State v. Hall

168 Iowa 221
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedDecember 19, 1914
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 168 Iowa 221 (State v. Hall) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Hall, 168 Iowa 221 (iowa 1914).

Opinion

Preston, J.

The evidence shows, without conflict, that on the night of June 17, 1913, or rather at about one o’clock in the morning, the defendant entered the basement of the dwelling-house occupied by L. G. Ruhl, with his wife and children.

1. ClimixAr, uw: misoonment: matters ofatriaieCeourt I. The first point argued and relied upon for reversal is the alleged misconduct of M. J. Tobin, one of the attorneys for the state, in his closing address to the jury. , ’ , . , . , The part ox the closing argument objected to is the statement that Mr. Ruhl, the prosecutwitness, was poisoned. The substance of the record, and the part of the argument objected to, is as follows:

“Snyder went outside of this record, without intending to do any wrong, in my judgment, to say that Lee Ruhl brought upon himself his own sickness, because of paralysis or breaking down of the nerves; and Northrup went outside of this record to say that perhaps it was the act of Almighty God for wrongs that he had never committed. I want to tell them so they will never get it into their minds again, that it was neither. Lee Ruhl was poisoned. That is what is the matter with Lee Ruhl.

“Mr. Northrup: The defendant at this time objects and exeepts to the remarks of counsel wherein he states that Lee [224]*224Ruhl was poisoned, as not supported by any testimony whatever.

“The Court: The court wants to remark here to the jury that there is absolutely no place in this case for that remark or for the consideration of anything of the kind. I do not believe I would follow that idea further. ’ ’

Whereupon, Mr. Tobin stated that the remark was made because of the records that both lawyers had made that were in the case and that he was not going to let the witness Ruhl be misunderstood by any such unwarranted remarks as counsel made, and that such was his explanation and reason for his statement.

Counsel for defendant again objected and excepted to the remarks of Mr. Tobin made after the remarks of the court. Thereupon the court said:

“The question of whether or not Mr. Ruhl was poisoned, or what caused his present condition, has nothing to do with this case, and the jury will bear that suggestion in mind.

“Mr. Tobin: And, Gentlemen of the Jury, when I made the statement, I knew, and now say to you, that the defendant Hall had nothing to do with the poisoning.

“Mr. Northrup: Same objection and exception is made to the remarks of counsel and to the inference that there was poisoning.

“Court: Yes. That has no place in this case whatever. “Mr. Northrup: And, because of the influence resulting from the remarks, the defendant at this time asks the discharge of the jury, and the case continued.”

Which was overruled.

It is conceded that the remarks as to the poisoning were outside the record, and the claim is made that it was in answer to argument for the defendant. The court admonished the jury not to consider the statement, and .the court gave a [225]*225written instruction directing the jury to disregard the statement. We think this cured the error, if any there was, and the jury being so advised, there was no prejudice to appellant. Perhaps we ought to say that the evidence shows that at the time of the transaction of the alleged burglary Mr. Ruhl was in good health, but his wife testified on the trial that he had returned from the hospital about two months before the trial and it is admitted in argument here that at that time he was in very poor health.

Counsel for appellant admit in argument that they did go out of the record in their opening argument to the jury and did give their version of what the trouble was with Mr. Ruhl, but they do not agree exactly with counsel for the state as to what they did say. They also admit that they have gone outside the record in this court, in that they have referred to a divorce case between the Ruhls since the trial of the instant case, in which they wish this court to infer that the trial court refused to grant a divorce to Mr. Ruhl because of the adultery of his wife, and counsel for the state respond to that by saying that a divorce was granted on the ground of desertion.

We very much prefer that counsel for either side try their cases according to the rules, and we do not, of course, consider any statements outside the record. It is another case where the closing argument is reported, and in which it is difficult, or impossible, for this court to rightly determine the true situation. The part of the argument by the attorney for the state objected to purports to be in answer to something that was said by counsel for the defendant. We cannot, of course, under the circumstances, know what the argument by defendant’s counsel was. We do know that sometimes counsel for defendant, in their zeal for their client, do make such statements as they think may secure an acquittal, whether it is within the record or not. The trial court heard all the argument and has a duty to perform in this respect and should unhesitatingly grant a new trial if in his judgment the [226]*226closing argument is outside the record and prejudicial. We have announced a rule in a number of cases that, because the trial court overruled a motion for new trial when such misconduct was one of the grounds, we would not interfere. There may be cases where the closing argument, as presented to us, seems so flagrant and prejudicial that we feel compelled to reverse, and it may be this is done in some cases where a reversal would not be had if we had all the facts, as did the trial court. It may not be improper to remark that in such eases, where the closing argument alone is reported, the prosecuting attorney and the trial court should look more closely to the record. The prosecuting attorney could make a showing, and the trial court a finding, that the closing remarks were in answer to statements by counsel for the defendant, or for some other reason not improper, if that be the fact, so that we may as nearly as possible have the case as the trial court had it.

2. Criminal law : burglary : intent to commit adultery: evidence : sufficiency oí. II. As stated, there is no conflict in the testimony as to the entry by defendant into the dwelling-house in the nighttime. The appellant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the finding of the jury that the entering was with intent to commit adultery, as charged in the indictment. The question was raised .in a motion to direct a verdict, and by motion in arrest and for a new trial. Several assignments of error are based upon this thought. The evidence was directed largely to this question, and it is the principal point argued. We are satisfied that the evidence is abundant to sustain the verdict at this point. Some of the circumstances relied upon as tending to show such intent are not disputed, while as to others there is a conflict in the testimony. It is the province of the jury to determine the matter of the credibility of the witnesses and the weight which should be given to their testimony, and the sufficiency of the evidence where there is a conflict is for the jury. It is for the jury to say which of the witnesses they will believe and [227]*227which they will disbelieve. State v. Lightfoot, 107 Iowa 344.

Under the circumstances, we deem it necessary to set out the substance of the testimony bearing upon this point, and this we shall do as briefly as may be.

L. G.

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Bluebook (online)
168 Iowa 221, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-hall-iowa-1914.