State v. Martinez

278 P. 210, 34 N.M. 112
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedMay 11, 1929
DocketNo. 3306.
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 278 P. 210 (State v. Martinez) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico 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. Martinez, 278 P. 210, 34 N.M. 112 (N.M. 1929).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

SIMMS, J.

Jose Tomas Martinez and his son Adonias were jointly informed against for the murder of Desiderio Grine. Following a preliminary examination before a magistrate, they were tried and convicted of murder in the second degree, and appeal.

Appellants first allege error in the action of the trial court in sustaining the state’s challenge for cause to the juror Bustos, and overruling defendants’ challenges for cause to jurors Ortega and Manzanares. There being, however, no claim made that the jurors, who were in fact accepted and who tried the case, were either disqualified or unfair, the defendants have no ground for complaint. They were not entitled to have any particular juror sit unless and until he was accepted and sworn. State v. Rodriguez, 23 N. M. 165, 167 P. 426, L. R. A. 1918A, 1016; State v. Leatherwood, 26 N. M. 509, 194 P. 600. The contention here is similar to that in State v. Vigil, 33 N. M. 365, 266 P. 920, where we held against the same.

Next it is claimed that the trial court committed reversible error in stopping cross-examination of the widow of the slain man as to a certain question. Counsel for defendant asked Florita Grine the following question with reference to her small son Juan’s testimony:

“Q. Now if Juan says that he ran clear across the bridge and met you about three steps on the.other side of the bridge, and that right then the second shot was fired, Juan is mistaken, isn’t he?
“The Court: Don’t answer that question; that is improper.”

The witness had previously testified to a state of facts which counsel for appellants thought inconsistent with those included in the question as Juan’s version of the affair. There was no error in the ruling. It is not proper to ask the opinion of one witness as to the credibility of another witness. It is the exclusive province of the jury to determine who has sworn the truth.

“The tribunal will not listen to conclusions or opinions from persons who possess no more skill than the tribunal itself in drawing inferences from the premises.”

Wigmore on Evidence (2d Ed.) par. 679. See, also, Davis v. Collins, 69 S. C. 460, 48 S. E. 469. In State v. Pruett, 22 N. M. 223, 160 P. 362, L. R. A. 1918A, 656, this court discussed the general question, holding to the same effect. See, also Territory v. Claypool, 11 N. M. 579, 71 P. 463.

Under point 5 of his brief, counsel for appellants complains of the trial court’s refusal to allow him to further cross-examine Mrs. Grine, the widow, about whether her husband had owned a pistol previous to the killing. We think the court gave counsel ample leeway in the examination of the witness, and his action in terminating the cross-examination was within his sound discretion and was not error. Territory v. Claypool, 11 N. M. 568, 71 P. 463; State v. Carter, 21 N. M. 166, 153 P. 271; State v. Starr, 24 N. M. 193, 173 P. 674.

3 J2. Appellants next challenge the action of the court in taking from the jury the testimony of Tito Melendez to the effect that defendant Jose Tomas Martinez bore a good reputation for quiet and peaceable habits. But we find that the court did not take it from the jury. He overruled the district attorney’s motion that he do so, and ruled with the defendants. They have no ground for complaint.

The next point relied upon is that the court refused to permit defendants to prove that the place where the killing occurred was “the landed estate” of defendant Jose Tomas Martinez, and that intoxicating liquors were not sold thereon, citing sections 1701, 1702, and 1703 of the Codification of 1915. These sections have to do with carrying deadly weapons, which is permitted on “the landed estate” of the owner, provided liquor is not sold on the premises. Clearly these sections are not in any manner material to the present cause. Defendants were not on trial charged with carrying concealed weapons either on or off their landed estate. They were tried for murder. The trial court was right in refusing to let this cause be turned into a contest to try title to- the real estate which was the scene of the killing. Such an inquiry was both immaterial and improper.

What we have said above also disposes of defendants’ claim that error was committed in not permitting them to prove payment of taxes on the land where the killing occurred, and in refusing to let them prove that intoxicating liquors were not sold thereon.

Appellants complain that the court erred in permitting the district attorney to ask defendant Jose Tomas Martinez why he did not go to court and take legal steps to prevent deceased from committing trespass on his (Martinez’s) land. Appellants, contend that under sections 1701, 1702, and 1703, supra, the defendant had a clear right to protect his property from trespass by deceased, and, so long as defendant acted in a peaceable manner, he was within his rights. The trouble with this contention is that defendants were not on trial for peaceably protecting their property; they were charged with having murdered the deceased. The district attorney’s question was fairly designed to test and bring out the defendant’s state of mind towards deceased, prior to and at the time of the shooting. As such, it was proper cross-examination. Even if deceased' was a trespasser, taking his life for that reason was not justifiable. Wharton on Homicide (3d Ed.) par. 526; Territory v. Lynch, 18 N. M. 33, 133 P. 405; State v. McCracken, 22 N. M. 593, 166 P. 1174; State v. Casad, 28 N. M. 123, 207 P. 64.

By his points 11 and 12, appellants’ counsel claims that reversible error was committed in denying his motion to dismiss at the conclusion of the testimnoy on the whole case, upon the following grounds:

(a) The information alleged the name of deceased as Desiderio Grine and the proof showed it to be Jose Desiderio Grine.

(b) The defendants were given a preliminary examination on a charge of murdering Desiderio Grine, but had never had such examination on a charge of murdering Jose Desiderio Grine.

(c) The trial court erred in permitting the district attorney to amend the information, after the testimony was closed but before the case was sent to the jury, by writing in the word “Jose” before the words “Desiderio Grine.”

A careful examination of the entire record shows that all parties, both prosecution and defense, referred to the deceased as “Desiderio Grine,” and there is not the slightest doubt as to the identity of the deceased, nor as to how he was killed, nor as to whom the defendants thought and understood they were being tried for killing. No doubt the deceased, Desiderio Grine, was baptised “Jose Desiderio Grine.” And, likewise, from the testimony, it is evident that all his neighbors knew him as “Desiderio,” and even the defendants referred to him by that name. We also find the elder of the defendants, Jose Tomas Martinez, referred to in the testimony several times by witnesses as “Tomas”; like the deceased, he had the baptismal name of “Jose,” and yet there was not the slightest question as to whom the witnesses referred.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In re Garrison P.
2002 NMCA 094 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2002)
State v. Mendoza
596 N.W.2d 736 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1999)
Jones v. State
982 S.W.2d 386 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1998)
State v. Flanagan
801 P.2d 675 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1990)
State v. Rushing
514 P.2d 297 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1973)
State v. Lopez
508 P.2d 1292 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1973)
State v. Vallo
464 P.2d 567 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1970)
State v. Lucero
440 P.2d 806 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1968)
State v. Reed
230 P.2d 966 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1951)
State v. Waggoner
165 P.2d 122 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1946)
State v. Evans
145 P.2d 872 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1944)
Puckett v. Walz
72 P.2d 623 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1937)
State v. Burrus
35 P.2d 285 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1934)
State v. Nevares
7 P.2d 933 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1932)
State v. Jones
285 P. 501 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1930)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
278 P. 210, 34 N.M. 112, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-martinez-nm-1929.