McLaren v. State

Court of Civil Appeals of Texas
McLaren v. State, 21 Tex. Ct. App. 513 (1886)
2 S.W. 858; 1886 Tex. Crim. App. LEXIS 184
Willson

McLaren v. State

Opinion of the Court

Willson, Judge.

This conviction is not only not supported by, but is against the evidence and the law. Defendant explained his possession of the property by saying that he had found it on the road and had taken it up and carried it to his *517home. He proved the truth of this explanation by a witness who testified that he was in company with the defendant when the property was so found and taken. There is not a particle of evidence tending to show the falsity of defendant’s explanation, but, on the contrary, all the evidence in the case tends strongly to establish its truth, and corroborates the testimony of the witness who stated positi vely that the defendant did find the property and took it innocently. Defendant at no time claimed the property as his own, or attempted to conceal it, but, on the contrary, made efforts to discover the owner of it, and did, in fact, discover the owner of a portion of it, an over coat, and restored the same to the owner.

Opinion delivered June 15, 1886.

The court erred in not granting the defendant a new trial, and for this error the judgment is reversed and the cause remanded.

Reversed and remanded.

Reference

Full Case Name
Green McLaren v. State
Cited By
8 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
Theft—Fact Case—New Trial.—See the opinion and the statement of the case for evidence held not merely insufficient to support a conviction for theft, but cogent to establish the innocence of the accused; wherefore the trial court erred in refusing him a new trial.