State v. Iago

68 N.W. 969, 66 Minn. 231, 1896 Minn. LEXIS 415
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedNovember 19, 1896
DocketNos. 10,293-(44)
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 68 N.W. 969 (State v. Iago) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Iago, 68 N.W. 969, 66 Minn. 231, 1896 Minn. LEXIS 415 (Mich. 1896).

Opinion

BUCK, J.

On April 21, 1896, the defendant, lago, was tried in the district court of Renville county, and by a jury convicted of the crime of rape. The indictment charged him with having on August 13, 1895, feloniously and forcibly ravished and had sexual intercourse with one Hedwig Doepke, against her will and without her consent, and that he then and there forcibly overcame her resistance, she being then and there a woman above the age of 18 years, and not the wife of lago.

The prosecutrix, at the time of the alleged offense, was an unmarried woman, 20 years old, weighing 90 pounds, living with and working as a domestic in the family of a farmer named Edward Hanna, who resided in Renville county, in this state. The defendant was a farmer weighing about 125 pounds, 50 years old, residing about one mile and a half from Hanna’s, whose daughter he married; and upon her death he took his young daughter, some 6 years old, to live with her grandparents, the Hannas, and where he visited quite frequently prior to the time of the alleged offense, and where, the previous fall, he became acquainted with the prosecutrix at the time she commenced work for Hanna, and where he met her occasionally. They were on friendly terms with each other until the time of the alleged offense, August 13, 1895, at which time she alleges he committed the crime charged, one Sunday, in the daytime, at the house of Hanna, while the family were at church.

[232]*232On the trial, the prosecutrix testified, upon cross-examination, that on July 28, 1895, she had sexual intercourse with the defendant, and that she told no one and made no complaint about it until after the time of the alleged rape. Of the latter offense she made complaint to Mr. and Mrs. Hanna, upon their return home from church, a few hours thereafter. The defendant was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in the penitentiary, the shortest period allowed by law.

In view of the extraordinary character of the evidence in behalf of the state, and its contradiction on the part of the defendant, and the heinousness of the offense charged, we deem it our duty to carefully scrutinize the evidence. First, then, as to the sexual intercourse between the parties prior to the time of the date of the offense alleged in the indictment. Upon her cross-examination she testified as follows:

“Q. Well, his little girl was making her home with Edward Hanna and his wife? A. Yes, sir. Q. Didn’t he frequently come there to visit his little daughter? A. Yes, sir; he came there sometimes. Q. So that you had met him a good many times before this 13th day of August, did you not? A. Yes, sir; I did. Q. Had you had sexual intercourse with the defendant, William lago, before this 13th day of August, 1895? A. Yes, sir. * * * Q. How long before this 13th day of August had you had sexual intercourse with the defendant? A. The 28th of July. Q. Was that at Edward Hanna’s also? A. I don’t understand you. Q. Did you have sexual intercourse with the defendant on the 28th of July, 1895, at Edward Hanna’s house? A. Yes, sir. * * * Q. Now, you didn’t tell anybody about that, did you? A. No; not on that day. Q. Not until after this 13th day of August, did you? A. Yes, sir; in the evening on the 13th of August. Q. That was the first time that you spoke about what occurred between you and the defendant on the 28th day of July, isn’t it? A. Yes, sir. Q. Now, your people lived during this time how far from Edward Hanna’s, where you lived? A. A mile and a half. Q. And your brother lived how far away * * * from Mr. Edward Hanna’s place? A. A mile and a half.”

Upon redirect examination she, being examined by the prosecuting attorney, said:

“Q. Now, Mr. McClelland asked you if you told about the first time that the defendant had sexual intercourse with you, the first time, that time in July, was it with or without your consent? A. It was without my consent. Q. You resisted it that time? Mr. McClelland: Wait, I object to your testifying. Q. Well, did you or did you not resist it then, — try to get away? A. Yes, sir; I did. Q. Well, why didn’t you tell about it the first time? * * * Q. You [233]*233may explain, if you know. I will ask you to explain why you didn’t complain when he did it the first time, if you know, — in July, you say, that he had connection with you then; why didn’t you make complaint that time? A. They was making me afraid that I should say nothing about— Q. What? A. They was making me afraid that I should say nothing— By the Court: Who was making you afraid? A. Mr. lago. Mr. McClelland: Mr. who? Q. The defendant here, you mean? A. Yes, sir.”

This is all the material evidence bearing upon the question of her sexual intercourse with defendant on July 28, 1895, about two weeks prior to the time charged in this action. There is but a slight trace of resistance to be found in this evidence, and this testimony seems to have been drawn out by leading questions put by the prosecuting attorney. What she said or did to resist him she does not say, and what he did in the way of force is not stated. Her assertions or conclusions are not based upon any substantial fact, and, whatever the facts were, they do not appear to have been deemed by her serious and violent enough to induce her to complain about them to any person. At the time of the intercourse August 13, she says that she yelled and cried, but nothing of this kind appears to have taken place the first time. Therefore, according to her own evidence, she must be deemed to have finally consented to the first sexual intercourse, or, at least, did not resist with any great degree of physical effort or reluctance. The defendant swears that on that day he had sexual intercourse with her twice, with her consent; that she was as willing as he was; and that, before and after the first time, she came where he was, and sat upon his knees. She did not deny the latter part of this statement in giving her evidence.

Here, then, is a woman, confessedly impure in her sexual relations with the defendant, charging him with having two weeks thereafter committed rape upon her person. Such a thing is by no means impossible, but the conduct of these parties towards each other on July 28 has a material bearing as to their sexual relations on August 13. There is not the slightest reason given why she should consent at one time, and resist the next. They were on friendly terms during the interval. Hence, in testing the evidence of force or consent on August 13, we must do it in the light of what took place between them on July 28.

[234]*234This brings us to an analysis of the evidence of what took place-at the dáte of the offense charged. The defendant admits that he-had sexual intercourse with her that day, but denies that he used force in so doing. The controversy is, therefore, not as to intercourse-in fact, but as to whether force was used by defendant, and without the consent of the prosecutrix. The material and substantial part of her evidence upon this point upon direct examination is as follows:

“Q. When was the first time that you saw the defendant that day? Where was it, and when? A. It was in the house, between 11 and 12 o’clock. Q. Did you see him before he got to the house, — got into the house? A. No, sir; I did not. Q. When he came in the house, what did he say or do? A. After he came in the house? Q. At that time. A. He said ‘if I was home alone,’ and I said, ‘Yes,’ and then he said he was after the sledge there, and I told him I didn’t know if the sledge was there or not. Q. Well, what else was said or done? A.

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Related

State v. Johnson
152 N.W.2d 529 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1967)
State v. Anderson
137 N.W.2d 781 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1965)
State v. Schomaker
182 N.W. 957 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1921)
State v. Cowing
108 N.W. 851 (Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1906)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
68 N.W. 969, 66 Minn. 231, 1896 Minn. LEXIS 415, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-iago-minn-1896.