Stephenson v. State

11 N.E. 360, 110 Ind. 358, 1887 Ind. LEXIS 68
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedApril 19, 1887
Docket13,634
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 11 N.E. 360 (Stephenson v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stephenson v. State, 11 N.E. 360, 110 Ind. 358, 1887 Ind. LEXIS 68 (Ind. 1887).

Opinion

ZoliArs, J.

Appellant was charged in the indictment with having committed murder in the first degree.

He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, and sentenced to the State prison for a term of twelve years.

[360]*360His counsel argue nine different grounds upon which they claim the judgment should be reversed. These, so far as necessary, we examine in the order of the argument.

1st. Jacob Price, called as a juror, answered upon his voir dire, that notwithstanding he had formed and expressed an opinion as to the merits of the case, he could, render an impartial verdict upon the law and the evidence. He was further interrogated, and answered as follows:

“ Question. Do you feel free to pass upon this question,, even though it should inflict the death penalty?

“Answer. Yes, sir, if it is the law.

“ Ques. Without regard to the law, do you think it wrong in any case ?

“Ans. Yes, sir ; I think we should carry out the law, but the law is wrong.

“ Ques. Then you have conscientious scruples aside from the law?

“Ans. Yes, sir, I have.

“ Ques. Have you conscientious scruples against the infliction of the death penalty?

“Ans. I feel free to carry out the law; but I always, or have for years, felt that the law was not just right.

“Ques. Now, without regard to the law, what is your conscience in the matter?

“Ans. Leaving out the law, I have scruples.”

The attorneys for the State challenged Mr. Price for cause,, and the court, over appellant’s objection and exception, discharged him.

One of the causes for challenge to a person called as a juror, as prescribed by the statute, is, that he has such conscientious, opinions as would preclude his affixing the death penalty in a capital case, should the defendant be found guilty. R. S.. 1881, section 1791.

The examination of Price did not bring the case strictly within the letter of the above statute, for the reason that he-answered, that, notwithstanding his conscientious scruples, [361]*361upon the subject of capital punishment, and his convictions that the law providing for the infliction of such punishment is unjust and wrong, he could yet render a verdict enforcing the law.

It may well be doubted, however, whether the case is not within the spirit of the statute.

The case is different from one where a juror may confess to having formed opinions as to the guilt or innocence of the accused, from newspaper reports or rumors, and yet be able to say that he can render an impartial verdict upon the law and the evidence. In such a case, the evidence, and the charge of the court, may remove all former impressions, by showing that there was no ground at all for them. And so, the case is different from one where a juror may confess to a prejudice against the business in which the defendant may have been engaged, for example, the sale of intoxicating liquors, and yet be able to say-that he could give the accused a fair trial upon the evidence. In such a case, an honest and intelligent juror might be able to separate the case and the defendant from the business, and act with impartiality. Here nothing could be expected to occur during the trial, in the natural order of such trials, that could in any way change the conscientious scruples of the juror. He might believe from the evidence, that the defendant was guilty of murder in the first degree as charged, and yet his scruples against capital punishment would remain unchanged. "When the charge is murder in the first degree, the statute lodges with the jury a discretion to inflict the death penalty upon conviction, or to imprison the defendant for life in the State prison.

It can hardly be supposed that a juror, who has conscientious scruples against capital punishment, and believes the law authorizing such punishment to be unjust and wrong, could sit with entire freedom and impartiality, and inflict the death penalty in a case where the law authorizes him to punish the offender by a life sentence.

[362]*362There is nothing in the record from which we can know, or infer, that appellant was injured by the discharge of Price, unless we resort to speculation-, and assume that the juror called to fill the place made vacant by his discharge, was objectionable to appellant, and that to get him off the jury, he was compelled to exhaust one of his peremptory challenges, or that he was compelled to leave him on the jury, because his peremptory challenges had been exhausted.

We do not think that in a case like this we should indulge in such assumptions for the purpose of overthrowing the judgment.

Appellant had no right to demand that Price, or any other person, should sit as a juror in the case, unless he was entirely free to act with impartiality, both as to the evidence and the law.

As the record shows nothing to the contrary, this court should presume that the juror called iu the place of Price, was impartial and in every way competent. More than this appellant had no right to ask; indeed, for aught that is made to appear by the record, the juror called in the place of Price was in every way satisfactory to appellant.

The case here is different from that of Broion v. State, 70 Ind. 576, where the record showed that the trial court improperly refused to discharge a juror for cause, and that, in order to protect himself, the defendant was compelled to exhaust one of his peremptory challenges.

The question of the competency of a juror, under his statements, is left, in a measure, to the sound discretion of the trial judge, which will not be reviewed unless the facts show that it was abused. Moore Crim. Law, section 308; Bradford v. State, 15 Ind. 347; Fahnestock v. State, 23 Ind. 231 (237); Elliott v. State, 73 Ind. 10; Stout v. State, 90 Ind. 1.

Upon the question of the competency of jurors generally, see the late case of Stoots v. State, 108 Ind. 415.

The record here presents no such error or abuse of discre[363]*363tion in the discharge of Price, as calls for the interposition of this court.

2d. Before proceeding to an examination of the second question discussed by counsel, it should be stated that the mortal wound was inflicted in a combat, and that the claim on the part of appellant is, that he inflicted the wound in self-defence.

Samuel Carson was called as a witness in behalf of appellant. To the following questions he made the following answers:

“ Question. How long did you know Thomas Hardesty ?

“Answer. Only probably three years; two or three years.

“Ques. Were you with him frequently?

“Ans. About as much as four or five times a year.

“ Ques. You may describe him to the jury, as to the general .appearance of the man, and what kind of a man he was physically ?

“Ans. Ho was quite good in stature; a good-looking man. I would call him over the average size of men; a man I con.sider would weigh 185 or 190 pounds.

“ Ques. You may state the kind of a man he was physically as to strength, how ho was made, and the character of his flesh, if you know ?

“Ans.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
11 N.E. 360, 110 Ind. 358, 1887 Ind. LEXIS 68, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stephenson-v-state-ind-1887.