Coleman v. State

373 So. 2d 1254
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Alabama
DecidedAugust 21, 1979
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 373 So. 2d 1254 (Coleman v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Coleman v. State, 373 So. 2d 1254 (Ala. Ct. App. 1979).

Opinion

373 So.2d 1254 (1979)

Geommery M. COLEMAN, alias
v.
STATE.

6 Div. 1.

Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama.

August 21, 1979.

Joel L. Sogol, Tuscaloosa, for appellant.

*1255 Charles A. Graddick, Atty. Gen., and Thomas R. Allison, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State, appellee.

BOOKOUT, Judge.

Assault with intent to murder; sentence: twenty years imprisonment.

Around 5:00 p. m. on May 21, 1977, the appellant along with Leon Latham, John and Ralph Hargress, Larry Williams, and Tom Jones gathered at Leon Latham's residence to shoot dice. Around 7:00 or 7:30 p. m., with a game in progress, Wattie Harris arrived. Shortly thereafter appellant lost $8 to John Hargress who was throwing the dice at the time. John Hargress did not have change for appellant's $20, and Wattie Harris told Ralph Hargress that he could make change. Appellant retorted that he was not in the game and did not have anything to do with it. An argument ensued between the two. Appellant and Harris were kneeling on the floor with the others in the game when the argument erupted. However, Harris stood and moved near the front door immediately after its initiation. The argument was short-lived as Leon Latham intervened as peacemaker, and no other words passed between the appellant and Harris. Approximately five to ten minutes later, John Hargress lost control of the dice ending the game, and the appellant went to use the bathroom. Within a few moments, appellant returned with a gun to the doorway leading from the living room where the game was being held. He began to fire in the direction of Harris and in the process shot both Harris and Tom Jones. Appellant was subsequently tried and convicted of assault with intent to murder Wattie Harris. He was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment, and that conviction was affirmed without opinion by this court on May 22, 1979. The instant case concerns the assault on Tom Jones.

At the close of the State's evidence, appellant made the following motion out of the presence of the jury:

"MR. SOGOL: Your Honor, at this time the State would move—the defense would move to exclude the State's evidence, in particular the defendant would move to exclude the State's evidence to the indictment charging assault with intent to murder on the ground that the State has failed to prove any intent on the part of Mr. Coleman to murder Mr. Tom Jones. The testimony is that the defendant was shooting at Mr. Wattie Harris. He shot at him and tracked him out of the room, so to speak, and followed him outside and shot him outside. We submit the State has failed to present any evidence of any intent to kill Tom Jones."

The trial court overruled the motion which challenged the sufficiency of the State's evidence on the essential element of intent. A more detailed recitation of the facts is therefore necessary.

Leon Latham testified in substance to the above recited facts. He also stated that he did not see anyone drinking at his house during the game. Additionally, he heard no threats from Harris directed toward the appellant. Latham further testified that when the appellant reappeared at the doorway leading to the bathroom, he saw a gun in appellant's hand which he fired in the direction of the front door where Wattie Harris was. In addition he stated that at this time no one else was around the front door. Tom Jones was not involved in the game and was seated on the couch in the living room where he had been throughout the argument. Latham testified that after the first shot was fired, Harris moved toward the couch. Latham then went into a bedroom, loaded his shotgun, and told the appellant to leave. He further stated that a short while later, after finding no one in the house, he went outside and saw the appellant standing beside his car, and he fired his shotgun in the air and told the appellant to leave.

John Hargress testified to the argument between appellant and Harris. He stated that when the argument began Harris stood and put his hands into his pockets, but he did not see or hear Harris threaten the appellant. Hargress stated that after he had lost control of the dice he got ready to leave and moved from the living room floor *1256 to the porch. He then moved to the front doorway when the first shot was fired. He testified that Tom Jones was on the couch at this time. Hargress then ran around the house, met his brother and Larry Williams, and went to his mother's house nearby. Shortly thereafter he drove by Latham's house and saw Tom Jones holding his chest where he had been shot. He carried him to the hospital. Hargress testified that he had not been drinking that evening and did not smell alcohol on anyone's breath.

Ralph Hargress also testified concerning the argument between appellant and Harris. In addition, he stated that Tom Jones was sitting on the couch with Larry Williams when appellant shot toward the front doorway. Hargress testified that he was standing in the doorway where appellant was and that appellant fired twice across his chest. He stated that he grabbed appellant's arm, but appellant told him to get back. Hargress testified that Tom Jones was sitting on the couch and within touching distance of the doorway where he was standing and that appellant fired his gun toward the front doorway. After he left the house and met his brother and Larry Williams, Ralph Hargress went to his mother's house. Shortly thereafter he drove by Latham's, saw Tom Jones injured, and carried him to the hospital.

Larry Williams testified to the argument between appellant and Harris. He stated that Tom Jones and he were on the couch at this time. Williams stated that he saw the appellant with a gun and saw it fired toward the front door. He recalled that when the shooting began, he headed from the couch toward the front door and Wattie Harris headed in exactly the opposite direction. Williams testified that when the shooting began, Tom Jones remained on the couch.

Wattie Harris testified as to his argument with the appellant and stated that he did not enter the game that evening. He stated that he was not mad at the appellant. Harris further testified that after the appellant had left the living room to use the bathroom he saw appellant with a gun pointed at him. Harris was very near the front door squatting down. When appellant began to shoot at him, Harris stated that he could not get out of the front door because it was crowded so he ran toward the couch where Tom Jones was seated. Harris testified that the third shot hit him in the hand. He recalled that when Leon Latham told the appellant to leave he ran out of the house and jumped off the front porch. Harris was then shot again in the hip, however, he does not know who hit him. Harris heard a shotgun discharge after he had crawled to the back of the house. He further testified that he was not armed that evening, and the only person he saw with a gun was the appellant.

Tom Jones testified that he was sitting on the couch when the argument erupted and remained there throughout the shooting. He stated that when the shooting began Wattie Harris moved toward him. Subsequently, Jones was shot in the chest. Jones testified that he was not paying much attention to the argument, did not see the appellant with a gun, and did not have anything to drink while at Latham's. After everyone had left the house, Jones exited and was subsequently carried to the hospital by the Hargresses.

I

Pursuant to § 13-1-46, Code of Ala. 1975, the offense consists of (1) an assault and (2) an intent to murder the named victim. Lawhon v. State, 41 Ala.App. 577, 141 So.2d 205 (1962).

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Bluebook (online)
373 So. 2d 1254, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coleman-v-state-alacrimapp-1979.