State v. Kotthoff

177 P.2d 474, 67 Idaho 319, 1947 Ida. LEXIS 108
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 13, 1947
DocketNo. 7311.
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 177 P.2d 474 (State v. Kotthoff) 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. Kotthoff, 177 P.2d 474, 67 Idaho 319, 1947 Ida. LEXIS 108 (Idaho 1947).

Opinions

*322 AILSHIE, Justice.

This is an appeal from a judgment of conviction for assault with intent to commit rape.

Appellant (Kotthoff), forty years of age, a discharged veteran of World War II, was employed by the Orange Transportation Company, as a truckdriver; he made three round trips from Twin Falls to Salt Lake City each week. According to the vice-president of the company, appellant bore a good reputation. He was “considered a good man”. Another, when asked as to appellant’s “being a law abiding citizen”, said: “I have always found him so. * * * every one speaks highly of -him.” Mrs. Bright, owner of the apartment house where appellant lived, testified to his “good” reputation.

October 19, 1945, appellant (Kotthoff) and wife moved into an apartment in Twin Falls. November 19, 1945, Lorene Hann, prosecutrix, with her husband, moved into the same apartment house; they were married September 25, ’45. Originally the house was a single residence property, converted by the owner, Mrs. Bright, into a two-apartment house. The two couples (Kotthoffs and Hanns) share a refrigerator, which was in the kitchen of the Hann apartment, a lavatory and bathroom connecting the two apartments. The two doors (mside of the bathroom), one leading from the Hann apartment and the other from the Kotthoff side, were equipped with locks. There were, however, no locks on the doors inside of the Hann apartment. After the latter couple moved into the house, appellant and wife had locks put on the doors inside of their apartment.

It was customary for appellant’s wife to to go into the Hann kitchen to make use of the refrigerator, also to see about hot water which was heated by an incinerator there. When asked as to whether the latter resented that, appellant’s wife replied: “She seemed to.” In order to heat the bathroom for either couple, it was necessary to leave the door to each separate apartment open. A great deal of friction and some differences between the parties arose over the Hanns partying and making so much noise that appellant and his wife could not sleep. Mrs. Kotthoff testified to several “altercations” with the Hanns and had “asked them to be more quiet because we couldn’t sleep”. Complaint was also made because the bathroom door leading to the Kotthoff apartment was locked “half of the time * * * they [Hanns] consistently forgot to unlock the door so we could get in”. The relations between the two couples were not friendly; they did not neighbor.

One “Saturday” night, soon after the Hanns moved into the apartment, they gave *323 a “housewarming” and neighbors complained on account of the noise, “a lot of car doors banging and music” until “two-thirty” in the morning. When asked whether there had been “some wild parties there”, appellant’s wife replied: “There had been one party” and “drinking before that.” As to how the word reached Mrs. Bright, the owner of the house, Mrs. Kotthoff said she believed Mrs. Bright’s “sister wrote to her.” Mrs. Bright stated that the “neighbors” had told her.

November 30, 1945, less than two weeks after the Hanns moved into their apartment, a telegram (dayletter) was received by the Kotthoffs and three days later a letter followed, both sent them by Olen N. Sutton, Memphis, Tenn., apparently the agent for the owner, Mrs. Bright. On the day the letter was received, appellant delivered the telegram and letter to Mrs. Hann; he handed them to her in the kitchen of her apartment. According to testimony of the prosecutrix and appellant, this was the only time he had been in the Hann apartment, except for the time the two couple were introduced by Mrs. Bright. Prosecutrix accepted the telegram and letter but did not read or discuss them with appellant. They read as follows:

“KHA 17 DL PD — MEMPHIS TENN 30 858A

1945 NOV. 30 AM 8 23

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kotthoff—

325 3 Av. West Twin Falls Ida.—

Mrs. Kutthoff, Letha writes that the Hanns are really'wild, told by neighbors, and you are strictly in charge of house, you take the radio in your apt letter will follow to you for Hanns, carry out my orders you may act as Mgr, regards—

Olen Sutton”

“P. S. Ann show this letter to both Mr. and Mrs. Hann Please

Hotel Peabody

Memphis, Tennessee

Friday 9 A. M.

Hello Paul & Ann

I just sent you a 50 word day wire so here is the letter. I just had a letter from Letha, and she is quite worried about the other part of the house, as you folks know and Letha and I both thought, that Mr. and Mrs. Hann were such inccent kids, I want you & Paul to show them this letter. Letha & I both want you & Paul to stay, sort of look after the house, we will not have any late wild parties at no time in that house by them or no one else. You & Paul were there a month & you both were so quiet that one would hardly know you were there. I expect to have such conduct carried out. As to them having company that is fine, but not wild parties.

You know Ann I’ve known Letha all my life, and it is my duty to look after her intrests. She wrote me about it. Ann you & Paul take the big Radio and put it in your apt. we forgot it before we left, just cover it up with something please.

*324 Now if Mr. & Mrs. Harm want to stay there they must obey you, if now we will ask you to rent the apt. to some good couple that you & Paul feel like you would like to have for your neighbor. Now we are not coming back. I’m glad we heard about this and orders must be obeyed. 1030 P. M. is late no ink (balance of letter written in pencil] enough for company to visit 11 p. m. at the latest and above all respect has to be shown to all.

Please write and tell me as Letha worries about things.

Best wishes & kindest regards to you & Paul

Olen N. Sutton Gen. Del,

Memphis, Tenn.”

In telling of the alleged attack, prosecutrix testified appellant had tripped her or knocked her down on the bathroom floor and attempted to rape her, December 14, 1945, about the time she was expecting her husband home for lunch (1 to 1:30 p.m.). Appellant did not accomplish his purpose but prosecutrix testified to bruises on her elbows, knees and ankles. Her husband corroborated her testimony, and also Dr. Murphy, to whom she went about 4:30 the same afternoon. After the alleged attack, prosecutrix returned “to the kitchen to put the water on for the coffee.” After her return to the apartment, she testified she “heard something that sounded like a door opening, and it frightened” her; she ran from the kitchen out the front door to her husband’s place of business, but her husband had already left for home. Mr. Arnold, who worked at the same refrigeration plant with prosecutrix’ husband, said Mrs. Hann “came in and stood around by the stove and was hysterical.” It took him “ten or fifteen minutes to find out what was the matter”; she “Had no coat or hat on.” As to statement made by prosecutrix to Arnold, this was improper' and hearsay and made outside the presence of appellant.

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Related

Culombe v. Connecticut
367 U.S. 568 (Supreme Court, 1961)
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Bluebook (online)
177 P.2d 474, 67 Idaho 319, 1947 Ida. LEXIS 108, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-kotthoff-idaho-1947.