State v. Brown

Supreme Court of North Carolina

State v. Brown

56 S.E.2d 441, 231 N.C. 152, 1949 N.C. LEXIS 507

CourtSupreme Court of North Carolina

DecidedNovember 23, 1949

StatusPublished

Cited by1 cases

This text of 56 S.E.2d 441 (State v. Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of North Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

State v. Brown, 56 S.E.2d 441, 231 N.C. 152, 1949 N.C. LEXIS 507 (N.C. 1949).

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Opinion

Stacy, C. J.

The defendant has been convicted of murder in the first degree, with no recommendation from the jury, and sentenced to die as the law commands in such cases. He appeals principally upon bis challenge to the admission in evidence of bis confession to the sheriff. The court’s ruling is amply supported by the record. S. v. Hammond, 229 N.C. 108, 47 S.E. 2d 704; S. v. Thompson, 227 N.C. 19, 40 S.E. 2d 620.

There was nothing in the State’s evidence to show involuntariness, and the defendant offered no testimony on the. preliminary inquiry. S. v. Alston, 215 N.C. 713, 3 S.E. 2d 11; S. v. Richardson, 216 N.C. 304, 4 S.E. 2d 852; S. v. Smith, 213 N.C. 299, 195 S.E. 819; S. v. Thompson, 224 N.C. 661, 32 S.E. 2d 24. Moreover, the confession is supported by the sheriff’s discoveries in consequence of what the defendant told him. S. v. Hammond, supra; S. v. Brooks, 225 N.C. 662, 36 S.E. 2d 238; S. v. Wise, 225 N.C. 746, 36 S.E. 2d 230; S. v. Grass, 223 N.C. 31, 25 S.E. 2d 193; S. v. Smith, supra; S. v. McRae, 200 N.C. 149, 156 S.E. 800. But, then, the truth or correctness of the confession is not challenged. Only its voluntariness is questioned, and this exclusively on the State’s showing. S. v. Moore, 210 N.C. 686, 188 S.E. 421, and cases there cited.

The defendant also complains because the court did not submit the lesser degree of murder in the second degree. However, as the defendant, according to bis own confession, slew the deceased in the perpetration of a robbery, the law pronounces bis crime murder in the first degree. G.S. 14-17; S. v. Biggs, 224 N.C. 722, 32 S.E. 2d 352; S. v. Smith, 223 N.C. 457, 27 S.E. 2d 114; S. v. Williams, 216 N.C. 446, 5 S.E. 2d 314; S. v. Alston, 215 N.C. 713, 3 S.E. 2d 11; S. v. Exum, 213 N.C. 16, 195 S.E. 7; S. v. Donnell, 202 N.C. 782, 164 S.E. 352; S. v. Covington, 117 N.C. 834, 23 S.E. 337.

On the record as presented, no reversible error has been made to appear, Hence, the verdict and judgment will be upheld.

No error.

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Stacy, C. J.

The defendant has been convicted of murder in the first degree, with no recommendation from the jury, and sentenced to die as the law commands in such cases. He appeals principally upon bis challenge to the admission in evidence of bis confession to the sheriff. The court’s ruling is amply supported by the record. S. v. Hammond, 229 N.C. 108, 47 S.E. 2d 704; S. v. Thompson, 227 N.C. 19, 40 S.E. 2d 620.

There was nothing in the State’s evidence to show involuntariness, and the defendant offered no testimony on the. preliminary inquiry. S. v. Alston, 215 N.C. 713, 3 S.E. 2d 11; S. v. Richardson, 216 N.C. 304, 4 S.E. 2d 852; S. v. Smith, 213 N.C. 299, 195 S.E. 819; S. v. Thompson, 224 N.C. 661, 32 S.E. 2d 24. Moreover, the confession is supported by the sheriff’s discoveries in consequence of what the defendant told him. S. v. Hammond, supra; S. v. Brooks, 225 N.C. 662, 36 S.E. 2d 238; S. v. Wise, 225 N.C. 746, 36 S.E. 2d 230; S. v. Grass, 223 N.C. 31, 25 S.E. 2d 193; S. v. Smith, supra; S. v. McRae, 200 N.C. 149, 156 S.E. 800. But, then, the truth or correctness of the confession is not challenged. Only its voluntariness is questioned, and this exclusively on the State’s showing. S. v. Moore, 210 N.C. 686, 188 S.E. 421, and cases there cited.

The defendant also complains because the court did not submit the lesser degree of murder in the second degree. However, as the defendant, according to bis own confession, slew the deceased in the perpetration of a robbery, the law pronounces bis crime murder in the first degree. G.S. 14-17; S. v. Biggs, 224 N.C. 722, 32 S.E. 2d 352; S. v. Smith, 223 N.C. 457, 27 S.E. 2d 114; S. v. Williams, 216 N.C. 446, 5 S.E. 2d 314; S. v. Alston, 215 N.C. 713, 3 S.E. 2d 11; S. v. Exum, 213 N.C. 16, 195 S.E. 7; S. v. Donnell, 202 N.C. 782, 164 S.E. 352; S. v. Covington, 117 N.C. 834, 23 S.E. 337.

On the record as presented, no reversible error has been made to appear, Hence, the verdict and judgment will be upheld.

No error.

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Bluebook (online)

56 S.E.2d 441, 231 N.C. 152, 1949 N.C. LEXIS 507, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-brown-nc-1949.

Opinion

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