Perrymore v. State

1961 OK CR 120, 366 P.2d 770, 1961 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 208
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedNovember 29, 1961
DocketA-13036
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 1961 OK CR 120 (Perrymore 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
Perrymore v. State, 1961 OK CR 120, 366 P.2d 770, 1961 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 208 (Okla. Ct. App. 1961).

Opinion

BUSSEY, Judge.

The plaintiff in error, hereinafter referred to as the defendant, was charged by information in the District Court of Tulsa County, with the crime of robbery with firearms after former conviction. He waived trial by jury and filed two affidavits in compliance with the alibi statute, 22 O.S. 1951 '§ 585. A non-jury trial was conducted before the Honorable Raymond W. Graham, Judge of the District Court in and for Tulsa County, Oklahoma. After both sides' had rested the court found the defendant guilty as charged and fixed his punishment at 35 years in the State Penitentiary át Mc-Alester, Oklahoma. Thereafter a timely appeal was perfected to this Court. Although there are numerous assignments of error they will be considered under five major contentions. It is first contended by the defendant that the trial court erred in refusing to allow the defendant to test the credibility of the state’s first witness, Mr.' Edwin R. Curry. Defendant’s contention is predicated on the court’s refusal to allow counsel for defendant to place sun glasses and a hat upon each of two defense witnesses and question the witness Curry as to whether so attired they resembled the man who robbed him. We believe the court properly refused to allow counsel for defense to pursue this type of theatrical tactic because the witness had already stated that he had never seen either of the witnesses before and had made a positive identification of the defendant, Darwin Dean Perry-more. Moreover, the hat and glasses which counsel for defendant sought to place upon the witness were not in evidence nor were they shown to be the hat and glasses worn by the person who robbed him.

It is next contended by the defendant that the court erred in admitting copies of statements filed earlier by the accused to comply with the alibi statute, in an attempt by the state to impeach the testimony of defense witnesses Mary Ann Driggs and Frances Fralicks. The first affidavit was introduced by the state without objection being raised by the defendant, and the second affidavit was objected to on the grounds that no sufficient predicate had been laid by the state for its introduction and for the further reason that it being only a copy, its admission violated the best evidence rule. - We believe these affidavits having been filed by the defendant in the case pending against the accused, could be properly considered by the court sitting both as judge and trier of fact. It is elementary in a non-jury case that a court *772 may take judicial notice of affidavits properly filed in the cause pending before him. The originals thus being before the court we hold that the admission of the copies did not constitute error. In this connection it is further contended by the defendant that the court erred in refusing to allow him to question his witnesses concerning an obvious error in the date recited in said affidavits and refusing to allow said witnesses to explain the contradiction between their testimony given under oath at the trial establishing an alibi for the accused and the erroneous date in the affidavits filed in compliance with the alibi statute. We observe in this connection that no offer of proof was made by the defendant as to what 'the testimony of the witnesses would be were they allowed to answer. In order to preserve an objection to the exclusion of evidence, the proper question must be asked, and on objection, offer made showing what the evidence will be, its purpose, and all facts necessary to establish admissibility. Wilkerson v. State of Oklahoma, Okl.Cr., 364 P.2d 709; Stanley v. State, 50 Okl.Cr. 169, 296 P. 504, and cases cited therein. It does appear from the record that the witnesses were allowed to testify that on the date contained in the affidavit the accused was incarcerated in the Tulsa County jail and both witnesses testified that they were with the accused on the evening and at the time the alleged robbery occurred. We cannot see that any injury resulted from the court’s refusal to allow the defendant to pursue this line of questioning.

It is next contended that the trial court erred in requiring defense witness William L. Clark to answer questions which'incriminated him in a criminal case not germane to the cause under consideration. We believe that this contention is meritorious. See 40 Cyc. 2534. In order to fully understand the contention herein raised it will be necessary to refer to certain portions of the record which reveal the following proceedings:

“Q. Did you also'hold up the Red Bud Food Store on the same day, the 28th? A. I would like to answer this question this way: I have been accused of that crime and charges are pending here in Tulsa on it. At this time, I refuse to commit myself one way or the other. Mr. Simms: If the Court please, when that man got on the stand and admitted that other hi-jack, he’s waived any right he has to immunity and we request the court to instruct him to answer the question.
“Mr. Gresham: At this time.
“Mr. Harris: Just note our exception, if it pleases the court.
“The Court: All right. You may answer the question.
“Mr. Harris: I’d advise the man at this time, of his own constitutional rights.
“Mr. Gresham: He has waived his rights.
“Mr. Simms: The court advises the man as to his rights not the lawyer in the Courtroom.
“Mr. Harris: If it pleases the Court—
“Mr. Simms: When he took the stand, he waived his right to immunity.
“Mr. Harris: I would like to put in the record at this time, as far as — at this time I advise this defendant that he does not have to answer the questions if he so desires, on the grounds it might further incriminate him. If Your Honor chooses to find me in contempt, I would suggest as for as that’s concerned, to go ahead.
“Mr. Gresham: I might suggest, Your Honor Please, that the attorney should be the one to be found in contempt.
“Mr. Harris: I think I owe this much duty to this man, if it pleases the Court.
“The Court: The defendant may answer the question.
“Mr. Harris: Note our exception.
“A. I am sorry, I just don’t remember about that Red Bud Market at this time.
*773 “Q. (By Mr. Gresham) You don’t' remember? A. That’s right.
“Q. That happened the same day as this other place down here, didn’t it, this drug store?
“Mr. Harris: To which we object as having been asked and answered, being repetitious.
“The Court: Overruled.
“Mr. Gresham: Didn’t it ?
“Mr. Harris: Pardon me ?
“The Court: Overruled.
“Mr. Harris: Note our exception.
“The Court: Allowed.
“Q. (By Mr. Gresham) Didn’t it Clark ?
“Mr.

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Rogers v. State
1969 OK CR 251 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1969)
King v. State
1969 OK CR 191 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1969)
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Ryans v. State
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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1961 OK CR 120, 366 P.2d 770, 1961 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 208, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/perrymore-v-state-oklacrimapp-1961.