Mills v. State
Mills v. State
Opinion of the Court
It appears from the statement of facts that Henderson Dart shot the prosecutor, Isham Berry. Mills (the appellant) was indicted separately, there being no mention of Dart in the indictment.
Upon the trial the defendant excepted to all evidence tending to prove that Dart shot Berry, upon the ground that there was no allegation in the indictment to that effect. The court overruled the objection and the defendant excepted. We are of the opinion that the ruling of the court was correct. The State proved that Dart, did the shooting, and that defendant was present, and knowing the unlawful intent of Dart, abetted and encouraged him in the commission of the offense.
The question here raised is this: Must the indictment charge all of the parties engaged in the commission of the offense, in order to the admission of evidence to prove that a party not on trial committed the act, and that the defendant (the part}'- on trial) was present, and knowing the unlawful intent of such person, aided him by acts or encouraged him by words or gestures? We are of the opinion that this question must be answered in the negative. If the party is present and knows of the unlawful intent, aids by acts or encourages by words or gestures the party who actually commits the unlawful act, he is held a principal actor, and can be prosecuted and convicted as such. In this case defendant told Dart to shoot; that he would stand by him. Dart shot. Dart’s act was the act of defendant to the same extent and to all purposes in law as if defendant had actually shot Berry himself; and it is proper for the indictment to charge him with the actual shooting of Berry, omitting any or all others engaged in the commission of the act.
There is conflict in the evidence, but if the State’s witnesses are worthy of credit the verdict is amply sustained.
If present, knowing the unlawful intent, aiding by acts or encouraging by words or gestures, the party would be a principal and not an accomplice. Hence the rule in McKean v. The State, 7 Texas Court of Appeals, 631, and Simms v. The State, 10 Texas Court of Appeals, 131, would not apply.
Defendant moved for a new trial upon the ground of newly discovered evidence, which appears by his motion and the aifl
The first question here presented is as to the diligence of defendant to discover this testimony. In his motion for new trial upon this ground he states: “Defendant did not know of the existence of said Drayer’s testimony until after the trial; that he could not have procured it by the use of reasonable diligence.”
This last statement is very doubtfully ended. What prevented defendant from discovering this evidence? Defendant and Drayer were at the place of the difficulty. He, defendant, must have seen him. He does not deny seeing Drayer, and, if he saw him, certainly ordinary diligence required him to interview him and discover what he knew of the matter. Again, if in truth defendant came up just at the time, or immediately af
We are of the opinion that ordinary diligence on the part of defendant would have enabled him to have discovered this testimony, and that the court below did not err in overruling his motion for new trial.
The indictment charges that defendant “did assault Isham Berry with intent to murder him, the said Isliam Berry.” It is not charged that the assault was made with malice aforethought. Defendant moved, because of the absence of this allegation, in arrest of judgment. The court overruled his motion, and he excepted.
Must this be charged in an indictment for assault with intent to murder? This precise question was discussed at length by Judge Gray, in Martin v. The State, 40 Texas, 19, and it was there held that the omission to allege that the assault was made with malice aforethought was not fatal to the indictment.
We have given this record a careful examination, and are unable to discover such error, if any, as will require a reversal of this judgment. The judgment is affirmed.
Affirmed.
Opinion delivered February 17, 1883.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.