Hart v. State
Hart v. State
Opinion of the Court
It is insisted in the first error assigned that the court’s charge to the jury in the definition given of implied malice was incorrect, erroneous, and calculated to mislead the jury. Approved charges upon malice, and upon malice express and implied, will be found in Willson’s Criminal Forms, pages 332 and 333: “Implied malice is that which the law infers from, or imputes to, certain acts. Thus, when the fact of
Whilst the seventh paragraph of the charge may not be as full as it might be, and perhaps should have been, upon implied malice, yet, in the absence of a bill of exceptions taken to it, and when the charge is considered as a whole, we can not say that the omission complained of has not been cured in subsequent portions thereof, and even if not, whether the omission would be reversible error in the absence of an exception, or, at least, a special instruction covering the supposed defect. That a charge should be considered as a whole, and not by isolated parts or paragraphs, in determining its sufficiency, is the well established rule of practice in this State, and if as a whole, it is sufficient, the demands of the law are met. (Clark’s Crim. Law, p. 515, note 204; Elam v. The State, 16 Texas Ct. App., 34; Lewis v. The State, 18 Texas Ct. App., 401.) We are of opinion that the complaint as to the seventh paragraph is cured by the ninth paragraph of the charge, and that, when the two are taken and considered together, the jury could not have been misled by the former.
Defendant’s motion for a new trial was not filed within two days after the conviction, as required by law (Code Crim. Proc., Art. 779), and it is therefore insisted by the Assistant Attorney General that the action of the court in overruling it should not be revised by this court.
“A new trial, must be applied for within two days after conviction; but for good cause shown, the court, in cases of felony, may allow the application to be made at any time before the adjournment of the term at which the conviction was had.” (Code Crim. Proc., Art. 779; Bullock v. The State, 12 Texas Ct. App., 42.) it appears from the record that the court entertained the motion for a new trial, although not filed within the prescribed time, and considered the same upon its merits. This action was within the discretion of the court, and must be presumed to have been upon good cause shown. (Hernandez v. The State, 18 Texas Ct. App., 147.) In the case under consideration, no objection was made to the motion upon the ground stated, in the court below, and the court having heard the motion, evidence
In part, the motion is based upon newly discovered testimony. This testimony is certainly most important. It cannot be said that it is not probably true, because it is neither unreasonable nor improbable, and is in harmony with the testimony adduced at the trial; and, we think, ample reason is shown why it could not and was not discovered by defendant before or upon the trial. The testimony upon which this conviction rests, as it is manifested by this record, does not impress us with the conviction that the newly discovered testimony should not and will not likely change the result upon another trial.
We are of opinion that the court should have granted a new trial, and we therefore reverse the judgment and remand the cause for a new trial.
Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John Hart v. State
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- 1 case
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- Syllabus
- 1. Murder—Implied Malice is that which the law infers from or imputes to certain acts. Thus, when the fact of an unlawful killing is established, and there are in evidence no circumstances which tend to establish the existence of express malice, nor which tend to mitigate, excuse, or justify the act, then the law implies malice, and the offense is murder in the second degree. 3. Same—Charge of the Court.—In determining the sufficiency of a charge of the court it must be considered as a whole, and not by isolated parts or paragraphs. If as a whole it is correct and sufficient, it meets the demands of the law. 3. Same.—The rule obtains in this State That it devolves upon the defense to reserve exception to an objectionable charge, or to request of the trial court a special instruction correcting the objectionable features of the charge, and that, if one or the other step is not taken, the charge will not be revised on appeal, unless the misdirection or omission complained of is of such character, in view of all the circumstances of the ease, as may have injured the rights of the defendant. Applying this rule to the objection urged to the seventh paragraph of the charge in this case, the objection can not be held fatal in the absence of an exception and of a requested instruction, and further, the omission is held to have been cured and supplied by the ninth paragraph. See the statement of the case for the seventh and the ninth paragraphs of the charge. 4. Practice—Hew Trial.—Article 779 of the Code of Criminal Procedure provides that “ a new trial must be applied for within two days after conviction; but for good cause shown, the court, in eases of felony, may allow the application to be made at any time before the adjournment of the term at which the conviction was had.” The record discloses that the trial court, in this ease, entertained the motion for new trial and considered it upon its merits, although it was not filed within the time prescribed by law. Held, that such action was within the sound discretion of the trial court, and the presumption obtains that the necessary good cause was shown. 5. New Trial—Newly Discovered Evidence.—See the statement of the case for newly discovered evidence set forth in support of an application for new trial, upon which it is held that the new trial should have been awarded.