Mississippi Power Co. v. McCrary

176 So. 165, 179 Miss. 427, 1937 Miss. LEXIS 46
Mississippi Supreme Court·Decided September 27, 1937·No. No. 32696.·Published

Opinion

McGowen, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Appellee, Mrs. Catherine McCrary, a widow, brought an action to recover damages against the Mississippi Power Company and Ira H. May for the death of her husband, Delmar Lynn McCrary. The cause of action was based upon the collision of the- bus of the Mississippi Power Company driven by Ira IT. May and a truck driven by the deceased, Delmar Lynn McCrary; the collision occurring at or about the intersection of Highway No. 11, running approximately north and south, and Highway No. 80, running east and west, in the city of Meridian.

On the issues of negligence we do not deem it neees *435 sary to set forth a detailed statement of the facts. The appellee, in the court below, relied upon the negligence of the driver of the bus in exceeding the speed ordinance of the city of Meridian, and also in his not making any effort to avoid the collision after he saw, or should have seen, that her husband was proceeding into the intersection.

The evidence of several witnesses was conflicting as to the speed maintained by the bus while being driven across this intersection. There was ample evidence to support the verdict of the jury that the speed at which the bus was driven proximately contributed to the injury. We think it is conceded that the deceased, Mc-Crary, the driver of the truck, was negligent in that he violated the speed ordinance and was under the influence of intoxicating liquor. The conflict as to the speed of the bus was settled by the jury adversely to the appellants; and we do- not think that we are warranted in setting aside its judgment because the court refused a peremptory instruction.' Nor do we think the court below erred in overruling a motion for a new trial on the ground that the overwhelming weight of the evidence was against the verdict of the jury. This conclusion is reached on the record in this case without regard to the view of the scene by the jury.

The appellants assign here as error the action of the court below in permitting the jury to view the scene of the accident, and contend that counsel for the appellee improperly presented a renewal of the motion to view the scene of the accident in the presence of the jury. These causes for reversal in the order stated by us are:

1. That the motion of appellee for the jury to be allowed to view the place of the accident and the renewed motion did not state facts or reasons which authorized the court to view the premises;

2. That no evidence nor sworn statement was presented to the court showing the necessityi for the jury to view the premises;

*436 3. That the view by the jury was not of essential aid to it in reaching a correct verdict, as all the material evidence was fully presented to the jury by photographs, diagrams, maps, measurements, and the like;

4. That material chang’es had been made at the place of the accident between the time of the accident and the day the jury viewed the place; and

5. That it was prejudicial to appellants for the appellee to renew her motion (to view the premises) in the presence of the jury and to take testimony in the presence of the jury as to the changes in conditions at the scene of the accident as the conditions existed on the day of the accident and on the day of the trial of the cause.

At the close of the appellee’s evidence in chief, the record shows the following: “At this point the jury retires from the presence and out of the hearing of the Court, and the following proceedings were had in the absence of the jury.” Thereupon counsel for the appellee moved the court “for leave to have the jury view the premises and scene of this accident, that they may better understand the testimony which had been offered,” suggesting that the scene of the accident was only a short distance from the courthouse in the city of Meridian where the trial was being heard; that while there had been a change in the paving of the road, the other physical objects were practically the same as they were at the time of the accident. Whereupon counsel for the appellants objected to the jury viewing the scene for the reasons stated above by this court, which were amplified by counsel in his statement. As to the statement as to the chang'e of scene, it is stated that a “light pole” or traffic light had been placed there; that the appellants intended to offer a map as of the time of the accident and as of the situation as it then existed. As a matter of fact, some photographs had already been offered in evidence, and a map made at the expense of appellee. Thereupon the court passed the motion until the next *437 morning upon the statement of counsel for the appellee that it • was desired to offer additional testimony that there had been no substantial changes at the scene of the accident.

A witness, James, was offered, who testified that Highway 11 had been paved, a telephone pole had been moved, and that the road had been raised below the intersection. In addition to the evidence of this witness, it was shown that an embankment, which would tend to obstruct the drivers’ view of each other before they entered the intersection, was steeper at the time of the accident than on the day of the trial, and that a curb about two feet high had been erected on the east side of Highway 11. When this witness had been discharged, in the presence of the jury counsel for appellee said: “Now, Judge, I want to renew my motion, and for that reason I ask that the jury retire. Under the law it has to be done.” After the jury had retired, counsel for the appellants entered objections to the remark, above quoted, and in opposition to the motion to view the scene of the accident by the jury.

At the conclusion of the argument of these questions, the court stated: “There was no statement in the presence of the jury that said testimony was taken in any connection whatever with the view of the premises, and nothing was stated by the attorneys on either side or the Court in the presence of the jury in regard to any view of the premises.” The court thereupon announced that it would not rule upon the motion to view the scene until just before all the testimony on both sides was in.

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Mississippi Power Co. v. McCrary, 176 So. 165, 179 Miss. 427, 1937 Miss. LEXIS 46 (Mich. 1937).

176 So. 165 (Mississippi Power Co. v. McCrary) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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