State v. Kibler
State v. Kibler
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the Court was delivered by
The defendant, John Hibler, was indicted for murder at the March, 1906, term of Court of General Sessions for Greenwood County, before his Honor, George E. Prince, presiding judge, convicted of miansl'aughter and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment. A motion for a new trial having been refused, the defendant appeals to this Court.
The first exception alleges error in sustaining the State’s objection to the following questions asked of Mr. Will Eeith by defendant’s counsel: “Did he show you the knife on that occasion? Did he fell you where he got it?” 'The first of these questions was answered and the answer was. not stricken out. As to the second, we' observe that the record will be searched in vain for any issue as to new' fabrication, the ground on which defendant seeks to sustain the question. Therefore, the evidence would be merely hearsay and of course not admissible.
*172 The second exception questions the correctness of the definition that “voluntary manslaughter is where a person consciously and voluntarily kills' another without malice.”
The fourth and fifth exceptions are based upon -a contortion of the judge’s- charge. He fist gave to' the jury the general law of self-defense, then he proceeded to give the law applicable to the defense of one’s dwelling. The appellant by applying the former law to the latter -endeavors to show error.. There is no merit in his position.
It is the judgment of this Court, that the judgment of the Circuit Court be affirmed. .
Reference
- Full Case Name
- State v. Kibler.
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Self-Defense. — A definition of self-defense not technically correct, here cured by subsequent instructions. 3. Ibid. — Instruction that defendant must show by the preponderance of evidence that he acted as a man of ordinary courage and prudence would have acted, held to mean defendant must show facts from which jury could infer he acted as such man would have acted. '3. Ibid.' — Preponderance of Evidence. — Instruction that the law holds one admitting a killing to a strict account and requires satisfactory evidence that it was apparently necessary, construed with its corrections to mean defendant must show by the preponderance of the evidence he acted in self-defense, or must submit such evidence as will render the preponderance doubtful. 4. Manslaughter. — If one in sudden heat and passion, occasioned by a trespasser entering his dwelling, uses more force than is necessary to eject him, which results in the death of the trespasser, it is manslaughter. 5. New Trial. — There being some evidence to support the verdict, this Court can not pass on its weight.