such grand jurors, were excluded therefrom on account of their race and color, and have been so excluded from serving on any jury in said Court of General Sessions for Georgetown County for a considerable time back, which is a discrimination against the defendant, since he is a person of color and of African descent, known as a negro; and that such discrimination is a denial to him of the equal protection of the laws, and of his civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. All of which the defendant is ready to verify. John Brownfield. Sworn to before me, this 15th day of November, A. D. 1900. J. B. Edwards, (l. s.) Notary Public S. C.”
This motion was overruled, and thereupon the defendant’s attorneys excepted.
The defendant’s attorneys then challenged the array of *511 grand and petit jurors, upon the same grounds as were submitted on the motion to quas'h the indictment. This motion was also overruled, and to this ruling the defendant’s attorneys likewise excepted. The defendant thereupon pleaded not guilty.
The defendant appealed upon five exceptions, the fifth of which was withdrawn.
*513
The following is the statement of Judge Gary: “On the motion to quash the venire, I overruled the same on two grounds: I. Because the statement of facts set out in the grounds for quashing the same, did not appear from the records or otherwise. That not being personally acquainted with the jurors selected, I could not assume the facts to be as alleged. 2. Because the Constitution of this State prescribed the qualifications of a juror in sec. 22 of art. V., in the following word's: ‘Each juror must be a qualified elector under the provisions of this Constitution, between the ages of twenty-one and sixty-five years, and of good moral character.’ I then suggested that counsel could examine each juror on his voir dire', and ascertain if he was qualified, and in the absence of any showing to the contrary, I was bound to assume that the jury commissioners had done their duty in the premises. As to the 16th request, I have no recollection, as I marked the requests presented and turned *514 them over to the stenographer. Ernest Gary, presiding Judge. May 4th, 1901.”
The last line in the agreed case is: “Above signed with relation to case as settled by Judge.” It is true, the words : “The defendant offered to introduce testimony to support these grounds,” appear in the record just after the statement that “the motion being overruled by the Court, the defendant’s counsel excepted,” but they evidently refer to the offer in the motion to quash the indictment and not thereafter, as the said words are inconsistent with the statement made by his Honor, the presiding Judge, in pursuance of the agreement of counsel hereinbefore mentioned. Furthermore, it was not contended by the appellant’s attorneys upon the hearing of the appeal herein that there was any offer to introduce testimony to support the allegations in the motion to quash, other than the offer therein made. We will, therefore, consider this question in the light of the fact just mentioned, that t'he appellant did not offer testimony to sustain the allegations in the motion to quash further than the mere offer alleged in said motion. In Carter v. Texas, 177 U. S., 442, the Court says: “When the defendant 'has had no opportunity to challenge the grand jury which found the indictment against him, the objection to the constitution of the grand jury upon this ground may be taken either by plea in abatement or by motion to quash the indictment, before pleading in bar. United States v. Gale, 109 U. S., 65, 67. The motion to quash on such ground being based on allegations of fact not appearing in the record, those allegations, if controverted by the attorney for the State, must be supported' by evidence, on the part of the defendant.” Citing Smith v. Mississippi, 162 U. S., 601; Williams v. Mississippi, 170 U. S., 213. In Smith v. Mississippi, the Court uses this language: “No evidence was offered in support of the motion by the accused to quash the indictment, unless the facts set out' in the written motion to quash verified ‘to the best of his knowledge and belief,’ can be regarded as evidence in support of the motion. We are of opinion that it *515 could not properly be so regarded. The case differs from Neal v. Delaware, 103 U. S., 370, 394, 396.” The Court then proceeds to show wherein the difference consisted. Proceeding, the Court says: “The facts stated in the written motion to quash, although that motion was verified by the affidavit of the accused, could not be used as evidence to establish those facts, except with the consent of the State prosecutor or by order of the trial Court. No such consent was given. No such order was made. The grounds assigned for quashing the indictment should have been sustained by distinct evidence, introduced or offered to be introduced by the accused. He could not of right insist that the facts stated in the motion to quash should be taken as true, simply because his motion was verified by his affidavit. The motion to quash was, therefore, unsupported by any competent evidence; consequently, it cannot be held to have been erroneously denied.” These authorities are conclusive of the question under consideration.
It is the judgment of this Court, that the judgment of the Circuit Court be affirmed, and the case remanded to that Court for the purpose of having another day assigned for the execution of ¡the sentence of the Court.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State v. Brownfield.
- Cited By
- 5 cases
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- Syllabus
- 1. “Case.” — Statement in “Case” (Insert Testimony), (Insert Judge’s Charge), without so inserting, does not make them a part of an agreed “Case.” 2. Pleading — Indictment—Quashing—-Race.—That no member of race to which defendant belonged was on the grand jury which indicted him, is of itself no ground for quashing indictment. 3. Ibid. — Ibid.—Ibid.—Ibid.—Motion to quash an indictment because no member of race to which defendant belonged was on the jury, and that they were so excluded because of their race or color, must be sustained by distinct evidence, or evidence to that effect must be offered and refused, before refusal to quash can be assigned as error. The verification of the moving papers and statement therein that defendant is ready to prove such facts, is not sufficient. 4.. Charge — Homicide.—Request to charge that a lawful arrest made in a menacing manner may be resisted by killing the officer, properly refused, because it eliminated from the jury the conduct of defendant. 5.'Ibid. — Homicide.—Request as to justifiable or excusable killing, properly refused, because, as stated, it would have been a charge on the facts, and it failed to take into consideration the conduct of defendant.