State v. Deane

268 P.2d 1114, 75 Idaho 149, 1954 Ida. LEXIS 206
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedApril 5, 1954
Docket8059
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 268 P.2d 1114 (State v. Deane) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Deane, 268 P.2d 1114, 75 Idaho 149, 1954 Ida. LEXIS 206 (Idaho 1954).

Opinions

GIVENS, Justice.

Appellant was charged with and convicted of involuntary manslaughter committed by the operation of an automobile upon Highway 44, a four-lane highway in Ada County, Idaho, in an unlawful, negligent and careless manner and without due caution and circumspection, while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and at an excessive rate of speed, against the body of Clyde Stone with great force, thereby causing injuries from which Clyde Stone died.

Numerous assignments of error were made which we will take up and consider in the order in which they were presented.

Appellant urges the court erred in sustaining objections to the opinion testimony of witness Worley as to the speed of the automobile after the collision with the bicycle which decedent and one Tom Fontes were riding; there were no eye witnesses to the collision. The witness Worley operated an upholstery shop on the north side of Highway 44, some 440' east of the point of impact; at that time he was in his place of business and had his back to the highway; he did not see the car prior to or at the time of the collision; he heard the impact and when he turned around he observed the car 15' to 20' west of his place of [152]*152business, proceeding east on the south side of the highway; he had the car under focus from this point until it stopped some 1000' east of the place of impact; he did testify that the car was slowing down. The court may exercise its discretion in the admission or rejection of such evidence; while it was proper to receive such evidence for what it was worth, its rejection does not appear prejudicially erroneous. State v. Neil, 58 Idaho 359, 74 P.2d 586; 23 C.J.S., Criminal Law, § 858, subd. (d), p. 70.

Appellant urges generally that the evidence is insufficient to support the verdict of guilty; he urges particularly there is insufficient evidence to show beyond a reasonable doubt appellant was under the influence of intoxicating liquor at the time. His contention that the evidence is insufficient to support a verdict and judgment of involuntary manslaughter is without merit.

Without detailing the evidence as to intoxication, suffice to- state appellant himself testified he had a few beers at a tavern on the afternoon of the fatal accident ; that he thereafter drove to his home; that his wife was not at home so he undressed and lay down for some time and, upon waking, he dressed, had a sandwich and was driving to Boise for the purpose of picking up his wife at the time of the accident which occurred at approximately nine o’clock p. m., March 31, 1953.

One witness for the State, who was leaving St. Alphonsus Hospital through the emergency entrance on that evening, testified she saw appellant in his wrecked automobile parked near the emergency entrance, to the Hospital; that he had the Stone boy,, who thereafter died, in his car; that she could detect a strong odor of liquor on appellant and in the car and that he walked unsteadily; that his eyes were glassy and his face red and he portrayed a blank look. That same evening at about ten o’clock p. m., at the hospital appellant gave written authorization to Dr. Joseph Beeman to take a blood sample for the purpose of determining the alcoholic content of his blood. The Doctor testified that appellant at the time had a definite odor of liquor on his breath; that his eyes were bloodshot and that he was unsteady on his feet; that he took a blood sample which had a content of 22/ioa of one percent alcohol and his opinion, based upon the appearance and actions of appellant and the alcoholic content of his blood, was that appellant was intoxicated at the time the sample was taken. Without laboring this matter further, there was an. abundance of evidence from which the jury could conclude appellant was driving his automobile upon a public highway under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

It is urged in giving Instruction No. 14, defining Criminal Negligence, and then in giving Instruction No. 15, wherein the court instructed the jury if it found the killing occurred while appellant was in the commission of a breach of one of the statutory-laws of the road, as charged in the infor[153]*153mation, it might find appellant guilty, results in a contradiction and could well confuse or mislead the jury.

The information charged appellant with involuntary manslaughter substantially in the language employed in State v. Salhus, 68 Idaho 75, 189 P.2d 372; State v. Wheeler, 70 Idaho 455, 220 P.2d 687; and State v. Scott, 72 Idaho 202, 239 P.2d 258; in each case the appellant was charged with involuntary manslaughter arising out of violation of the laws of the road, which proximately caused the death of a human being; in each instance appellant was charged with the commission of unlawful acts, that is, the operation of a motor vehicle upon highways of this State willfully, unlawfully and feloniously in an unlawful, negligent and careless manner and without •due caution and circumspection and while under the influence of intoxicating liquor and at a rate of speed and in a manner so as to endanger persons and property, which acts so charged are expressly made unlawful and condemned by Sections 49-502 and 49-503, ■ I.C. Where one is charged with involuntary manslaughter by committing an unlawful act, that is, one prohibited by law which results in the death of another human being, it constitutes involuntary manslaughter. An instruction in such instances on criminal negligence is neither necessary nor proper. State v. Salhus, supra; State v. Wheeler, supra; State v. Scott, supra. The giving of such instruction on criminal negligence cannot operate to prejudice appellant, but is to his advantage. We find no merit in this assignment of error.

Appellant further contends the court erred in giving Instructions No. 17 and No. 18 on circumstantial evidence. He 'bases this contention upon the assertion there is no circumstantial evidence in the record. It is not necessary to, nor do we determine whether this is true. Appellant does not complain that the instructions given did not correctly state the law nor does he in anywise attempt to point out nor does the record show such instructions as given operate to his detriment or disadvantage. An instruction on circumstantial evidence in a case resting on direct testimony does not warrant reversal unless it is clearly made to appear that in some way appellant actually was prejudiced thereby. State v. Hunter, 183 Wash. 143, 48 P.2d 262; People v. Carlson, Cal.App., 167 P.2d 812; People v. Sberno, 22 Cal.App.2d 392, 71 P.2d 274; People v. Harvey, 109 Cal.App. 111, 292 P. 654.

Appellant’s requested Instruction No. 5, refusal of which is urged as reversible error, evidently is based on the first paragraph of Section 18-4012, Idaho Code. The instruction and statute limit accident or misfortune, as excusing otherwise culpable and criminal killing, to one doing a lawful act by lawful means.

The requested instruction was incomplete in that it did not embody therein, nor [154]

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

Related

Bartlett v. State
569 P.2d 1235 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1977)
State v. Burris
331 P.2d 265 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1958)
State v. Strobel
304 P.2d 606 (Montana Supreme Court, 1956)
State v. Deane
268 P.2d 1114 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1954)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
268 P.2d 1114, 75 Idaho 149, 1954 Ida. LEXIS 206, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-deane-idaho-1954.