Bracewell v. State

74 Ga. App. 674
Court of Appeals of Georgia·Decided January 9, 1947·No. 31452·Published

Opinion

Gardner, J.

Special ground 1 assigns error because the court failed to charge, without a written request to do so, Code, § 26-1013, which reads: “If after persuasion, remonstrance, or other gentle measures used, a forcible attack and invasion on the property or habitation of another can not be prevented, it shall be justifiable homicide to bill the person so forcibly attacking and invading the property or habitation of another; but it must appear that such killing was absolutely necessary to prevent such attack and invasion, and that a serious injury was intended, or might accrue to the person, property, or family of the person killing.”

It is contended that it was especially erroneous and harmful to fail to charge this section, even in the absence of a written request, where the court did charge in its entirety Code, § 26-1011, which reads: “There being no rational distinction between excusable and justifiable homicide, it shall no longer exist. Justifiable homicide is the killing of a human being by commandment of the law in execution of public justice; by permission of the law in advancement of public justice; in self-defense, or in defense of habitation, property, or person, against one who manifestly intends or endeavors, by violence or surprise, to commit a felony on either; or against any persons who manifestly intend and endeavor, in a riotous and tumultuous manner, to enter the habitation of another for the purpose of assaulting or offering personal violence to any person dwelling or being therein.”

It is true that the homicide occurred on a public road in front of the defendant’s house, but there is no evidence on behalf of the defendant or the State that the deceased was attempting to forcibly attack and invade the habitation of the defendant. The evi[679] dence as to where the. body of the deceased was lying in the road between the car from the house approximately 40 feet away from the house does not warrant the conclusion that at the time the defendant fired the fatal shot it was absolutely necessary to do so to prevent such an attack and invasion if such was the intent of the deceased. Indeed, the statement of the defendant, which we have set out above, does not warrant the conclusion that it was “absolutely”' necessary for the defendant to kill the deceased to prevent an attack and invasion of his habitation. Further, the statement of the accused to Mr. Cliett does not indicate that the defendant fired the fatal shot to prevent a forcible attack and invasion of the home of the defendant by the deceased. Under this section, there must be a combination both of forcible attack and an invasion of the habitation of another to bring one within the realm of justification for taking the life of another. This court said in Gresham v. State, 70 Ga. App. 80, 83 (27 S. E. 2d, 463): “Section 26-1013 of the Code, which refers to self-defense in instances of forcible attack and invasion of the property or habitation of another, requires loth a forcible attack and an invasion of the property or habitation of another. This section, as applied to the facts in the instant case, does not provide merely for the attack upon the person, or merely for the invasion of the habitation, but the forcible attack and invasion must both concur in order for the provisions of the section to apply. . . The evidence would seem to make a case of an attack upon the defendant’s person rather than upon his habitation.” (Italics ours.) See also Jackson v. State, 69 Ga. App. 707 (26 S. E. 2d, 485); Love v. State, 14 Ga. App. 49 (3) (80 S. E. 209). The evidence in the instant case does not require a reversal because the court failed to charge Code, § 26-1011. The defendant in his statement contended that he was in his house when the deceased stopped the car in front of the house. The defendant came out of his house and onto the porch from where he shot the deceased, and remarked to the deceased to quit cursing his (the defendant’s) wife. Not at any time did even the defendant say that he endeavored to persuade or remonstrate with the deceased not to enter his house. The Code section requires this before one can be entitled to invoke its provisions. We might state in this connection also that under the facts of this case it is not cause for reversal for the court to read in its entirety Code, § 26-1011. Floyd [680] v. State, 143 Ga. 286 (3) (84 S. E. 971). See also Freeney v. State, 129 Ga. 759, 769 (59 S. E. 788); Pyle v. State, 187 Ga. 156, 158 (200 S. E. 667). It thus seems clear to us that the cause for the killing was not because of any attempt by the deceased to forcibly attack and invade the home of the defendant. Counsel for the defendant cite in support of their contentions in this connection: Smith v. State, 106 Ga. 673 (32 S. E. 851, 71 Am. St. E. 286); Norris v. State, 184 Ga. 397 (4) (191 S. E. 375); Wittle v. State, 50 Ga. App. 170 (177 S. E. 356); Glaze v. State, 2 Ga. App. 704 (58 S. E. 1126); Thornton v. State, 18 Ga. App. 744 (90 S. E. 489); West v. State, 155 Ga. 482 (6) (117 S. E. 380); Hudgins v. State, 2 Ga. 173 (4). We find nothing in the eases cited that would warrant a reversal of the case on this ground.

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