Marine v. State

301 N.E.2d 778, 158 Ind. App. 72, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 890
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 9, 1973
Docket1-373A49
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 301 N.E.2d 778 (Marine v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marine v. State, 301 N.E.2d 778, 158 Ind. App. 72, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 890 (Ind. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

Lowdermilk, J.

This appeal comes to us without a copy of the affidavit in appellants’ brief or in the transcript.

Defendants-appellants Michael L. Marine (Marine) and David Endress (Endress) were charged by affidavit with the offense of assault and battery with intent to kill one Bernard Fogle with a machete or corn knife and a shotgun.

The facts most favorable to the State are that Bernard Fogle and a companion were riding in the companion’s car in Lawrenceburg and saw Marine walking down the street. Fogle yelled at Marine, who came to the car and reached inside and put his hands on top of Fogle’s head and jabbed his thumbs in Fogle’s eyes, while telling him to get out of the car. Fogle did so and Marine drew back his fists, but Fogle [74]*74beat him to the punch, hit him in the mouth, knocked him flat on his back and then got back in the car and rode away with his companion.

Marine returned to his home where he doctored his injured lip and then, with three friends, drank beer at his home and awaited the arrival of Endress who would get off work at 2 :00 o’clock A.M.

While drinking beer Marine indicated his anger toward Fogle and stated he would “get him” and that he would “cut” Fogle and he had a machete in his hands at home at that time.

Endress arrived at Marine’s home and upon learning of the events said he had a shotgun in his car.

At about 3:30 A.M. Marine and Endress drove, in Endress’ car, to the home of George Tschaenn, who lived next door to Fogle, with Marine taking the machete with him. The shotgun was in the rear of Endress’ car.

Marine and Endress requested Tschaenn to go next door to Fogle’s home and see if he v/as home. He was not home and they waited in the front yard at Tschaenn’s home. During this interval Marine told Tschaenn he was “going to get” Fogle.

Shortly thereafter Fogle was brought home by a Mr. Henry in Henry’s car and he got out and walked over to the defendants. He did not make any gestures toward the defendants-appellants, yet Marine pulled out the machete and En-dress got the shotgun out of the car. Marine swung the machete at Fogle, missed and Fogle backed up. Marine continued in pursuit and Fogle threw his arm up for protection and was struck in the arm with the machete, severing tendons and muscles and causing severe loss of blood. This was followed immediately by Endress hitting Fogle in the head with the butt of his shotgun.

[75]*75Fogle immediately retreated, ran to the police station for help, and was hospitalized.

Defendants-appellants were arrested, advised of their constitutional rights, questioned and after the questioning Endress shouted at the police, “I should have shot him.”

Defendants-appellants rely on the theory of self defense and assert it was proven that the evidence was insufficient to support the jury’s verdict.

There is evidence in the record that Fogle was a fighter and had had several fights.

Trial was had to a jury, which found Marine and Endress guilty as charged and they were duly sentenced pursuant to statute. Defendants-appellants then timely filed their motion to correct errors.

The first and last specifications of error are that the verdict is not sustained by sufficient evidence. We shall treat these together under Rule AP. 8.3(A) (7).

Defendants-appellants rely on many cases, including King v. State (1968), 249 Ind. 699, 234 N.E.2d 465, which case sets out the necessary elements of self defense as follows:

“Where one has taken the life of another human being, and thereafter contends that he did so in self-defense, he can only be successful in his contention if:
(1) he acted without fault,
(2) he was in a place where he had a right to be, and
(3) he was in real danger of death or great bodily harm, or in such apparent danger as caused him in good faith to fear death or great bodily harm.

Bullard v. State (1964), 245 Ind. 90, 195 N.E.2d 856; Hightire v. State (1966), 247 Ind. 164, 213 N.E.2d 707. The burden is upon the State to show that defendant does not meet one or more of these requirements. Dorak v. State (1915), 183 Ind. 622, 109 N.E. 771. Whether the State has borne its burden of showing that the homicidal act was not carried out in self-defense is a question of ultimate fact to be decided by the jury. Robinson v. State (1962), 243 Ind. 192, 184 N.E.2d 16.

[76]*76After the jury has made this determination in favor of the State and against the defendant, this Court, on appeal: ‘. . . has upon it a duty to consider, not to weigh, the evidence in the case for the purpose of determining whether there is any substantial evidence of probative value from which a jury reasonably could have inferred that the appellant was guilty of the offense charged’ Robinson v. State, supra, 243 Ind. at 197. See also Easton v. State (1967), 248 Ind. 338, 228 N.E.2d 6; Baker v. State (1956), 236 Ind. 55, 138 N.E.2d 641.”

See, also, Hughes v. State (1937), 212 Ind. 577, 10 N.E.2d 629.

In their brief appellants state:
“. . . Counsel will admit that the men went to the Tschaenn house at least partially for vengeful reasons, but as prosecution witness Tschaenn testified, they were leaving when Fogle arrived looking for trouble and found it.”

The record does not disclose that Fogle was looking for trouble; he was unarmed and arriving at home after a shift of work.

It is true that the jury must look at the situation from the defendant’s viewpoint (Lee v. State (1973), 156 Ind. App. 569, 297 N.E.2d 890) yet the jury need not believe the defendant’s testimony of what his viewpoint was. In Lytel v. State (1968), 251 Ind. 413, 241 N.E.2d 366, the court said:

“. . . However, the jury had a right not to believe her story from other circumstantial evidence in the case, and this Court does not determine the credibility of the witnesses. . . .”

See, also, Lee v. State, supra; Cammack v. State (1970), 254 Ind. 637, 261 N.E.2d 862.

In the light of this rule, having considered and having not weighed the evidence in the case before us, we are of the opinion there was substantial evidence of probative value from which the jury reasonably could have inferred that the de[77]

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Marine v. State
301 N.E.2d 778 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1973)

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Bluebook (online)
301 N.E.2d 778, 158 Ind. App. 72, 1973 Ind. App. LEXIS 890, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marine-v-state-indctapp-1973.