State v. Rohn

119 N.W. 88, 140 Iowa 640
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJanuary 12, 1909
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 119 N.W. 88 (State v. Rohn) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Rohn, 119 N.W. 88, 140 Iowa 640 (iowa 1909).

Opinion

Ladd, J.

— The female alleged to have been outraged was a deaf mute, some thirty-two years of age, who resided with a brother several miles from Montieello. She walked to that place August 25, 1907, and, according to her story, met defendant Bohn, a stranger to her, on the street. He proposed intercourse, thé meaning of which was not comprehended by her, and the two walked along the street until reaching Hogan’s place, where defendant helped her to the loft of the barn. He then threw her on a platform and effected his purpose, notwithstanding such resistance as she could make, and after the act, called George Hogan and William Haussler, each of whom also had'intercourse with her. Some hours later Hogan overtook her on the way home and again compelled her to submit to his lust. Hogan and Haussler were arrested the same day, but Bohn escaped, and was not taken in custody until September 14, 1907. An indictment was returned on the 28th of that month, in which the State charged that, on or about August 25, 1907, defendant, “in and upon one Emma Earhni, feloniously and violently did make an assault, and her, the said Emma Earhni, then and there violently and against her will feloniously did ravish and carnally know.”

i. rape: suffiindiciment. Appellant .contends this language is not equivalent to saying that the act was by force, and relies on State v. Blake, 39 Me. 322, where the Supreme Court of Maine seems to have thought that the word “violently” did not convey the idea of force with the technical accuracy exacted by the statute of that State. But the weight of authority is to the effect that the use of the word “violently” in the indictment was equivalent to that of “forcibly” or “by force,” and that the instrument sufficiently charged the crime. State v. Williams, 32 La. [643]*643Ann. 337 (36 Am. Rep. 272); State v. Daly, 16 Ore. 240 (18 Pac. 357); Walling v. State, 7 Tex. App. 625; Com. v. Fogerty, 74 Mass. 489 (69 Am. Dee. 264). Even were this not so, it alleges that defendant did ravish prosecutrix against her will; and, according to the two' decisions last cited, this, as the word “ravish” imports the employment of force, sufficiently charged the crime. Possibly the meaning of “violently” is a little more extensive than that of “forcibly” or “by force,” but the. rule seems to be settled that, “where there is a change in phraseology, and a word not in a statute is substituted in the indictment for one that is, and the word thus substituted is equivalent to the word used in the statute, or is of more extended signification than it, and includes it, the indictment is sufficient.” 1 Wharton’s Crim. Law, section 376; State v. Wells, 31 Conn. 210. The exception to the indictment is not well taken.

z. continuance: ía?ee:toprepare II. A motion for continuance was filed October 2, 1907, based on want of time on the part of counsel to prepare for the defense and the feeling prevailing in the community. W. M. Welch had been appointed by the court to defend September 30th, but he had acted as attorney for defendant since his arrest September 14th, and for his confederates since the date of the alleged offense. In these circumstances the court rightly held counsel not entitled to delay for preparation, even though his other engagements in court may have been numerous. Nor was the feeling in the community such as was likely to be obviated by delay. Postponement of the trial could not be expected to obviate the condemnation which like transactions merit from mankind. All that could be rightly demanded by defendant was that feeling be not so directed against the accused personally as to prevent a fair and impartial determination with respect to his individual [644]*644guilt' or innocence. There was no error in overruling the motion.

3’ venue:, pub-III. On October 9, 1907, the defendant applied for a change of venue owing to the alleged prejudice of the people of the county, and supported the same by affidavits of some eighty citizens besides those of defendant and his attorney. On the other hand, the State’s resistance was sustained by the affidavits of two hundred and fifty citizens. Attached to the motion were numerous excerpts from local and other papers reciting the circumstances as charged by the State, with substantial accuracy, and denouncing the offense and its perpetrators in severest terms. But there is nothing in the record to- indicate feeling against the accused personally. Doubtless comparatively few people of the county knew" him, and the sentiment largely was directed against the crime alleged, and in demand for the vindication of the law. The showing falls far short of indicating a state of excitement and prejudice in the county which would prevent a fair and impartial trial. See State v. Hoffman, 134 Iowa, 587; State v. Icenbice, 126 Iowa, 16.

4. jurors: disquahfication. IV. Exceptions were taken to overruling challenges for cause several jurors. Their answers on voir dire did not disclose unqualified opinions as to the guilt or innocence of the accused, but were conditioned on the newspaper accounts being true. Should a juror be excused because of having read these, the public would be deprived of the advantage of having its most intelligent citizens in such service. A person is qualified if, notwithstanding any impressions he may have received from reading or hearing, he appears to be fair-minded and free from prejudice, and able and willing to render an impartial verdict. State v. Young, 104 Iowa, 730; State v. Crofford, 121 Iowa, 395; State v. Brown, 130 Iowa, 57; State v. Ralston, 139 Iowa, 44; State v. [645]*645Munchrath, 78 Iowa, 273. The challenges were rightly overruled.

g. Rulings of trial court: presumption. V. After testifying to reaching the loft prosecutrix was asked what the accused did to her. Objection that this assumed he did something was overruled, the court stating that, as counsel for defendant had admitted is opening statement to the iury that something took place, the only question was the character of it. Appellant insists that the court was mistaken, and that its remark was prejudicial. In the absence of any showing to the contrary, rulings of the trial court are presumed to' have been correct; and, as the statement is uncontradicted save in argument, this presumption must prevail.

6. Examination of witness: prejudicial remarks of VI. Prosecutrix, after saying that she tried to get away, but defendant held her, was asked, “Why didn’t you get away?” Thereupon counsel assisting the county attorney remarked, apparently ’ to the court, _ “it was explained to us that it was impossible for this mute to answer any question that required reasoning in her mind as to why or wherefore of anything.” Defendant objected to this statement, and also to the question as calling for the conclusion of the witness She answered, “I tried to get away, but couldn’t.” “Q. Did he hold both of your arms ? A. Both my arms.” The statement of the attorney was improper. He was not a witness, and what he said, if material, was matter of proof. It will be noted, however, that counsel does not assert the inability of the witness to reason, but apparently addressed the court as to advice received in explanation of the character of the questions being propounded.

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

Related

In the Interest of D.C., Minor Child
919 N.W.2d 637 (Court of Appeals of Iowa, 2018)
State v. Williams
171 N.W.2d 521 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1969)
Glatstein v. Grund
51 N.W.2d 162 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1952)
State v. Butner
220 P.2d 631 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1950)
State v. Rhodes
288 N.W. 98 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1938)
State v. Kendall
203 N.W. 806 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1925)
State v. Krampe
140 N.W. 898 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1913)
State v. Teale
135 N.W. 408 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1912)
State v. Hassan
128 N.W. 960 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1910)
State v. Hogan
124 N.W. 178 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1910)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
119 N.W. 88, 140 Iowa 640, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-rohn-iowa-1909.