Lewis v. State

1975 OK CR 185, 541 P.2d 251, 1975 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 452
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 23, 1975
DocketNo. F-75-116
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1975 OK CR 185 (Lewis 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
Lewis v. State, 1975 OK CR 185, 541 P.2d 251, 1975 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 452 (Okla. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

OPINION

BLISS, Judge:

Appellant, Roy Lee Lewis, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged, tried and convicted in the District Court, Oklahoma County, Case No. CRF-74-886, for the offense of Murder, Second Degree, in violation of 21 O.S.Supp.1974, § 701.2. His punishment was fixed by jury at a term of ten (10) years to Life imprisonment and from said judgment and sentence a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

Homer Whatley testified for the State and stated that on the 7th day of March, 1974, he was at the Cavalier Club with Ad-ron Ralls, the decedent. The witness was called to the telephone and while talking on the telephone he observed the decedent and the defendant arguing. When the witness saw that the two men were not joking, he went over to them and broke up the fight. After separating the two men, one Cora Myrks took the decedent by the hand and tried to persuade him to come to the bar. At this time the defendant, while lying on the floor, took a pistol from his back pocket and shot the unarmed decedent five times. After shooting the decedent the defendant fled through the back door.

Cora Lenora Myrks testified she was employed as a barmaid at the Cavalier Club and was so employed on the evening of March 7, 1974. She said that on that evening she observed Homer Whatley and the decedent enter the club and she then related the following events which occurred on that evening. The defendant and another individual entered the club. The defendant asked for a beer and she asked him to wait a minute. The defendant responded by calling her a “bitch.” The decedent then said “no one calls Cora and Terry [her grandson] a bitch.” Shortly thereafter she heard a “rumbling.” She called to Whatley who was on the telephone to break up the fight between the defendant and decedent. The witness testified that Whatley pulled the decedent away from the defendant, and she then approached the decedent and took him by the hand. While walking with the decedent away from the defendant, she heard shots and observed that the decedent had been wounded. She testified that the fight had ended prior to the defendant shooting the decedent. After the shooting the defendant ran out the door and the witness called an ambulance.

Tom L. Hewett testified he was a physician and that he performed an autopsy in March, 1974, on one Adron Ralls. In his opinion the cause of death was gunshot wounds to the abdomen. The decedent also had a flesh wound to the right leg and abrasions on the left hand and chest.

The State then rested.

The first witness for the defense was James Earl Cole who testified that he resided in Oklahoma City and on March 7, 1974, he was in the Cavalier Club with the defendant. He observed the following events which occurred on that evening. The defendant got into an argument with the barmaid, Cora Myrks. Later, after hearing some noise, he observed the decedent standing over the defendant and he heard the defendant asking that the decedent not hit him. He heard the decedent tell the defendant that if he heard the defendant call the barmaid names again he would “stomp his brains out.” Thereafter, he saw a man, Homer Whatley, pull the decedent away from the defendant shortly after which shooting began and he fell to the floor. He did not see the barmaid walk the decedent back to the bar, nor did he see the defendant shoot the decedent. He had seen the decedent approach the defendant again after Homer Whatley had pulled the decedent away.

[253]*253The defendant then took the stand to testify in his own behalf. He said that he resided in Oklahoma City and that on March 7, 1974, he was in the Cavalier Club with a friend, Tiny Cole. On that evening he conversed with Cora Myrks and he did have an argument with her, but he did not curse her or call her any name. He stated that during the argument he observed the decedent and Homer Whatley enter the club. While drinking his beer, someone struck him from behind with a cue stick and knocked him to the floor. The decedent then told him that he was going to “stomp” his brains out. While the decedent was standing over him with one foot on him and a cue stick in his hand, Homer Whatley pulled the decedent away but the decedent broke loose and came at him again and knocked the defendant’s gun to the floor. The decedent “came across” him again and he shot the decedent while getting up from the floor and running out of the club. He testified he ran to a club called Mama’s Place and called his aunt to come get him. Later, he called the police who arrested him at his aunt’s house. He was advised of his rights and he then related the shooting incident to the police.

Phillip Burris testified that he was in the Cavalier Club in Oklahoma City on March 7, 1974, at which time he observed an intoxicated man attack the defendant with a cue stick. At no time did he hear the defendant say anything to provoke the attack. He further testified that while the defendant was on the floor a man tried to pull the decedent away, but the decedent broke loose and came at the defendant again. He further stated that thereafter Cora Myrks tried to pull the decedent away, but he would not go with her. Suddenly, shooting began and the defendant ran out of the club. The witness ran to the back door of the club.

Walter Preston testified he was employed with the Sanitation Department in Oklahoma City and that he knew the defendant as the defendant had worked under him. He testified the defendant had a good reputation for being a truthful person.

The defense then rested.

The defendant’s first assignment of error asserts that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury, without request' of the defendant, on the lesser included offense of manslaughter in the first degree. In reviewing the testimony in this case, it evidently appears that the defendant relied upon the theory of self-defense, but the jury failed to believe him.1

Had the jury believed the defendant’s theory, justifiable homicide would have been the conclusion and thus the jury would have acquitted the defendant. Furthermore, defense counsel wanted it presented to the jury as it was, as the defense offered no written instructions on any lesser included offense, and, further, the defense affirmatively agreed with the court that the evidence in the case did not warrant an instruction on any lesser included offense.2 As this Court has repeat[254]*254edly held, we do not condone actions of defense counsel “lying behind a log” not objecting or offering any instructions and then raising it for the first time on appeal. See, Myers v. State, Okl.Cr., 480 P.2d 950 (1970). Therefore, the defendant cannot now be heard to complain of results which he was instrumental in causing.

Defense further argues in support of this assignment of error that in light of this Court’s recent decision in Morgan v. State, Okl.Cr., 536 P.2d 952 (1975), where an instruction on self-defense is required, the trial court shall also instruct on voluntary or first degree manslaughter. We need only reiterate our language in Morgan, supra, “that in every future prosecution for murder, wherein the evidence necessitates an instruction upon self-defense, the trial court shall also instruct upon voluntary or first degree manslaughter committed in the heat of passion as a lesser included offense.” Thus, Morgan

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Related

Ward v. State
1985 OK CR 155 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1985)
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1977 OK CR 137 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1977)
Cantrell v. State
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1975 OK CR 185, 541 P.2d 251, 1975 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 452, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lewis-v-state-oklacrimapp-1975.