Liford v. State

210 N.E.2d 366, 247 Ind. 149, 1965 Ind. LEXIS 324
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 30, 1965
Docket30,276
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 210 N.E.2d 366 (Liford v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Liford v. State, 210 N.E.2d 366, 247 Ind. 149, 1965 Ind. LEXIS 324 (Ind. 1965).

Opinions

Myers, J.

Appellant was charged by affidavit with committing the crime of second-degree burglary. He pleaded not guilty and was tried by jury in the Grant Superior Court. A verdict was returned against him finding him guilty as charged. He was sentenced to the Indiana State Prison for not less than two years nor more than five years. A timely motion for new trial was filed, which was overruled. This appeal followed.

It appears that appellant and two other defendants by name of James Koons and Edwin Altes were all charged with [151]*151unlawfully having broken and entered the building of the Meshingomesia Country Club in Marion, Indiana, with intent to commit a felony. Appellant and Edwin Altes, following their arrest, entered a plea of not guilty. Thereafter, appellant moved for a separate trial, alleging that the defendant, James Koons,- had not been taken into custody and so was unavailable for trial; that defendant Altes had entered a plea of guilty to a criminal charge brought under a Federal statute; that if appellant was required to stand trial with the other two defendants his defense would be prejudiced in the eyes of the jury. This motion was granted.

At time of trial, Edwin Altes had been asked to testify on behalf of appellant. He was instructed by appellant’s counsel that in so doing, Altes could incriminate himself. On the witness stand, Altes stated that during the trial he had talked with a certain detective in the hall outside the presence of counsel. After that, Altes refused to testify in favor of appellant. At the close of the evidence, appellant moved for a mistrial wherein he made the following statement:

“I don’t know what the conversation was about, but it must have been something about this case and for that reason the witness would not testify for us.”.

The motion for mistrial was overruled with remarks by the court as follows:

“It is not shown in any way the conversation affected Mr. Altes and his desire to testify one way or the other. In fact, the motion should have been made right away, not to wait until we see how the evidence came out.”

Appellant’s motion for new trial was based on this alleged irregularity, upon the court’s giving General Instruction No. 7, and upon the grounds that the verdict was not sustained by sufficient evidence and was contrary to law. Appellant’s assignment of errors avers manifest error in overruling the motion for new trial.

It is appellant’s argument that he was prevented from having a fair trial because a witness (Altes) was “pressured” [152]*152into claiming his privilege against self-incrimination which denied appellant due process of law. He claims this was set forth in his attorney’s affidavit in support of the motion for new trial which was not contradicted by counter-affidavit. He also says that the testimony of Altes supports this contention.

The affidavit filed by appellant’s counsel in support of the motion for new trial, in pertinent part, is as follows:

“Comes now Dane E. Mann, who being first duly sworn upon his oath, says:
“1. That he did on the 27th day of February and thereafter represent the defendant Junior Liford, during a jury trial of the said defendant; that the said defendant was charged by affidavit, with second degree burglary.
“2. That the said defendant, Junior Liford, was found guilty and sentenced to the Indiana State Prison.
“3. That the said defendant, Junior Liford, has filed a motion for a new trial and as one of the grounds therefor alleges as follows: ‘(1) Irregularities in the proceeding of the court and orders of the court and abuse of discretion by which the defendant was prevented from having a fair trial’; the following facts are basis for said ground:
“That defendant, Junior Liford, did subpoena one Edward Altes to testify on behalf of the said defendant, Junior Liford; that the said Edward Altes is also a defendant charged with the same offense and under the same affidavit as defendant Junior Liford; that the said Edward Altes was imprisoned under Federal Authority in the Marion County Jail at Indianapolis, Indiana; that the said witness, Edward Altes, was imprisoned in said jail pending a presentence investigation of a Federal Crime to which the said witness, Edward Altes did plead guilty; that the said witness, Edward Altes, was brought to the trial of defendant, Junior Liford, in the custody of a Deputy United States Marshal; that at the trial, one Detective Sargent Spallina, an officer in charge of the investigation of the above said defendants, and a witness of the State of Indiana, testified that the three defendants, James Koons, Junior Liford and Edward Altes were involved in the crime charged by the affidavit herein and that defendants, James Koons and Edward Altes were implicated in other crimes committed within the State of Indiana; that the witness Edward Altes was kept in the custody of the Deputy United States Marshal in the hallway and in an unused courtroom of the courthouse where defendant, Junior Liford, was [153]*153standing trial; that to the best of the knowledge and belief of affiant the witnéss, Edward Altes, did intend to testify for and on behalf of the defendant. Junior Liford, even though the testimony of the said witness, Edward Altes, might tend to incriminate him; that when called, the witness, Edward Altes refused to testify on' the grounds that his testimony would tend to incriminate him; that while on the witness stand, the witness, Edward Altes stated that just prior to being called, Detective Sargent Spallina talked to him and that he did not have benefit of counsel while doing so; that Detective Sargent Spallina did talk to the witness Edward Altes without the knowledge or consent of counsel for the witness and defendant, Edward Altes; all of which prevented defendant, Junior Liford, from having a fair trial.”

The bill of exceptions containing the recital of testimony given by Edward Altes is as follows:

“Q. State your name ?
“A. Edward Virgil Altes.
“Q. Are you the same Edward Altes who is charged in this affidavit with Second Degree Burglary?
“A. Yes.
“Q. Do you know Junior Liford?
“A. Yes.
“Q. How long have you known him ?
“A. About twenty years.
“Q. Is he a friend of yours ?
“A. Yes.
“Q. Do you understand he is charged along with you of burglarizing the Meshingomesia Country Club and taking therefrom golf equipment, clubs, and so forth ?
“A. I am acquainted with that.
“Q. You also know that along with Jimmy Koons and Junior Liford you are charged with going to the Country Club—
“By Mr. George Milford, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney:
“May I say something to the Court at this time?
“(Conference between the Court, Mr. Milford and Mr. Mann, attorney for Defendant.)
“Q.

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Liford v. State
210 N.E.2d 366 (Indiana Supreme Court, 1965)

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Bluebook (online)
210 N.E.2d 366, 247 Ind. 149, 1965 Ind. LEXIS 324, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/liford-v-state-ind-1965.