State v. Lawson

501 S.W.2d 176, 1973 Mo. App. LEXIS 1413
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 14, 1973
DocketNo. 34941
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 501 S.W.2d 176 (State v. Lawson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Lawson, 501 S.W.2d 176, 1973 Mo. App. LEXIS 1413 (Mo. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinion

GUNN, Judge.

Defendant, Bobby Lee Lawson, was convicted of robbery in the first degree; breaking jail and escaping before conviction; and felonious assault without malice aforethought.

The issues which have been raised by defendant and to be decided by this court are: a) whether the jury panel summoned by the coroner should have been quashed by the trial court; b) whether the trial court erred in sustaining objection to a portion of defense counsel’s argument and thereafter commenting on the objection; c) whether there was sufficient evidence to support the giving of instructions concerning first degree robbery and intent to do great bodily harm; d) whether the trial court erred in giving the so-called “ham[178]*178mer instruction”; and, e) whether the court erred in submitting two instructions concerning jury deliberation procedures in the event of en passe on certain issues after the jury had commenced its deliberations.

We determine that the contentions of defendant are without merit and affirm the judgment against him.

While imprisoned in the Audrain County jail in Mexico, Missouri, on certain charges, defendant was taken to the County Courthouse for preliminary hearing before a magistrate. After the hearing, the deputy sheriff, James E. Littrell, handcuffed defendant and put him in the sheriff’s car to drive him back to jail. On the way to the jail, defendant produced a small caliber pistol, pointed it at Littrell and said, “This is it.” Defendant then took Littrell’s handcuff keys and pistol from him. Defendant moved to the back seat of the car, and he and Littrell proceeded driving through Mexico until defendant observed Mrs. Olivia Graves, who was a prosecuting witness against him at the preliminary hearing. Defendant pointed a gun at Mrs. Graves and ordered her in the car. He hit Mrs. Graves on the head with the barrel of the gun causing substantial bleeding and stitches to be taken in her head to close the wound. He also threatened to throw battery acid in her eyes for having testified against him. Defendant handcuffed Littrell to a tree and was later recaptured.

In addition to the robbery, jail breaking and escape and assault charges, defendant was charged with kidnapping Littrell and Mrs. Graves. He was acquitted of the kidnapping charges.

Since the Audrain County sheriff and his deputy were interested parties in the case, the trial court ordered the county coroner to summon the jury panel in accordance with § 58.190, RSMo 1969 V.A. M.S. The regular jury panel had initially been summoned by the sheriff, and the coroner summoned fourteen special veniremen in addition to the regular jury panel which he also resummoned at the direction of the court.

Defendant argues that the jury panel should have been quashed because some of the jurors summoned by the coroner were the same as those who had been summoned by the sheriff as the regular jury panel. Defendant cites State v. Weeden, 133 Mo. 70, 34 S.W. 473 (1896), and State v. Parker, 378 S.W.2d 274 (Mo.App.1964), in support of his position. However, in each of these cases, the court acted as its own elisor, contrary to the statutory requirements. Here, the coroner did in fact summon the jurors. The proper statutory procedures were followed. There is no showing on the record which, if any, of the jurors served in the case that had initially been summoned by the sheriff or that there was any influence exerted as a result of contact with the sheriff. There was no error in the summoning of the jury. Mannon v. Frick, 365 Mo. 1203, 295 S.W.2d 158 (1956); State v. Wiley, 109 Mo. 439, 19 S.W. 197 (1892).

During his argument to the jury, defendant’s counsel discussed the court’s instruction on breaking jail and argued that defendant had not escaped from jail but from the deputy sheriff, a separate offense. The prosecuting attorney objected on the ground that such was an improper argument, and the objection was sustained by the court. Defendant’s counsel made inquiry of the court whether the basis for the ruling was to the argument that defendant had not escaped from jail. The trial judge responded that he was “sustaining it to the line of argument that there was no offense shown under that instruction.”

Defendant contends that the court’s remark constituted error, because the effect was to comment that under the instruction an offense had been shown and actually committed; that the remark was prejudicial against defendant. The trial court’s [179]*179remark was not prejudicial in this instance or context. The judge answered defendant counsel’s inquiry by stating that the instruction did state an offense, which it must in order to be given to the jury. The judge did not comment that defendant had committed an offense or that the offense of jail breaking had been proven. The court’s comment was a correct statement and was addressed to counsel and not to the jury, and, therefore, proper in this instance. State v. Selman, 391 S.W.2d 193 (Mo.1965); State v. Edmonds, 347 S.W. 2d 158 (Mo.1961). Cases cited by defendant involve comments by the court which were flagrantly prejudicial to the defendant and are therefore not felicitous here.

Defendant argues that it was error to instruct the jury on first degree robbery, because there was no testimony that Deputy Littrell feared immediate injury to his person when his service revolver was taken at the point of defendant’s pistol. We reject this argument.

As appropriate here, the essence of robbery in the first degree is feloniously taking the property of another from his person, or in his presence, and against his will, by, a) violence or, b) by putting the victim in fear of some immediate injury to his person. § 560.120 RSMo 1969 V.A.M. S. It is not necessary to have direct testimony that the victim experienced the mental state of fear. State v. Underwood, 470 S.W.2d 485, 486 (Mo.1971). The fact that defendant pointed a gun at Littrell and there was compliance with his commands evinces fear. State v. Ray, 354 S. W.2d 840, 843 (Mo.1962). The essential elements for first degree robbery were present.

Defendant also contends that there was no evidence to show that he intended to do great bodily harm to Mrs. Graves, and the instruction on that offense should not have been submitted. We also reject this argument.

The jury, in considering the evidence presented to it,-may determine the intent of the person charged with a crime. The intent of the person charged with a crime is a matter of jury determination based on facts presented to it. State v. Petrechko, 486 S.W.2d 217 (Mo.1972); State v. Chevlin, 284 S.W.2d 563 (Mo.1955). Defendant’s striking Mrs. Graves on the head with a gun barrel, causing severe bleeding and stitches to be taken, together with the threat to throw battery acid in her eyes seem scarcely calculated to have a salubrious effect for her well being. From the evidence, the jury could find that defendant did intend to inflict great bodily harm upon Mrs. Graves.

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Related

State v. Carroll
562 S.W.2d 772 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1978)
State v. Milentz
547 S.W.2d 164 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1977)
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526 S.W.2d 920 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1975)

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Bluebook (online)
501 S.W.2d 176, 1973 Mo. App. LEXIS 1413, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lawson-moctapp-1973.