State v. Magers

58 P. 892, 36 Or. 38, 1899 Ore. LEXIS 53
Oregon Supreme Court·Decided November 13, 1899·Published·Cited by 53 cases

Opinion

Mr. Chief Justice Wolverton

delivered the opinion.

The defendant was tried for and convicted of the crime of murder in the first degree, and brings this appeal from the judgment which followed, relying upon several grounds of error for the reversal thereof, which we will discuss in their order.

1. The first is touching the action of the court in refusing to withdraw from the consideration of the jury the testimony of one D. McLauchlan, a witness for the state, who testified, among other things, in effect, that he was the Chief of Police of the City of Portland; that he remembered the circumstance of the defendant, William G. Magers, being brought into his office on the twenty-third of September, 1898; that he had on his person $58.60, — between $58 and $59; that he had a mackintosh, a pair of gloves, and a handkerchief; that the mackintosh was wet, and seemed to have been in that condition for some time; that the gloves were wet also, and appeared to have been put in the pocket wet.He detailed a statement made to him by Magers in the presence of detectives John Cordano and H. P. Ford, and a stenographer named Fred Moos, who took it down in shorthand at McLauchlan’s instance. On cross-examination he answered interrogatories as follows: “Q. Have you related the entire conversation which you had, giving the substance of the questions and answers, — all questions and answers? A. Well, I don’t know. Might have forgotten some of them. Q. The stenographer was supposed to write down everything you said, as well as all that Mr. Cordano, Ford, and defendant said? A. Well, some of the defendant’s answers were pretty low. Don’t suppose he got them all. Q,. Did you ever see the notes of the stenographer? A. Yes, sir. Q. Could you read them? A. Well, no ; could not read them. After they were extended, I could read them. Q,. Is it not a fact [41] tliat you have refreshed your memory from those notes ? A. Yes, I did. Q,. You are testifying in part from memory and partly from refreshing your memory from the typewritten notes of the stenographer? -A. Yes, I presume I am. Don’t know just how much. Q,. You went to them for the purpose of refreshing your memory? A. Yes, sir. Q,. Have you those notes with you? A. No ; I wasn’t told to bring them. Q,. You have the shorthand notes? A. No, sir. I never had them. Q,. Where is the stenographer? A. In Alaska now. Q,. Without the notes, or the typewritten copy of the notes, rather, which you had in your possession, which you read, you would not undertake to testify to all the facts as clearly as you have ? A. I might not have the story as well connected, but I think I would remember most of the facts. Q. You haven’t been called upon to tax your mind for the recollection of the facts to that extent that you might have done or would have done had you not had the notes? A. I presume the notes helped me some. Q,. You haven’t depended upon your memory as to what occurred to that extent had you not been supplied with notes? A. Well, I don’t know if I would say that. I think the notes were of some assistance to me in refreshing my memory. Q,. Is it not a fact that you would have paid more attention to it, and taxed your mind or memory with the recollection of what occurred, more than you have done on account of knowing it had been written down? A. I might have done so ; yes, sir.”

At the close of the examination of the witness, counsel for defendant moved the court to direct the jury not to consider his evidence, upon the grounds that it appeared the witness’ recollection was supported in part by the notes taken by the stenographer ; that he had refreshed his memory by reference thereto before coming on the stand to testify ; and that he had neither produced the [42] original notes nor the extended copy thereof in court, so that defendant could cross-examine him touching them. The court denied the motion, and error is assigned because of its ruling in that regard. Section 836, Hill’s Ann. Laws, provides that “a witness is allowed to refresh his memory respecting a fact by anything written by himself or under his direction at the time when the fact occurred, or immediately thereafter, or at any other time when the fact was fresh in his memory, and he knew that the same was correctly stated in the writing. But in either case the writing must be produced, and may be inspected by the adverse party, who may, if he choose, cross-examine the witness concerning it, and may read it to the jury. So, also, a witness may testify from such a writing, though he retain no recollection of the particular fact; but such evidence shall be received with caution.” It is contended that under this statute Mc-Lauchlan should have been required to produce either the shorthand notes or the extended copy in court, so that the defendant could have had the benefit of cross-examination touching them; otherwise, that his testimony should have been taken from the consideration of the jury. It will be observed that while upon the stand he was able to state from his own recollection what occurred, and to detail the statement of the defendant without reference to the stenographer’s notes. In such a case the testimony of the witness is the substantive evidence, and not the stenographic notes, which could not properly go to the jury in that capacity. It was not a question of the relevancy or competency of the notes themselves as evidence, but a question, under the statute, whether the defendant, within the meaning of the section referred to, was entitled to have the notes produced in court, so that he could inspect them, and thereby be enabled to cross-examine the witness concerning them.

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State v. Magers, 58 P. 892, 36 Or. 38, 1899 Ore. LEXIS 53 (Or. 1899).

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