Guetig v. State

66 Ind. 94
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedMay 15, 1879
StatusPublished
Cited by59 cases

This text of 66 Ind. 94 (Guetig v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guetig v. State, 66 Ind. 94 (Ind. 1879).

Opinion

Biddle, J.

Louis Guetig was indicted for the murder of Mary McGlew, convicted, and sentenced to death. He appealed to this court. The judgment was reversed for 'an error in the lower court, and the cause remanded for a new trial. Guetig v. The State, 63 Ind. 278. Upon a second trial he was again convicted, and is now again under sentence of death. By appeal from the second judgment the appellant brings before us, for our decision, the following questions :

1. Errors committed by the court below in overruling defendant’s challenge to each of three jurors, namely: Bichard Hill, Thomas J. Hinesly and James E. Twiname;

2. Error committed by the court below in overruling [96]*96the defendant’s objection to the hypothetical cased stated, and question put thereon, to each of the medical expert witnesses called to testify in behalf of the State;

3. Error committed by the court below in overriding each of the instructions and charges moved and requested to be given by the court to the jury, by and on behalf of the defendant, and in refusing to give each of the same;

4. Errors committed by the court below in giving each of the several instructions and charges given by the court to the jury as and for the law of the case, when it was not the law, nor applicable to the case;

5. The transcript of the record of the proceedings and judgment of the court below do not show' any authority in the lion. Byron K. Elliott to hold said court, preside therein, or to try said defendant in said action ; and,

6. There is no such court in the State of Indiana, and never ivas such court therein, as the Marion Criminal Circuit Court.

1. It is insisted that the court below erred in overruling the defendant’s challenge to each of three jurors, namely : Richard Ilill, Thomas J. Hinesly and James E. Twiname.

The examination of these jurors upon the voire dire is made part of the record by bill of exceptions, which makes substantially the following case against each :

1st. Richard Hill, who is admitted to be a fit juror, if his opinions did not disqualify him, when examined, stated that he had heard of the case; but was not acquainted with defendant, or deceased, or her relations.” He thought he first saw about the case in the Daily Sentinel ; that it was simply an account of the occurrence in the papers that he read — an account of the former trial — what the parties had seen — the account set forth — the testimony of the witnesses; and he said “ that he thought he probably did, from that information, form an opinion.”

[97]*97It was thereupon objected to the juror that he was incompetent because he said that he had based an opinion upon the testimony of witnesses in the former trial.

He was thereupon examined, on behalf of the State, as follows:

“Is your opinion so fixed in your mind that it would not yield readily to the evidence introduced here, and so that you could not readily try the case as fairly and impartially as if you had never heard of it before?” To which he answered: “Ho; I can not say that it would. If the evidence should differ from what I have heard of it, I think I would have to be governed by the evidence.”
By the Court: “Would it require any effort on your part to allow the evidence to govern your opinion ?” Answer: “ I do not think it would.”
By Mr. Potts, for the defendant: “ If the evidence should correspond to what you have heard, then I presume you would be governed by the original opinion you had formed? ” Answer. “ I think I should.” “Would you, in regard to the question of guilt or innocence, and also in regard to the question of punishment to be inflicted upon the defendant in ease of conviction ?” Ans. “Well, it might have something to do with it.” Ques. “In both cases ?” Ans. “Yes, it might.”
For the State: “But if it should differ from what you heard, then it would be as if you had never before heard of the case ?” Ans. “1 do not think but what -it would require but very little evidence to turn my opinion.”
“The defendant challenged the juror for cause, in that the said Hill was not competent to sit as a juror in the case, in that he had formed and expressed an opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant, and could not try the case as impartially as if he had never heard of the case before.”

[98]*98• The challenge was overruled by the court, and the defendant at the time excepted.

2d. Thomas J. Hinesly, upon his examination on the voire dire, stated his name, and that he resided in Washington township, Marion county, Indiana, and had, for forty-three years ; and, upon a general statement of the case to him, he had said, that “he had formed or expressed an opinion of the guilt or innocence of the defendant; that he had formed such an opinion from the papers. He then said he saw a report of the coroner’s inquest, and a part, of the report of the proceedings of the preceding trial here, in the Journal and People;” that “he formed an opinion as to what punishment should be inflicted if the defendant was guilty ;” that “his opinion was so fixed in his mind, that it would require some evidence to remove it; yes, sir, it would;” that “he wculd not feel quite so free to try the case impartially and fairly, as he would if he had not heard of it;”' and that “it-would take some evidence to change his opinion in regard to the punishment to be inflicted. Yes.”

By the State : “Would your mind yield readily to the evidence, or is your opinion fixed so that it would not readily yield ?”

Defendants’ counsel objected to the question on the ground that it was incompetent, in that it called for the witness’ opinion, or rather the person’s being examined, as to the effect that certain evidence -would have on his mind, or would probably have on his mind. The objection whs overruled by the court, to which ruling the defendant at the time excepted.

The juror answered: “It’s not firmly fixed.

“You think you can sit here and try the case upon the law and the evidence as you should hear them in the court-room ?

“I think I can.

“You think the impression you now have upon your [99]*99mind would have no effect upon your final verdict, after having heard the law from the court, and the evidence from the witnesses ?

“I think not.”

By Major Gordon of defendant’s counsel; “You think your opinion would not be any obstruction — in other . woids you would try to get rid of it ?

“Yes, sir.

“But are you quite certain that you could do so?

“I think I could.”

Thereupon the defendant interposed challenge for cause, upon the ground that said Hinesly is “ incompetent as a juror in this ease, by reason of his having formed and expressed an opinion in this case touching the guilt or innocence of the accused, which would be an obstruction to his mental operations, which it is impossible for either himself or the court to say that he can by any possible effort of the will rid himself of it.”

The challenge was overruled by the court, to which ruling the defendant at the time excepted.

3d. James E. Twiname, one of the jurors, on his voire dire,

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Bluebook (online)
66 Ind. 94, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guetig-v-state-ind-1879.