State v. Massey

258 P. 1009, 32 N.M. 500
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedMay 2, 1927
DocketNo. 3120.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 258 P. 1009 (State v. Massey) 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. Massey, 258 P. 1009, 32 N.M. 500 (N.M. 1927).

Opinion

OPINION OP THE COURT

BICKLEY, J.

The appellant, W. C. Massey, together with his son Cecil Massey, was charged with the murder of Jim Taylor. At the close of the evidence, the court instructed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty as to the defendant Cecil Massey. The jury returned a verdict that the appellant was guilty of voluntary manslaughter, requesting the clemency of the court.

The appellant with his family resided in Roswell, as did also the deceased, Jim Taylor. The appellant owned a ranch and some live stock. Deceased also owned live stock, and during a period of drought induced appellant to permit him to put his stock upon appellant’s ranch; it'being apparently a temporary arrangement. Eventually the appellant requested the deceased, Jim Taylor, to move his stock from the ranch. There was heated controversy between the deceased and the appellant on this subject, as well as other difficulties between them concerning the administration of affairs on the ranch. Appellant was indebted, which indebtedness was secured by mortgage upon appellant’s cattle. It is in evidence that some one had killed some of these mortgaged cattle, and that deceased had pointed out certain heads and paunches to inspectors representing the mortgagee. The State sought to show by a witness that appellant was uneasy concerning knowledge by the deceased and was apprehensive that the deceased would be a witness against him in case of an investigation relative to the destruction of this mortgaged property. There was testimony of a witness who claimed to have eavesdropped upon a conversation between appellant and his son Cecil Massey, in which the appellant said that he guessed they would have to kill Jim Taylor before they got him away, or he would get them in trouble about the hides. This witness varied his testimony somewhat in different portions of his testimony, but in substance testified as heretofore stated. Some effort was also made to impeach this witness. There is evidence that Taylor had threatened to kill appellant, and that this threat had been communicated to appellant. There was also testimony to the effect that Massey when in a fit of anger was a very dangerous man. A number of witnesses qualified to testify as to the general reputation of the deceased in the community in which he lived for being a quarrelsome, violent, turbulent, and dangerous man, and that such reputation was bad. A number of witnesses testified as to the general reputation of the appellant, W. C. Massey, in the community in which he lived for being a quiet, peaceable, and law-abiding citizen, and that such reputation was good.

The only eyewitness as to what transpired upon the fatal occasion was the defendant, W. C. Massey. Massey testified in substance: That he was 49 years old, and had a family consisting of himself and wife and 4 children. That he had been for some years in the stock business, and that he was in very bad financial condition. That Jim Taylor, the deceased, and Mrs. Taylor had persuaded him to permit their cattle to be brought to defendant’s ranch, upon the assurance that arrangements would be made shortly to take them to another place. That Jim Taylor had taken possession of four calves belonging to defendant, and that he (the defendant) took two of the calves, and put them back with their mothers. That at that time and place Jim Taylor said that any time defendant put him to any trouble or notified the authorities about what he did “he would never ask me what I done it for, he would kill me.” That about the 1st of February, 1924, he (the defendant) was preparing breakfast about 6 o’clock a. m., and Jim Taylor came into the room and said:

“You have been pouring it on to me. I says, ‘Jim, what do you mean?’ He says, ‘You have been going on about the horses 1 ride; you talk about me riding your horses.’ I says, T never said anything to you about riding any of'my horses; you can ride them.’ He says, ‘You are God damn right I will,’ he says, ‘You are the God-damnedest son of a bicth I ever saw.’ ”

That at that‘time and place, after passing around the defendant, Jim Taylor continued:

“I have killed three men. When I killed Allen, when he was astruggling, dying, I walked up and put my foot on. his arm, and told him to roll over, you damn son of a bitch, and die like a man. I will do anybody that way; it don’t make any difference who they are. I would just as soon shoot a man in the back as in the belly; don’t make no difference. I shot a Mexican in the back up here in the Salt river, and they don’t know where he is yet. I love to kill men to see them kick anyway.”

That' at that time and place Jim Taylor cursed and abused him further ,and run all the cartridges through his six shooter to see if it was in good shape. That the defendant never said anything, but remained silent. That about 10 days thereafter, in the ranchhouse of the Massey ranch, Jim Taylor was talking with defendant concerning dogs and cats that had been poisoned out on the ranch, and, after indicating that he (Jim Taylor) believed that the defendant had destroyed his dog and cat, said:

“Any time I can find out that anybody poisoned one of my dogs, he will die just like the dog did.”

That thereafter, on Monday, March 23, 1925, the defendant left his house at Roswell, and went out to his ranch. That about 4 o’clock Cecil Massey and Jim Taylor came to the ranclihouse. That Cecil Massey was in the house with appellant when Jim Taylor came to the ranch and put his horse in the lot. That Jim Taylor came to the house where the defendants were. That at that time W. C. Massey gave to Jim Taylor a letter which Taylor’s wife had written the day before (in this letter Mrs. Taylor stated she was glad that Taylor and Massey had made up their differences, and also told about some of the domestic and family affairs at home, and that she had been struck by a car.) That after reading the letter Jim Taylor said:

“The God damn son of a bitch never said who run over her with a car. I wish she had broke her God damn neck.”

This testimony was excluded by the court, and will be further referred to hereafter. The deceased then said:

“You God damn white-collared sons of bitches, the undertakers won’t know who to come and get when they come and get you.”

And :

“Your God damn bellies will look like a pepper box when I get through with you.”

And, referring to defendant’s family, said:

“Them God damn white-collared high society woman folks of yours, I will put them in the washtub.”

Then, speaking to Cecil Massey, son of the defendant:

“You God damn long-headed son of a bitch, I will shoot you like I would a dog.”

That Cecil Massey replied:

“Jim, what have I ever did to you”

That at that time and place the deceased repeatedly pulled his gun from his pocket and put it back and pulled it out and put it back. That defendant W. C.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
258 P. 1009, 32 N.M. 500, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-massey-nm-1927.