Marlow v. State

1967 OK CR 186, 432 P.2d 999, 1967 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 449
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedOctober 25, 1967
DocketNo. A-14105
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1967 OK CR 186 (Marlow 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
Marlow v. State, 1967 OK CR 186, 432 P.2d 999, 1967 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 449 (Okla. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BUSSEY, Judge.

Tommy Jordan Marlow, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged, tried and convicted in the District Court of Muskogee County for the crime of Burglary in the Second Degree After Former Conviction of a Felony. The punishment was ■ left to the court who imposed the sentence , of fifteen (15) years and a timely appeal1 has been perfected to this Court.

Defendant first contends that the trial' court erred in refusing to remand this • cause for a preliminary hearing. We are of the opinion that this assignment of error is without merit since the record reflects ■ that the defendant appeared before the committing magistrate with counsel, waived preliminary hearing, was bound over to the District Court, and had entered a plea to the merits. While it is true that counsel who appeared with the defendant at his arraignment at which time the preliminary hearing was waived, later withdrew and the present counsel entered the case, this in no way affects the waiver of the preliminary.

The defendant’s remaining assignments of error will be dealt with under the single proposition that the County Attorney committed reversible error by the asking of incompetent, irrelevant and prejudicial questions and compounded this error by introducing and attempting to introduce, evidence of other crimes for which the defendant had not been convicted. Since many of the questions asked by the County Attorney and evidence admitted on behalf of the State, were asked and admitted under the apparent assumption that the defendant had opened the door to these questions and evidence in support thereof, we deem it necessary to summarize that part of the defendant’s testimony which may have “opened the door.”

Briefly stated, the defendant testified that on or about the 26th day of June, 1965, he was at the scene where the burglary was committed when the window of the L & H Shoe Store was broken out by the fleeing burglars. He stated that he heard gun shots and having previously been convicted of a felony and arrested, jailed, and interrogated on numerous occasions by [1001]*1001the local authorities, he was fearful that if he remained at the scene he would he arrested and questioned concerning this burglary. He further testified that he attempted to flee from the scene, but was arrested by police-officers of the City of Muskogee. He further testified that by reason of a gunshot wound previously inflicted, which had shattered the ball socket of his arm, he could not have used the burglary tools, which included a brace and bit found at the scene of the burglary which bore his fingerprints. '

We here deem it necessary to summarize some of the testimony elicited from the defendant on cross-examination. Defendant, in response to questions propounded by the County Attorney admitted that the gunshot wound which shattered his ball socket was inflicted in a barroom in California and that he had been hospitalized in California and had escaped therefrom, returned' to Oklahoma where he was arrested on a California warrant charging him with escape; that he had posted bond on that occasion at which time he was represented by Mr. Chester Norman. After his release on the bond, he was arrested in Pitts-burg County and being unable to make bond, entered a plea of guilty and later fled the jail through an open door. The defendant was then asked where he was after that date, and the following questions and answers appear in the case-made at pages 84 and 85:

“Q. Where were you on September '15, 1965?
A. I don’t remember. Do you know where I was?
Q. I can tell you where you weren’t. Did you know that this case was set for trial on September 15, 1965?
A. It hadn’t been set when I left the jail.
Q. Did you know that a bench warrant was issued for your arrest and that your bond was forfeited?
A. No, I wasn’t here.
Q. Where were you, Mr. Marlow ?
A. Where were you, Mr. Ferguson?
Q. I was sitting here waiting to try you.
A. I didn’t know that.
MR. LEEDS: I move we have a five minute recess until he calms back down.
MR. FERGUSON: I would be most happy for a five minute recess. i
MR. MARLOW: I could stand a drink of water.” ¡

During the recess the counsel for defendant asked for a mistrial and the same was overruled by the court, at which time the County Attorney announced that he intended to “continue along our same line” which he did, as can be illustrated by the testimony appearing at page 93 of the case-made :

“Q. Where, are you living right now?
MR. LEEDS: Objection, same objection.
JUDGE GARRETT: Overruled.
MR. LEEDS: Exception.
A. I’m in jail under a Forty Thousand Dollar bond that — for second degree burglary that they normally set a $500 bond on.
Q. How long have you been down there?
A. Over two months.
Q. Did you come in voluntarily?
A. I tried to.
Q. Under what circumstances were you placed in the County jail?
MR. LEEDS: Objection, incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial.
A. I can prove that I tried to surrender.
Q. You tried to surrender?
A. Yes.
Q. What for?
A. Because you had a warrant for me.
[1002]*1002Q. You know there is a warrant out for you?
A. It wasn’t any secret, was it?
Q. How did you finally end up in the County jail?
A. I was stopped by a Highway Patrolman.
Q. On February 22, 1966?
A. Yes. He was a pretty nice guy, too.
Q. That’s when you were placed in the County jail?
A. Yes.
Q. And you are under a $40,000.00 bond?
A. Yes.
Q. No further questions.”

Not satisfied with eliciting the testimony from the defendant, as set forth above, on rebuttal the County Attorney called the Court Clerk who testified to the bond forfeiture in the instant case, entered on the 25th day of October, 1965 for his failure to appear; whereupon over the objection of the defendant, the certified order of the Court was admitted into evidence.

Thereafter the following occurred:

“MR. FERGUSON: I would like to call Jesse Leeds to testify. He has had the honor of being County Attorney of this County previously.
MR. LEEDS: I object to testifying in any case I’m trying.

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Payden v. United States
605 F. Supp. 839 (S.D. New York, 1985)
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605 F. Supp. 839 (S.D. New York, 1985)
Songer v. State
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1967 OK CR 186, 432 P.2d 999, 1967 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 449, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marlow-v-state-oklacrimapp-1967.