Holding v. State

1977 OK CR 249, 568 P.2d 332, 1977 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 692
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedAugust 23, 1977
DocketF-76-930
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 1977 OK CR 249 (Holding v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holding v. State, 1977 OK CR 249, 568 P.2d 332, 1977 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 692 (Okla. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

OPINION

PER CURIAM:

The appellant, John Cole Holding, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged in the District Court, Oklahoma County, with the offense of Rape in the First Degree, in violation of 21 O.S.1971, § 1111. Upon a plea of guilty, the defendant was convicted by a jury and received a sentence of fifteen (15) years in the State Penitentiary. From said judgment and sentence a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

At the trial, the State’s first witness, Trina Vetter stated that on January 20, 1976, she resided with her room-mate, Terry Kilcrease, at 1282 S.W. 74th, Apartment 215, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She testified that on that date she and her roommate were alone in the apartment when there was a knock at the door. Kilcrease answered and greeted a man who asked to use their phone. Kilcrease let the visitor enter the apartment, and shortly thereafter the defendant, who was accompanying the first visitor, entered the apartment. Subsequently the witness entered the living room and observed the two visitors seated in the living room. She sat herself on the floor across the room from where the defendant was seated. The defendant had a glass of water and they were engaged in a conversation. The witness testified that the defendant kept staring at her until she became uneasy and retired back to her bedroom. After being in the bedroom for a short time, the witness discovered the defendant at the door of her bedroom brandishing a knife. He told the witness, as he placed the knife to her throat, that if she made a noise he would kill her. The witness identified State’s Ex. No. 1 as that knife. The defendant then ordered the witness to remove her clothes. The witness then described the details in which the defendant forced her to have sexual intercourse with him. She testified that during the act she screamed and noticed that several people came in and out of the bedroom door.

Subsequently, after the defendant and his companion had left the premises, two of her friends came to the apartment and transported the witness and her room-mate to the Police Department and then to the Hospital. While en route they spotted the defendant’s companion hitchhiking. They stopped and detained him until his mother arrived on the scene.

The State’s second witness, Doctor Shelba Bethel, an Obstetrician and a Gynecologist, testified that he examined the prosecutrix on the date in question. His examination revealed that the prosecutrix had hymenal lacerations that were bleeding at the time of the examination. The witness also testified that he discovered the presence of male sperm.

The next witness presented by the State, Terry Kilcrease, corroborated the earlier testimony of Trina as to the appearance of the defendant and his companion on the date in question and their presence in the apartment. She related that while the prosecutrix was in her bedroom, the defendant went into the kitchen and got a glass of water and then sat down. He then walked to the back of the apartment. After awhile, she heard the prosecutrix screaming and telling the defendant to leave, so she went back to the bedroom. She opened the door and observed the prosecutrix and the defendant on the bed unclothed, with the defendant positioned above the prosecutrix. The prosecutrix saw Terry and told her to call someone. The witness then went to use the phone, but while doing so the defend *334 ant’s companion took the receiver from her and hung up the phone. The two men left the apartment about five minutes later. The witness also testified that she accompanied the prosecutrix to the Police Station and to the hospital and corroborated the testimony referring to their observing the defendant’s companion hitchhiking while en route.

Barbara Cox related that she is the prose-cutrix’s mother and was present when the prosecutrix was transported to the hospital where the examination took place on the above date.

Andrew Timmons of the Oklahoma City Police Department related details establishing the chain of custody of the specimens taken at the hospital.

The last witness offered by the State was W. G. Fansler, who testified to the technical investigation of certain items found at the scene of the incident. He related that he dusted the glass and the knife for fingerprints, but the investigation failed to produce any conclusive determinations.

The defendant took the stand and testified in his own behalf. He related that he and his companion, Mike Maldin, were together in the parking lot of the apartment complex above mentioned, shortly after midnight on the date in question. They had gone to the complex to visit a friend, whom they found not to be at home. While in the parking lot they observed a girl in a second story apartment window. The defendant’s companion went up to the apartment and gained entrance. Shortly thereafter the defendant followed and also entered the apartment. After a short conversation with the two girls inside, the defendant testified that he went into the kitchen to get a drink of water. The defendant testified that he was invited to look around the apartment, which he did. When he got to the back bedroom he found the.door ajar. He walked in and was met by the prosecu-trix. The defendant related details that he and the prosecutrix had sexual intercourse and that she freely consented to the activity. He denied carrying a knife or that he forced the prosecutrix in anyway.

The defendant asserts three assignments of error. The first is that the evidence submitted by the State to prove that the defendant committed the act of first degree rape is so highly improbable that it is insufficient to sustain a conviction without evidence corroborating the prosecu-trix’s testimony. This Court has held that where the testimony of the prosecutrix is contradictory, uncertain, improbable, or impeached, it should be corroborated in order to warrant a conviction. Howard v. State, 79 Okl.Cr. 247, 153 P.2d 831 (1944). DeWitt v. State, 79 Okl.Cr. 136, 152 P.2d 284 (1944). McDonald v. State, 61 Okl.Cr. 287, 67 P.2d 806, Williams v. State, 61 Okl.Cr. 396, 68 P.2d 530 (1937). However, this Court has also often held that a conviction for Rape may be had on the uncorroborated testimony of the prosecutrix or slight corroboration, where the testimony of the prosecutrix is not inherently improbable or unworthy of credence. Duffey v. State, Okl.Cr., 514 P.2d 421 (1973). Holmes v. State, Okl.Cr., 505 P.2d 189 (1972); Bryant v. State, Okl.Cr., 478 P.2d 907 (1970); Gaines v. State, Okl.Cr., 267 P.2d 612 (1954). However, this rule has been limited to the effect that the record of the case will be carefully examined to determine whether the evidence of the prosecutrix is clear and believable and is not inconsistent, incredible or contradictory. If the evidence is such that a jury would be justified in their conclusion, and if the verdict is based upon probable testimony, then this Court will recognize the exclusive province of the jury to weigh the evidence and determine the facts and will not interfere with the jury’s verdict, though there may be a sharp conflict in the evidence. Haga v. State, Okl.Cr., 422 P.2d 221 (1966).

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Bluebook (online)
1977 OK CR 249, 568 P.2d 332, 1977 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 692, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holding-v-state-oklacrimapp-1977.