People v. Rounds

35 N.W. 77, 67 Mich. 482, 1887 Mich. LEXIS 846
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 3, 1887
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 35 N.W. 77 (People v. Rounds) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Rounds, 35 N.W. 77, 67 Mich. 482, 1887 Mich. LEXIS 846 (Mich. 1887).

Opinion

Morse, J.

The respondent was tried and found guilty in the circuit court for the county of Livingston of—

“Knowingly and willfully obstructing, resisting, and opposing Seth B. Rubert, marshal of the village of Howell, while in the lawful execution of his office, in attempting to arrest said Elbert O. Rounds for being then and there drunk and disturbing the peace in the presence of said Seth B. Rubert, marshal as aforesaid, the said Seth B. Rubert being then and there engaged in maintaining, preserving, and keeping the peace.”

[483]*483Upon the trial it was conceded that the marshal had no warrant or other process against the respondent at the time of the arrest.

TJpon the part of the people the evidence tended to show that on the evening of November 30, 1886, the salvation army were holding services in a building in Howell, known as the Salvation Army Barracks.” The marshal came along, and saw Bounds and some others standing outside the barracks. He heard Rounds say, When he comes out, I am going to give it to him.” Bubert said to Bounds he must not have any trouble there that night, if he did he should arrest him; told him he better go home. Bounds then grabbed hold of him, saying, Seth, come here, I want to talk with you,” and took him off a distance of 15 paces. He told the marshal he was a fool to think he could arrest him, and offered to bet five dollars that he could not do it.

After some parley, Bubert broke away from him and went into the barracks. He had been in there but a short time when Bounds entered, came up to Bubert, grasped him by the coat, and said Seth, come here, I want to talk with you,” and jerked him along towards another corner of the barracks. Bounds talked in a loud voice and disturbed the services then going on. The marshal told him several times that he must keep quiet or he should arrest him. As Rounds did not desist, the marshal finally took hold of the lapels of his coat and said, “I arrest you.” Thereupon Bounds drew back, and struck Bubert in the face, and kept on striking him until another officer came to the assistance of the marshal. In going out of the building, Rounds grabbed for a stick of wood, as did also the marshal. The marshal struck Bounds over the head with a stick of wood.

The respondent’s version of the transaction was substantially as follows: He is 22 years of age, and resides in Howell. Had drank two glasses of beer that evening, but was not intoxicated. Towards the close of the meeting he was stand[484]*484ing outside with some other boys talking quietly. Rubert came rapidly up to him within arms-length, shook his fist in his face, and in a loud tone of voice said Rounds must not have any trouble there, that night; that he had better go home, for if there was any disturbance there he would have to put him in jail. Denies that he told Rubert that he was a fool to think he could arrest him, or that he offered to bet he could not do so. Asked Rubert to step one side, and may have placed his hand upon his shoulder, but did not pull him. He simply wanted Rubert to explain what he meant, but could get no satisfaction.

He admits that he went into the barracks and walked up to Rubert, and put his hand upon his shoulder, and said to-him:

“‘I want to speak to you.’ We stepped out one side, and' I asked what I had done and what he meant. I did not talk loud or so as to disturb anybody. He would not tell me what I had done, or why he talked so to me, but said that he meant, just what he said, and should arrest me if I made any disturbance. His refusal to explain matters, or to let me know what he blamed me for, so as to have things understood, and his repetition of the threat, made me mad, and I said to him he could not get to arresting too quick. At that he grabbed me, and I presume I struck him. They say I did, but I was. so much excited that I don’t know what I did do.”

He also testified that he did not grab for a stick of wood,, but only put his hand upon the wood-box to straighten himself up. Rubert grabbed a stick, and struck • him over the head.

“The blow struck through the scalp to the bone, and somewhat stunned me.”

There was testimony introduced tending to corroborate both theories of the transaction.

We think the circuit judge fairly submitted the case to the jury. He gave the following instructions, as asked by the respondent’s counsel:

[485]*485“ No such, drunkenness has been proved in this case on the part of the defendant as would justify the officer wi making the arrest for that cause alone. The question for the jury to consider is this, was the respondent actually disturbing the public peace, in the salvation army barracks, at the time the arrest was made, and not whether he was about to do so, as the latter is not charged in the information filed in this cause.
“The officer could arrest without a warrant only for a breach of the peace actually being committed in his presence, and if you believe, from all the evidence in the case, that no such breach of the peace took place until the arrest was made, and then only in resisting such arrest to the extent of striking several blows with the fist, then such resistance was justifiable, and you should acquit the defendant.
“If an officer does not keep within the law, he is not acting as an officer, nor entitled to protection as one. Bounds had a right to resist an illegal arrest. You must remember that you cannot take into consideration anything that happened at the barracks before Bubert got there; and that you must find Bounds not guilty if it is reasonably possible to reconcile the facts with innocence.”

He also further instructed the jury as follows:

“ Again, an officer has no right to arrest without warrant for any breach of the peace not committed in his presence. But for a breach of the peace committed in his presence, he may make an arrest without a warrant, for the purpose of taking the offender before a magistrate for examination or trial. And when an officer sees a breach of the peace being committed in his presence, it is his duty as a peace officer to arrest the offender without a warrant.
“The Supreme Court of this State in the case of Davis v. Burgess, has defined what is understood by a breach of the peace. The Court says:
“ ‘ By peace, as used in the law in this connection, is meant the tranquility enjoyed by the citizens of a municipality or community, where good order reigns among its members. It is the natural right of all persons in political society, and any intentional violation of that right is a “ breach of the peace.” It is the offense of disturbing the public peace, or a violation of public order or public decorum. Actual personal violence is not an essential element in the offense. If it were, communities might be kept in a constant state of turmoil, fear, and anticipated danger by the wicked language and conduct of [486]*486a guilty party, not only destructive of the peace of the citizens, but-of public morals, without the commission of the offense.’”

That section 9302, How.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

United States v. Hewson
13 C.M.A. 506 (United States Court of Military Appeals, 1963)
In Re Sulzmann, Sheriff
183 N.E. 531 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1932)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
35 N.W. 77, 67 Mich. 482, 1887 Mich. LEXIS 846, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-rounds-mich-1887.