Richardson v. State

98 So. 2d 59, 39 Ala. App. 207
CourtAlabama Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 13, 1957
Docket1 Div. 735
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 98 So. 2d 59 (Richardson v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Alabama Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Richardson v. State, 98 So. 2d 59, 39 Ala. App. 207 (Ala. Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

HARWOOD, Presiding Judge.

The jury trial of this appellant under an indictment charging murder in the first degree resulted in a verdict and judgment of guilty of murder in the second degree. After an adverse ruling on his motion for a new trial the appellant perfected his appeal to this court.

The evidence presented by the State tended to show that the deceased, Fletcher Webb, was shot in the appellant’s yard about 9 or 9:30 in the morning. About five minutes after the shooting one Bo Reed passed near appellant’s home, was hailed by appellant, who- informed him he had killed a man, and was requested to call the sheriff.

In response to Reed’s call Sheriff Lee Clark and Deputy Sheriff Henry Clay Locke, of Washington County, and Highway Patrolmen Danley and Ashcraft went to appellant’s home.

Here they found the deceased lying on his back in the yard of the appellant’s home, toward the west end of the house. There was a bullet wound through his upper right arm, and in the right side of his chest, the position of the wounds in his arm and chest indicating the same bullet had made all of them.

*210 We interpolate here thát the appellant testified that no one had touched the body of deceased after the shooting until the officers arrived, and that conditions then were the same as immediately after the shooting.

The officers examined the body of the deceased, and the area. No weapon was found. In the light hand pants pocket of deceased they found an ordinary pocket knife, an unassembled safety razor, a box of razor blades, and a penny.

The officers interviewed the appellant, his wife, and Homer Richardson, Jr., the appellant’s eight year old son. After proper predicate, the substance of the statements of these parties was as follows:

The appellant stated he had picked the deceased up on the road as he was returning to his home after buying groceries. He agreed to take the appellant to his home if he would behave himself. The deceased had a bottle of whiskey with him. The deceased was drinking, and appellant took two drinks with him.

Upon arrival at appellant’s home his wife made coffee. Appellant went into another room and played his radio. The deceased went into the yard where Homer, Jr., was playing.

In a few minutes Homer, Jr., began yelling for help. Mrs. Richardson went out on the porch, and deceased cursed her and threatened to kill her if she came further. She called td appellant. He appeared with a rifle.

According to appellant he ordered the deceased to “get gone.” Instead, the deceased started on him with a knife, and he shot him.

In a sworn written statement given the officers the appellant stated the deceased “wheeled and looked like he was going to come toward me, and I shot him.”

At the trial the appellant testified that the deceased was coming toward him with a knife when he shot, and if he' did not mention a knife in the statement he gave the next morning, or that the deceased was beating his boy, it was because the officers did not put it in the statement signed. He did not remember whether the statement was read to him or not before he signed it.

Also at the trial Homer, Jr., testified that when the deceased came into the yard where he was playing the deceased began hitting him on his back with his fist for no reason at all. It was then he yelled for help. When his mother came on the porch the deceased cursed her and threatened to kill her if she came further. When his father came out of the house the deceased turned him loose and started toward his father. He had his hand raised and he saw part of a knife in it, though he did not see a blade. The deceased did not have a knife when he was beating him, but got it out of a pocket when his father appeared. On cross examination this witness stated he did not know what pocket the knife came from.

In rebuttal the investigating officers testified that when they interviewed Homer, Jr., at the scene of the killing he told them that “Uncle Fletcher” (the deceased) had not struck him, or bothered him in any manner when he was in the yard that morning.

The evidence further shows that the deceased was a stocky man weighing 150 to 155 pounds. He led a casual or vagabond sort of life, and though married and the father of several children he apparently felt little responsibility toward his family, but on the other hand, slept wherever night fall caught him, and with whoever would take him in.

The appellant is thirty one years of age, six feet tall, and weighs 220 pounds.

A large number of character witnesses testified that the deceased’s reputation for peace and quietude was bad; that he was violent and turbulent when drinking.

*211 The State also introduced a number of character witnesses who testified that the appellent’s reputation in his community was bad.

While there was not direct proof that this killing took place in Washington County, there was testimony as to the location of appellant’s home — that it was on the Chatom-Seaboard road. We judicially know that these two towns are in Washington County. The appellant testified he lived in Seaboard. The appellant testified his home was located between McIntosh and Topton, which places we judicially know are in Washington County. This evidence in itself was amply sufficient to enable the jury to reasonably infer that the killing took place in Washington County.

This aside, the matter was not called to the court’s attention by a request for the affirmative charge based on failure to prove venue. This matter cannot be raised for the first time on motion for a new trial, or on appeal. Circuit Court Rule 35, Code 1940, Tit. 7, Appendix; Simmons v. State, 36 Ala.App. 36, 53 So.2d 398.

In brief counsel has specified some 17 alleged errors. In error No. 5 counsel assert that the trial court erred in admitting into the jury room as evidence, without defendant’s knowledge, a photograph purporting to depict the wounds inflicted, when such photograph had not been offered or admitted into evidence.

The photograph shows deceased, from the waist up, on a table. The photograph was made by Nelson Grubbs, Assistant State Toxicologist, after the body had been removed to an undertaking establishment in Citronelle. Mr. Grubbs testified as to the accuracy of the picture. It merely shows the bullet wound through the arm, and a small puncture on the right side of the chest. There is no blood evident, and, as such pictures go, it is not gruesome. Innumerable witnesses testified as to the wounds.

This aside, we do not think this matter is before us for review.

The picture was not offered or received in evidence, but was merely identified by Mr. Grubbs. No further reference appears in the record to this picture.

One of appellant’s grounds in his motion for a new trial is that: “The court erred in admitting in evidence offered by the State a picture identified as State’s Exhibit No. C to the admission of which in evidence this defendant object and which objection was overruled by the Court.” Such ground falls far short of stating that the picture went with the jury.

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Bluebook (online)
98 So. 2d 59, 39 Ala. App. 207, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/richardson-v-state-alactapp-1957.