Hopkins v. State

1910 OK CR 177, 108 P. 420, 4 Okla. Crim. 194, 1910 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 2
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedMarch 31, 1910
DocketNo. A-227.
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 1910 OK CR 177 (Hopkins 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
Hopkins v. State, 1910 OK CR 177, 108 P. 420, 4 Okla. Crim. 194, 1910 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 2 (Okla. Ct. App. 1910).

Opinions

OWEN, Judge.

The petition in error, filed in this case contains 15 specifications or assignments. The first is to the action of the court in overruling the motion to quash the indictment, and in- not permitting the defendant to offer proof in support of the motion. The motion is to the effect that the grand jury which returned the indictment in this ease was composed of only 12 men, and that in impaneling the grand jury the court in its general instructions advised the grand jury that an indictment in any ease might be returned on the concurrence of 9 of the jurors. The homicide in this case was committed prior to statehood. Hnder the law in force in Oklahoma Territory at that time, a grand jury was composed of 16 men, and an indictment could not be returned without the concurrence of at least 12 of the 16. This court agrees with the contention of counsel that all rights guaranteed to the defendant under the law at the time of the commission of the offense must be allowed him at the time of his trial. Hnder the Constitution of this state, adopted after the commission of the crime and before the trial, a grand jury is composed of 12 men. This would be ex post facto as to this defendant if the charge deprived him of any protection afforded under the law at the time [196]*196■of the commission of the offense. Any law is &x post facto which is enacted after the offense was committed, ,and which in relation to it or its consequences alters the situation of -the ’accused to his disadvantage. The right guaranteed to the defendant in this instance was the concurrence of 12 jurors before an indictment could be returned against him. Tf the reduction in the number necessary to compose a grand jury had been, below the number necessary to concur in an indictment, then he would have been deprived of a substantial -right. At the time of the homicide an indictment could not be returned except on the oaths of 12 jurors, and this right must be preserved to the defendant. If the number of the grand jury had been increased to a greater number than 16, he might have been deprived, of a substantial right. In a jury of 16 a failure of 5 to concur would prevent an indictment. If the grand jury be increased, it would require a greater number to prevent an indictment. But when the number composing the jury has been reduced to 12, the failure of one man to concur would prevent an indictment. The motion to quash in this case does not allege that a less number than 12 did in fact concur'; the motion is to the effect that the defendant had no knowledge that a less number than 12 did concur. Counsel for the defendant urges that, inasmuch as the court, directed the jury that 9 concurring might return indictments, the presumption is that less than 12 did concur. With this contention we cannot agree. We understand the rule to be exactly the converse on this proposition. When an indictment is duly returned as a true bill, properly indorsed, and with the signature of the, foreman, the presumption is that it was regularly found on legal evidence and by- the requisite number of jurors. The presumption of regularity is in favor of the indictment. Canard v. State, 2 Okla. Cr. 505, 103 Pac. 737. In volume 22 Cyc., page 206, the rule is announced in accordance with our holding here; citing a number of authorities. In the case “of U. S. v. Wilson, 28 Fed. Cas No. 16,737, on this proposition, the United States court said:

“Where the record shows that the grand jury found the- bill [197]*197of indictment on their oaths, the intendment and legal effect and presumption is that it was found' on proper evidence, with due deliberation, and by the concurrence, of 12 of their number.”

Specifications 2, 3, 4, and 5 'refer to the action of the court in overruling defendant’s motion for change of venue. The' error complained of under these assignments consists in the court having permitted the county attorney to file counter affidavits. Counsel insists that, under section 5427, Wilson’s Rev. & Ann. St. 1903, the county attorney is not permitted to file counter affidavits in a crime where the punishment may be death or imprisonment for life. Counsel has overlooked the fact that this statute was amended by the territorial Legislature in 1895. The statute as amended (section 6766, Snyder’s Comp. Laws 1909) provides that the county attorney may introduce counter affidavits to show that the persons making affidavits in support of the application are not- credible persons, and that the charge is not necessary. There was no error in permitting the county attorney to file counter affidavits. It was authorized by the statute in force at that time. The granting of a motion for change of venue is addressed to the sound discretion of the court, and unless it clearly appears that the discretion was abused, this court will not disturb the verdict for the failure of the trial court to grant the change. There is no contention here that there was an abuse of discretion.

Specifications 6, 7, and 8 are to the action of the trial court in refusing to give instructions on insanity. A careful reading of all the evidence in the record fails to disclose any evidence that even tends to prove insanity on the part of the defendant. Insanity is a question of fact, and since there was no evidence offered' to prove it, there was no error on the part of the court in refusing such instructions Counsel for defendant insists that the defendant’s actions after he had murdered his wife were such as to authorize the instructions; that evidence is to the effect that for several days after the homicide defendant appeared to be in a stupor, and-this fact counsel insists is some evidence, of. insanity, and on the oral argument it was urged that the brutal cireumstan-[198]*198ces of the homicide were some evidence of insanity; that a sane man would not commit a homicide in that manner. The evidence is to the effect that the defendant and his wife had separated in Missouri; that he had threatened to kill her unless she returned and lived with him.- He went to her father’s house, where she was residing, and attempted to do her bodily injury, but was prevented • by the interference of the county sheriff. After her removal to Lawton in this state, he appeared on the scene, and went to her residence, where he entered the room. She started to run out. He struck her across the head with a meat cleaver. The neighbors, hearing her screams, rushed fo the scene, where they found her body prostrate on the floor, with evidence that carbolic acid had been forced down her throat. The defendant, bearing evidence that he had taken some of the same drug, was lying prostrate near her feet. He was immediately taken to the jail, and three or four days thereafter appeared in a stupor. The proof was undisputed that the defendant’s lips and face were burned from carbolic acid. In all probability he attempted suicide after having brutally murdered his wife. The mere fact that he appeared sullen and was in a stupor after the commission of the offense would not authorize an inference of insanity. It occurs to us that even a partial- realization of the horrible deed he had committed was amply sufficient to produce a stupor, and wé find no error in the refusal of the court to instruct as to insanity.

The ninth assignment is to failure of the court to instruct on manslaughter. It is always the duty of the trial court to instruct on the law of manslaughter if there is any evidence that the alleged crime might have been done under circumstances that would reduce the crime from murder to manslaughter.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1910 OK CR 177, 108 P. 420, 4 Okla. Crim. 194, 1910 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 2, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hopkins-v-state-oklacrimapp-1910.