Hardin v. State

284 S.W.2d 111, 225 Ark. 602, 1955 Ark. LEXIS 639
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedNovember 28, 1955
Docket4814
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 284 S.W.2d 111 (Hardin v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hardin v. State, 284 S.W.2d 111, 225 Ark. 602, 1955 Ark. LEXIS 639 (Ark. 1955).

Opinion

J. SeaboeN Holt, Associate Justice.

A jury found Joe Hardin (appellant) guilty of second degree murder for killing Charles Brittain, but did not fix the penalty. Thereupon the court assessed his punishment as fifteen (15) years in tlie State Penitentiary. This appeal followed.

I.

For reversal appellant assigned sixteen alleged errors. Assignments 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and Supplemental Assignments 2 and 4 cover the sufficiency of the evidence. We think, however, after reviewing the record that there was ample substantial testimony to support the jury’s verdict. The facts were to the following effect: Willie Pearl Walker (an eye witness) testified in substance that August 26, 1954, she asked appellant if he had any Avhiskey and he said he did not. Later that same day, about 7 or 8 p.m., she along with Isaac Penny, Virgie Reed, Charles Brittain and two others (not identified) went to Hardin’s home for whiskey. They found him there alone and remained for about an hour or two. Hardin produced some whiskey and they began drinking. During .this time Hardin went into another room and on his return announced that someone had stolen his gun, whereupon, she and the victim, Brittain, went with Hardin to search for the gun. When they could not find it, Hardin directed her to call Isaac Penny and when she did so Isaac ran. Hardin then closed the door and told them they were not going to get out. Hardin then went into a hack room, returned with a gun which he pointed at Brittain and said, “Your friend got out hut you ain’t going to get away.” Brittain said, “I haven’t got your gun.” Hardin then fired and Brittain fell in a chair in the middle of the room. Brittain got up in a few minutes, stumbled, started into another room when Hardin fired again and hit him in the hack. Before the last shot, Hardin struck Brittain on the side of the head with a whiskey jug, breaking the jug. When Hardin shot the second time Brittain fell.

Dr. C. H. Smith testified that the victim was brought to the emergency room of the hospital where he treated him for a gunshot wound in his back just left of the spine. “Q. Could you tell from the wound as to what type of instrument had made the wound? A. It appeared to be a shotgun. Q. What condition was he in at the time you examined him, or treated him? A. When I first saw him, he was conscious and rational, but he lapsed into unconsciousness in just a few minutes. Q. What time of the night did you last attend him? A. I imagine it was around 9 or 10. Q. Was he still living at that time? A. Pie was. Q. Was his condition caused by the wound Avhich you have just described? A. It was.”

His condition continued to ‘ ‘ deteriorate ’ ’ which was caused “from the hemorrhaging of the wound.” Brittain was so nearly dead that any attempt to do anything rather than try to improve his condition would have resulted in immediate death. He died that night.

Other witnesses tended to corroborate Willie Pearl Walker’s testimony and also the fact that Brittain exhibited no weapon and they saw none. We find no evidence that Brittain was armed. The jury was the sole judge of the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given to their testimony. Herron v. State, 202 Ark. 927, 154 S. W. 2d 351. It is also the jury’s province to weigh the evidence on the issue of self-defense, relied upon by appellant, and accept what they believed to be true and reject any that they thought to be false. Higdon v. State, 213 Ark. 881, 213 S. W. 2d 621. There was no error in the trial court’s refusal to direct a verdict for appellant at the conclusion of the State’s case, and again refusing his request to direct a verdict at the conclusion of all the testimony. The rule is well established that when the evidence is sufficient, as here, to support a conviction a refusal to direct a not guilty verdict was not error. Graham and Seaman v. State, 197 Ark. 50, 121 S. W. 2d 892; Ruffin v. State, 207 Ark. 672, 182 S. W. 2d 673. As indicated we find ample substantial evidence that the victim’s death was caused by the gunshot wound inflicted on him by appellant.

II.

Appellant next contends (Assignments 5, 6 and 7) that the court erred in allowing the State’s counsel to interrogate him as to his activities in the liquor business. “Q. Does Joe Hardin sell whiskey there? A. No, he gave us some. By Mr. Edwardes: We object to that . . . By Mr. Mathis: He is claiming this man was shot in a defense of his home. I want to show that it was a place of business where he regularly sold whiskey.” We think there was no error. The court firmly admonished the jury not to consider the question propounded for any purpose. The question was answered in the negative. We think the court’s admonition to the jury removed any possible prejudices to appellant in the circumstances.

III.

Next appellant argues (Assignment 9 and Supplemental Assignment 6) that the court erred in instructing the jury that appellant assumed the burden of proof to sustain his plea of self-defense. On this point the trial court in conformity with § 41-2246, Ark. Stats. 1947 (C. & M. Dig., § 2342, and Pope’s Dig. § 2968) instructed the jury in this language: “The killing being proved, the burden of proving circumstances of mitigation that justify or excuse the homicide shall devolve on the accused, unless the proof on the part of the state is sufficiently manifest that the offense amounted only to manslaughter, or that the accused was justified or excused in committing homicide,” and “again, it is the duty of the court to admonish you that the defendant starts out in the beginning of the trial with the presumption of innocence in his favor. This is a presumption that begins with the trial of the case and continues throughout the trial, or until the evidence convinces you of his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.”

This identical question was answered contrary to appellant’s contention in the case of Hogue v. State, 194 Ark. 1089, 110 S. W. 2d 11, wherein we said.

‘ ‘ The court gave an instruction conforming to § 2968, Pope’s Digest, which reads: ‘The killing being proved, the burden of proving circumstances of mitigation that justify or excuse the homicide shall devolve on the accused, unless by the proof on the part of the prosecution it is sufficiently manifest that the offense committed only amounted to manslaughter, or that the accused was justified or excused in committing the homicide.’ It is argued that this instruction cast upon the defendant the burden of proving his innocence, inasmuch as he admitted the killing. Such, however, is not the effect of the instruction when read in connection with instruction No. 11, given by the court, reading as follows: ‘Under the law the defendant is presumed to ho innocent. This presumption is evidence in his behalf and protects him from a conviction at your hands until his guilt- is established to your satisfaction beyond a reasonable doubt. ’

“This assignment of error is disposed of by the opinion in the case of Tignor v. State, 76 Ark. 489, 89 S. W. 96. A headnote in that case reads as follows: ‘Where the jury are instructed, in a murder case, that the killing being proved, the burden of proving circumstances that justify or excuse the homicide devolves upon the accused, as provided by Kirby’s Digest, § 1765, they should be further instructed that on the whole case the guilt of the accused must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. ’

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
284 S.W.2d 111, 225 Ark. 602, 1955 Ark. LEXIS 639, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hardin-v-state-ark-1955.