State v. Jones
State v. Jones
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the 'Count was delivered by
The appellant, John J, Jones, tried under ami indictment charging him with, the murder of Abe Pearfstine, was convicted of manslaughter and1 sentenced to ten years and one month in the penitentiary.
The charge was general and did nothing more than require the jury to ascertain the truth of the case from the testimony. No testimony was; singled out as 'true or falsie, and there was nothing to indicate the Court’s opinion of the testimony one way or the other.
The second and third exceptions were withdrawn.
After this charge the Court immediately proceeded to instruct á® to the law'of self-defense. It was not error in stating the distinction between murder and manslaughter to' omit immediate reference to the law cif self-defense. All the law of a case need not be stated in a single proposition. It is sufficient if the charge as á whole declares the law appli *293 cable to the case. State v. McKellar, 85 S. C. 240, 67 S. E. 314.
Tibe charge is not subject to the criticism stated, as a reference -thereto will show that the Court charged that one assailed is not required to retreat, “if by so doing he would probably endanger bis safety.” The whole instruction, on this point gave the defendant the benefit of the law that the necessity to kill must be either real or apparent, to be determined -by the- jury, in view of the circumstances, surrounding the defendant, and 'by applying the rule that the defendant must believe and act as a man of ordinary reason and firmness would in such circumstances. The law was correctly declared in conformity with the rule thus stated by Mr. Justice Hydrick in State v. McKellar, supra:
“If one can with reasonable safety to himself retreat and thereby avoid the necessity to -strike in self-defense, then the necessity for which the law will excuse him1 for striking- can not be said to exist.”
The sixth exception was abandoned and the seventh, eighth and ninth exceptions will be considered last.
It was incumbent on movant to show (1) the fact of disqualification!, (2) that it was- unknown before verdict and (3) that be was not negligent in making discovery of the disqualification before verdict. The Circuit Court ruled as follows;
“My finding is that considering- the fact set out in the affidavits there was no sufficient diligence shown. The jurors had been drawn for fourteen day© before Court, and I believe that it is conceded that the names were published in the county papers a week or ten; days before Court convened, this gentleman was well known in the community and the lawyers had the list of the jurors in their hands and there were important cases- to be tried and as every one knows the list was gone 'over by the lawyers -and every one interested in the case. The slightest inquiry would have made known the fact that the juror was over age. If he had been asked I have no idea but that he would have told the truth. The juror was brought up and presented and it was quite possible that he might have been near the age of disqualification'. You went ahead and swore him; on the jury and did not exercise that diligence which is required. I would certainly overrule the motion for a new trial' on that ground1, considering the facts that are before míe. I think it is a fair question for debate as to whether the gentleman was over sixty-five years or not. Very often a gentleman of 'that age is *296 uncertain as' to his age, very possibly he might ’have been under sixty-five.
“It is very unfortunate that he was not asked the question as to his age befóme he wasi swarm, instead) of waiting until-afterwards.”
It thus appears that movant failed to satisfy the Court as to the fact of disqualification; and as to the exercise of due diligence in making discovery of the disqualification, if -such existed. We can not upon the record say that the conclusion of the Circuit Court was' contrary to all the 'evidence, or that the ruling was an abuse of discretion.
Tire failure- to -exercise due diligence in the use of easily .available means of discovering whether a juror is disqualified by age or from not being a qualified elector was fatal to the motion for a mew trial. Blassingame v. Laurens, 80 S. C. 46, 61 S. E. 96.
. .The exceptions are overruled and 'the judgment of the Circuit Court is affirmed.-
Reference
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- State v. Jones.
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- 1. The instruction “You are prepared to hear the charge of the Court and- to retire after hearing that charge and go over the testimony and extricate from the testimony the truth of the case,” is not on the facts, but-was general and simply required the jury to ascertain the truth of the case from the testimony. 2. Self-Defense. — The instruction, “So when a man strikes another a blow and that man acting under the influence provoked by the blow shoots and kills, that is a clear case of manslaughter,” when considered in its connections, and the whole charge was not a statement of facts, but a hypothetical statement, and could not have the effect of excluding the doctrine of self-defense which was elsewhere fully given. 3. Ibid. — The Court did not limit the doctrine of not retreating to cases where firearms or some dangerous weapon was drawn for use, or being used, but instructed the jury that one may stand and take the life of his assailant where the necessity is either real or apparent to a man of ordinary reason and firmness. 4. Charge — Requests.—Where the record shows that all requests by appellant were read by the 'Court, and none objected to, refused or modified, there is no ground for an exception that any of the requests were refused. 5. Reasonable Doubt — Preponderance op Evidence. — The instruction here complained of held, when construed with its context, to have informed the jury that the defense of self-defense must be proved, by the preponderance of the evidence, but on the whole case the guilt of the accused must appear beyond a reasonable doubt. 6. New Trials — Jurors.— Wlhere appellant does not satisfy the 'trial Court that he has used due diligence in ascertaining if a juror is over age, or is not a qualified elector, or that the juror is in fact over age, and the record not showing his conclusions contrary to the evidence, its findings will not be disturbed. What a party alleging a juror is disqualified must show to entitle him to a new trial, stated.