State v. Jackson

261 N.W. 732, 219 Wis. 13, 1935 Wisc. LEXIS 230
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJune 24, 1935
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 261 N.W. 732 (State v. Jackson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin 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. Jackson, 261 N.W. 732, 219 Wis. 13, 1935 Wisc. LEXIS 230 (Wis. 1935).

Opinion

Neeson, J.

The contentions of the defendant which we deem sufficiently important to merit consideration may be summarized as follows:

(1) The court erred in overruling his demurrer to the information; (2) the court erred in not requiring the state to elect upon which count it would try the defendant; (3) the court erred in admitting evidence of other sales of [17]*17liquor by the defendant to Dick Bray, the state’s principal witness, at times prior to May 25, 1934; (4) the court erred in stating upon the trial that the venue had been sufficiently proved, and that no further testimony as to venue was necessary, thereby invading the province of the jury; (5) the court erred in not promptly condemning a statement made by the district attorney during his argument to the jury in which he commented on the failure of the defendant to take the stand, in not then and there specifically instructing the jury as to the defendant’s rights in that regard, and in not admonishing the jury to disregard such improper remark; (6) the court erred to his prejudice in instructing the jury; and (7) that-the court erred in imposing sentence upon him.

(1) Defendant’s first contention is that his demurrer should have been sustained because Count 1 states no offense known to the law. Count 1 charged that on May 25, 1934, the defendant did sell and offer for sale and expose for sale, exchange, and barter, etc., contrary to the provisions of sec. 139.03 (9). A reading of said sub. (9) clearly reveals that Count 1 does not charge an offense under that subsection. Sub. (9) relates to the counterfeiting of stamps, not to the sale, exchange, or barter of intoxicating liquors without them. Count 1 of the information substantially follows the language of sec. 139.03 (8), as amended by ch. 3, Laws of Special Session 1933-1934, which enacted sec. 139.27. In our opinion, such error could not have misled the defendant or prejudiced his rights. Count 1 fully and accurately advised the defendant as to the nature of the offense charged. Jicha v. State, 189 Wis. 620, 208 N. W. 479.

The defendant next contends that the information is bad for duplicity because it charges two offenses in a single act or transaction.. The defendant, in Count 1, was charged with selling intoxicating liquors without having stamps on [18]*18the container. In Count 2 he was charged with selling intoxicating liquors without a license or permit. The facts adduced upon the trial show that the two offenses are based upon one sale of intoxicating liquor to the witness Bray. It does not, however, follow that the defendant may not be charged with and convicted of both offenses. In State v. Brooks, 215 Wis. 134, 254 N. W. 374, it was held that Brooks was properly convicted of adultery, although he had theretofore been convicted of the crime of lewd and lascivious conduct, both charges being grounded upon a single transaction. It was held that adultery and lewd and lascivious conduct were properly considered separate offenses. The law of Morey v. Commonwealth, 108 Mass. 433, was followed. In that case it was said:

“A single act may be an offense against two statutes; and if each statute requires proof of an additional fact which the other does not, an acquittal or conviction under either statute does not exempt the defendant from prosecution and punishment under the other.”

The doctrine of State v. Brooks, supra, is clearly applicable to the case at bar. Count 1 required proof of a sale of intoxicating liquors without its container being stamped. Count 2 required proof of a sale of intoxicating liquors without a license or permit. In our opinion the defendant was properly prosecuted under Counts 1 and 2 for two separate and distinct offenses. There was no error, therefore, in overruling the defendant’s demurrer to the information.

(2) The defendant next contends that the court erred in not requiring the state to elect ,upon which count of the information it would proceed. That contention. is without merit, since the state was permitted to charge two separate crimes in the same information.

(3) The defendant next contends that the court erred in admitting evidence of sales of liquor to Dick Bray, the state’s principal witness, at times prior to May 25, 1934.

[19]*19Although the defendant strenuously objected to the introduction of such testimony, the court admitted it on the theory that it was competent to show intent. Intent, however, is not an element of selling liquor without stamps or selling liquor without a license. The admission of such testimony was clearly error and prejudicial, if received for the purpose of proving that the defendant was guilty of the specific charge or charges made against him. Boldt v. State, 72 Wis. 7, 16, 38 N. W. 177; Fossdahl v. State, 89 Wis. 482, 485, 62 N. W. 185. The rulings in the Boldt and Fossdahl Cases have been repeatedly recognized as the law of this state. Dietz v. State, 149 Wis. 462, 468, 136 N. W. 166; Hess v. State, 174 Wis. 96, 99, 181 N. W. 725; Faull v. State, 178 Wis. 66, 69, 189 N. W. 274.

The court instructed the jury as follows:

“Now, there has been some testimony introduced in this case and evidence was admitted, tending to show previous sales of liquor by the defendant to the complaining witness, Bray. You are instructed that you are not to consider such evidence as proof of the particular offense charged in this information, which is definitely set on the 25th day of May, 1934. You may consider such evidence only as bearing upon the relationship between the parties and as bearing up-on the probability or improbability of the fact as to the alleged sale on the 25th of May, 1934 [italics ours], and with regard to such testimony as bearing on the question of identity of the party alleged to have made the sale on the 25th of May, if you believe there was any such sale in fact made.”

In these instructions the court recognized a well-established rule that evidence of independent and separate crimes, while inadmissible to prove the guilt of one for a criminal offense,- is admissible where it tends to aid in identifying the accused as the person who committed the particular crime under investigation, although such evidence may also tend to show the guilt of the accused. See the following annotations: 3 A. L. R. 1540; 22 A. L. R. 1016; 27 A. L. R. 357; [20]*2063 A. L. R. 603. Had the court instructed the jury that it might consider the evidence of previous sales of liquor by the defendant to Bray as bearing upon the question of the identity of the person who sold liquor to Bray on May 25, 1934, it would have been proper, but the court specifically [old the jury that it might consider, such evidence “as bearing upon the probability or improbability of the fact as to the alleged sale on the 25th of May, 1934.” That instruction was erroneous and prejudicial to the defendant.

(4) The defendant further contends that the court erred in stating upon the trial that the venue had been sufficiently proved and that no further testimony as to venue was necessary, thereby invading the province of the jury. The venue laid in Count 1 was “city of Viroqua, in said county” (Vernon). So far as that count is concerned, it was only necessary to prove that that offense was committed within the county.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
261 N.W. 732, 219 Wis. 13, 1935 Wisc. LEXIS 230, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-jackson-wis-1935.