State v. Payne

149 N.E.2d 579, 104 Ohio App. 405, 5 Ohio Op. 2d 84, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 934
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 9, 1957
Docket5619
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 149 N.E.2d 579 (State v. Payne) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio 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. Payne, 149 N.E.2d 579, 104 Ohio App. 405, 5 Ohio Op. 2d 84, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 934 (Ohio Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

Petree, P. J.

The state of Ohio, plaintiff, appellee herein, filed a motion to dismiss the appeal of defendant, appellant herein, for the reason that, although a notice of appeal was filed herein on September 7, 1956, and a bill of exceptions was filed December 13, 1956, the defendant has not, to date, filed any brief or taken any other steps to prosecute his appeal.

The motion for a new trial was overruled August 10, 1956, by the trial judge in the Common Pleas Court. Twenty-eight days thereafter, to wit, on September 7, 1956, notice of appeal on questions of law was filed by George V. Fisher, attorney for defendant, and on the same day a precipe was filed, which reads as follows:

“To the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Franklin County, Ohio:

“Please prepare and file with the Court of Appeals of this district, a transcript of the docket and journal entries together with the original papers in the above-entitled cause.”

On July 29, 1957, a memorandum contra the state’s motion contained the following statement:

*406 “On August 10, 1956, the plaintiff-appellee filed an entry for the overruling of the motion for a new trial. On September 7, 1956, the notice of appeal was filed by the' defendant-appellant. Subsequent to the filing of this notice of appeal the prosecutor’s office informed the clerk of the criminal court to ignore this notice since it was not filed on time. As a result a number was not given to the case until December, 1956. State v. Weaver, 75 Ohio Law Abs., 390:

“ ‘The provisions of rule 7 of the Court of Appeals relating to the time for filing briefs on appeal does not apply to criminal cases.’ ”

It is not necessary for us to elaborate upon the reasons for the delay in getting the cause into our court. The fact remains, as exhibited by the file, that a precipe was filed in the trial court on September 7,1956, and the next entry in the file is as follows:

“Dec 13, 1956. Case filed in the Court of Appeals.”

Among the original papers transmitted to this court on December 13, 1956, was a motion for a new trial filed on May 19, 1956, together with a memorandum in support thereof filed on June 19,1956. The motion and memorandum set forth three reasons for which defendant sought a new trial. We will take note of number three, which is as follows:

“3. Errors by the court in its charge to the jury, prejudicial to this defendant.”

In support of this branch of the motion for a new trial, we find the following, beginning at paragraph three in the memorandum :

“3. Counsel for the defendant, Clifford Payne, respectfully sets forth the court’s charge in regard to the alibi interposed by the defendant Payne.

“ ‘My attention has been called to the question of alibi. The defendant Payne has interposed a defense here of what we call an alibi, which means, “I was someplace else at the time.” To prove an alibi you must do so by a preponderance of the evidence, that is, the greater iveight of the evidence, and, of course, if he proves that if he was someplace else, he could not have been guilty of the commission of this crime, and you necessarily have to find him not guilty, but as I say, he must prove that by preponderance of evidence * * (Emphasis added.)

*407 “Counsel for defendant Payne directs the court’s attention to the leading ease in relation to the subject of alibi, Walters v. State, 39 Ohio St., 215, wherein the court ruled as follows:

“ ‘Where the evidence tends to prove the commission, by the defendant, of the crime charged in the indictment, at a particular time and place, and the defendant offers evidence tending to show that at such time he was at another place, it is error for the court to charge the jury that testimony tending to show such alibi was not to be considered, unless it established the fact by a preponderance of evidence. The burden of proof was not changed when the defendant undertook to prove an alibi, and if by reason of the evidence in relation to such alibi, the jury should entertain reasonable doubt as to the defendant’s guilt, he should be acquitted, although the jury might not be able to find that the alibi was fully proved. ’

“In this case the lower court had charged the jury that the defendant had to establish his defense of alibi by preponderance of the evidence. The Supreme Court of Ohio held that such a charge was erroneous. And further said, which we quote,

“ ‘We think it was the duty of the judge to have said to the jury that they must consider all the evidence in the case, including that relating to the alibi, and determine from the whole evidence whether it was shown beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant had committed the crime with which he was charged.’

“In the case of State v. Brennan, 85 Ohio App., 175, decided May 9,1949, the court stated in their opinion as follows:

“ ‘On the theory that in this country it is not a requirement that an accused establish innocence, but for the prosecution to establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, it is generally held that the accused does not have the burden of proving an alibi. Such is the law in Ohio. Toler v. State, 16 Ohio St., 583; State v. Norman, 103 Ohio St., 541, 134 N. E., 474; Sabo v. State, 119 Ohio St., 231, 163 N. E., 28.’

“In 15 Ohio Jurisprudence (2d), 646, Section 478, in regard to alibi it is stated that in Ohio it has been settled that an alibi is not an affirmative defense, and that it is not incumbent upon the accused to prove the defense of alibi by a preponderance of the evidence. A fortiori, he is not required to prove it *408 beyond a reasonable donbt. If by reason of tbe evidence in relation to an alibi, the jury entertain a reasonable doubt as to defendant’s guilt, he should be acquitted although the jury may not be able to find the alibi fully proved.

“Counsel for the defendant, Clifford Payne, respectfully states that the charge by the court in relation to the subject of alibi was erroneous and prejudicial and that as a result thereof the defendant, Clifford Payne, should be given the opportunity to have this case heard before another jury who will then upon the instruction of the court give to the subject of alibi the legal and necessary weight and interpretation.”

Without in any manner deciding the issue on its merits, we feel that the record warrants the waiver by this court of the time for filing assignments of error, bill of exceptions, and briefs. A serious question has been raised, as evidenced by the following from the opinion by Okey, J., in Walters v. State, supra, beginning with the second paragraph on page 217:

“2. Evidence was given tending to show that the defendant committed the alleged burglary and larceny on the night of May 5, 1882.

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Bluebook (online)
149 N.E.2d 579, 104 Ohio App. 405, 5 Ohio Op. 2d 84, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 934, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-payne-ohioctapp-1957.