Pollock v. State

1924 OK CR 52, 223 P. 210, 26 Okla. Crim. 196, 1924 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 49
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedFebruary 27, 1924
DocketNo. A-4344.
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 1924 OK CR 52 (Pollock 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
Pollock v. State, 1924 OK CR 52, 223 P. 210, 26 Okla. Crim. 196, 1924 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 49 (Okla. Ct. App. 1924).

Opinion

*205 MATSON, P. J.

(after stating facts as above). The first assignment of error urged by counsel is:

“The learned trial court erred in excluding competent and relevant testimony offered by the plaintiff in error.”

Defendant offered Nora (Quinn) Moring as a witness to prove that the deceased came upon the plaintiff in error with a knife at the time of the shooting. The testimony given by said witness is as follows:

“Q. How did he open the bottle of whisky, Mrs. Moring? A. He opened it with a knife. Q. Can you tell the jury what kind of a knife it was? A. Well, it was a knife; I couldn’t— right at the time I paid no attention to the knife ; I couldn’t swear to the knife. I know he did it with a knife. Q. I will ask you to examine that knife and tell the jury whether 'or not you can testify that was the knife he used in opening the bottle of whisky?
“Mr. Goldsberry: We object to that, your honor, as incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial at this time for the reason that the witness has testified she didn’t know what kind of a knife it was, didn’t see it, and paid no attention. A. It was a knife something like that.
“The Court: The objection will be sustained; the answer will be stricken.
“Mr. Goldsberry: We uow move that the áttempted answer of the question, the portion of the answer to the question, be stricken and the jury instructed not to consider it.
“The Court: It was stricken, and the jury will be instructed not to consider it.
“Q. I will ask you to examine the knife there.
“Mr. Goldsberry: We object to that as incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial, having the knife examined in the presence of this jury, for the reason that it has never been identified.
*206 “The Court: Overruled.
“Q. You have examined this knife, have you not, that I have in my hand? A. I have. Q. I will ask you to state to the jury if you observed a knife that the deceased used in opening that bottle of whisky sufficiently to determine whether or not it was that same general description of this knife or not?
“Mr. Goldsberry: We object to that, your honor, as leading and suggestive, and for the further reason it is incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial under the former testimony of this witness.
“The Court: Yes; let her describe .what she saw; it is the best evidence.
“Q. Describe the knife as nearly as you can that you saw him use in opening the bottle of whisky.
“Mr. Goldsberry: We object to that as incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial under the former testimony of this witness, for the reason that the witness has previously testified she paid no attention at the time referred to by the question of counsel.
“The Court: Overruled. Read the question. (Question read by the reporter.) A. It was a knife something similar to that, I couldn’t say it was the same knife.
“Mr. Goldsberry: We object to that answer and ask that it be stricken as not responsive to the question, and the jury instructed not to consider it.
“The Court: That is a conclusion. That will be sustained.
“Mr. Ward: That is not important enough to quibble long about. We will pass along.”

The following additional testimony of the same witness is found in the case-made:

*207 “Q. Do you know whether or not he was doing anything with the door? A. I couldn’t tell exactly. Q. Well, did you see anything in Mr. Paris’ hand, right hand, when he held it up that way?
“Mr. Goldsberry: Object to that, your honor, as leading and suggestive of . the answer.
“The Court: Sustained.
“Q. What did Mr. Paris have in his hand, if anything?
“Mr. Goldsberry: We object to that, your honor, as assuming a fact not in evidence in this case.
“The Court: Overruled.
“Q. What, if anything, did Mr. Paris have in his hand, his right hand, when he raised it? A. I couldn’t tell for sure. Q. Do you know whether or not he had anything? Mr. Golds-berry: We object to that, your honor, as incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial.
“The Court: Sustained.
“Mr. Ward: Your honor, we insist that that question is admissible, she said she couldn’t tell exactly what he did have in his hand.
“By the Court: Q. Did you see his hand? A. I did.
“The Court: The objection will be sustained.
“Mr. Ward: Her testimony was she didn’t know exactly to that effect, what he did have in his hand. My next question is do you know whether or not he had anything in his hand.
“Mr. Goldsberry: I submit, your honor—
“Mr. Ward: I think this is clearly legitimate, competent, and relevant.
“The Court: Sustained.
*208 "Mr. Ward: Exception. For tbe purpose of the bill this defendant submits that he offers ■ to prove—
"Mr. Goldsberry: We object to any offer being made in the presence of the jury.
"The following offer was made out of the hearing of the jury:
"Mr. Ward: The testimony of this witness will be, if permitted to testify, that she didn’t know exactly what was in his hand, but he had something in his hand upraised as if to strike the defendant; she didn’t know whether it was a knife or not, but it was something in his hand; she didn’t know what it was.
"Mr. Goldsbérry: To which offer the state objects, in view of the former testimony of this witness relative to the ¡same subject-matter; it is incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.
"The Court: The objection to the tender will be sustained.
"Mr. Crossland: Give us an exception. .
"Mr.' Ward: We will add to this that the testimony of the defendant will show that the defendant had upraised in that hand at the time we are asking this witness about a knife with which he was endeavoring to assault and do great bodily harm to this defendant or to kill him, and at the very time inquired of did have a knife in his hand.
"The Court: Bearing in mind the foregoing answer of the witness, the objection will be sustained.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1924 OK CR 52, 223 P. 210, 26 Okla. Crim. 196, 1924 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 49, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pollock-v-state-oklacrimapp-1924.