Kyle v. State

1961 OK CR 116, 366 P.2d 961, 1961 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 213
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 22, 1961
DocketA-13034
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 1961 OK CR 116 (Kyle 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
Kyle v. State, 1961 OK CR 116, 366 P.2d 961, 1961 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 213 (Okla. Ct. App. 1961).

Opinion

BRETT, Judge.

The defendant, Evart Lional Kyle, was charged in the district court of Hughes County, Oklahoma, by information, with selling intoxicating liquor to a drunken man, one Mose Joshua, on May 25, 1960. He was tried to a jury, convicted and on November 17, 1960 was sentenced to pay a fine of $250, and has appealed.

This prosecution was brought under the provisions of Oklahoma Constitution, Art. 27, § 5, providing:

“It shall be unlawful for any licensee to sell or furnish any alcoholic beverage to: * * * A person who is intoxicated. * * *
“Sales, gifts, * * * shall be deemed a felony.”

These provisions were activated by Tit. 37 O.S.A. § 538(g):

“Any person who shall knowingly sell, furnish or give alcoholic beverage to an * * * intoxicated person shall be guilty of a felony, and shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or imprisoned in the State Penitentiary for not more than one (1) year, or both such fine and imprisonment.”

Briefly, the evidence is as follows: Mose Joshua was arrested by Sheriff B. G. Abernathy about 9:30 P.M. for drunkenness. The sheriff immediately took him to the police station, where a police officer, Stallings, and Highway Patrolman Cawley said he could not walk straight, and that he smelled of alcohol and strongly of wine, and without objection they were permitted to swear that in their opinions he was drunk.

Mose Joshua testified for the state, and admitted that he had been a drinker for a long time. He said that on May 25, 1960 he started drinking about 5 P.M.; that he and his two companions drank a considerable quantity of beer, then wine, which they bought at a liquor store. They then bought more wine and drank that, then drank more beer. It was then dark, and he did not know what time it was. The first three pints of wine were purchased by Simpson Nokuselle and Sampson Cot-cha, his companions. After drinking the last beer, Mose went down to the liquor store and bought another pint of wine. Just a little north of the door of the store he was accosted by the sheriff. Mose admitted he was drunk. He remembered seeing officer Stallings and Patrolman Cawley. They had him walk for them. He was charged by the sheriff as a public drunk, entered a plea of guilty and was fined $20.

Joshua testified that he purchased the wine from a man in the liquor store by the bus station. He could not identify the man. He said, “I was drunk, you know.”

Sheriff B. G. Abernathy said he and Mrs. Abernathy were driving down the street in Holdenville, Oklahoma, about 9 P.M. and passed Billie’s Liquor Store. It was his policy to observe such places when *964 he passed them, and he saw the defendant Kyle and Mose Joshua in the store. Kyle was “tending the liquor store”. No one else was in the store but Kyle and Mose. He testified he could tell by the way Mose was “waddling” or “staggering” about that he was drunk. He whipped his car around just as Mose was coming out. He stopped him and asked him if he had anything on him. Mose said no. The sheriff searched him, found a pint of Arriba wine on him, then returned to the store with Mose and asked Kyle if he sold the wine to Mose, and Kyle said, “Yeh, why? Is he too drunk?” The sheriff said he told Kyle Mose was “away too drunk, so drunk I am going to put him in jail.”

An effort was made to establish on cross-examination that Mr. Kyle was disliked by the sheriff because Kyle had supported his political opponent. The trial judge sustained an objection to that line of questions. The sheriff had previously stated in response to questioning that he did not dislike Mr. Kyle. On re-direct examination he said he “believed in enforcing the liquor laws.” (In any event, as sheriff he should, and was doing so.)

David Bolt, an agent of the Alcohol Beverage Control Board, investigated the case. He testified that Kyle was licensed by the Board to sell at retail as an employee at Billie’s Liquor Store, which was located about two doors north of the bus station. He testified that Kyle admitted to him that he sold the wine to Mose Joshua. He testified Kyle said he was checking up, getting ready to close. Bolt said Kyle told him he noticed “Mose Joshua had been drinking but he noticed it after he had already made the sale.”

Bolt identified the pint of wine offered in evidence as sold to Joshua as 20% alcohol content by volume, and “Arriba” Swiss Colony wine.

The foregoing testimony was admitted without objection.

The trial court overruled the defendant’s demurrer to the evidence.

Defendant Kyle testified in his own behalf that he was a licensed employee in Billie’s Liquor Store in Holdenville, Oklahoma. The store was owned by his wife. He admitted he was in charge of the store on May 25, 1960 about 9:30 P.M. He said he was counting the money in a little office in the store, had about $200 laid out, and Mose came in, picked up the wine and walked towards defendant around a table of wine, laid down fifty cents, and said, “I want this”. There was nothing particular about his appearance. He admitted from the stand that he sold the wine to Joshua. He also admitted talking with agent Bolt, but said he told Bolt he did not think Joshua was drunk.

On cross-examination defendant stated he knew it was unlawful to sell to a drunk person and that it was his obligation to observe people who came in to buy, to a certain extent. He denied the incriminating admission the sheriff and the A.B.C. agent said he made as to Joshua being drunk.

In rebuttal the sheriff testified he saw no money in the store, as the defendant testified he was counting, at the time of the sale to Joshua.

The foregoing evidence, though conflicting, presented a question of fact for the sole determination of the jury. Sadler v. State, 84 Okl.Cr. 97, 179 P.2d 479.

The defendant attacks the arrest, search and seizure made of Mose Joshua as rendering the evidence inadmissible as being unlawfully obtained.

This court has repeatedly held that the right to attack the validity of a search and seizure and assert immunity therefrom is a personal matter, which is subject to being raised only by the person whose personal affects and premises are subjected thereto. It cannot be raised by a third person. Sanders v. State, Okl.Cr., 351 P.2d 1079; Penrod v. State, 38 Okl.Cr. 46, 258 P. 1052.

It is contended that Mapp v. Ohio, 367 U.S. 643, 81 S.Ct. 1684, 6 L.Ed.2d 1081, is controlling, but the privilege of immun *965 ity therein was claimed by the defendant who was subjected to an unlawful search, not a third party.

Complaint is made that the trial court made a prejudicial statement asvfol-lows: “No, Mr. Huser, * * * let’s not bring politics into this case. This man was either drunk or wasn’t drunk, and he either bought the whiskey or he didn’t buy it.”

This is, in our opinion, not an incorrect statement of the law, as contended. It was a clear statement of the issue of fact for the sole determination of the jury. The evidence supports its verdict. The defendant cites no authority in support of this proposition.

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Bluebook (online)
1961 OK CR 116, 366 P.2d 961, 1961 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 213, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/kyle-v-state-oklacrimapp-1961.