Thomas v. State

1975 OK CR 116, 536 P.2d 1305
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJune 16, 1975
DocketF-74-773
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 1975 OK CR 116 (Thomas v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas v. State, 1975 OK CR 116, 536 P.2d 1305 (Okla. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

OPINION

BLISS, Judge:

Appellant, Joe Nathan Thomas, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was charged in the District Court, Oklahoma County, Case No. CRF-72-1562, for the offense of Murder, in violation of 21 O.S. 1971, § 701, and was thereafter tried and convicted of the crime of Manslaughter, First Degree in violation of 21 O.S.1971, § *1306 711. His punishment was fixed by jury at a term of fifty (50) years’ imprisonment, and from said judgment and sentence a timely appeal has been perfected to this Court.

The State’s first witness at trial was Bill F. Snipes. He testified that he was employed as a Detective for the Oklahoma City Police Department, Homicide Unit, and was so employed on July 2, 1972. He further stated that on that day he was assigned to make a followup investigation of the death of McKinley Brown. He stated that at about 12:30 a. m. on July 2, 1972, he went to Brown’s Cafe at 430 N.E. 6th Street “in reference to a man being shot.” Upon arrival at the cafe he found a man lying on the sidewalk with what appeared to be an entrance wound on the right side of his back. His subsequent investigation revealed that the deceased man was the proprietor-owner of Brown’s Cafe. He stated that during his investigation he received the name of Joe Gallo as the man who committed the crime and that later a car was located which belonged to Joe Gallo; but, upon checking the registration, it was determined that a Joe Nathan Thomas had registered the car. He later obtained a picture of Joe Nathan Thomas and upon showing it to witnesses they positively identified this picture as being a picture of the man who shot Brown. He lastly testified the charges were filed against Joe Nathan Thomas and that subsequently Mr. Thomas was arrested in Houston, Texas.

Donald Dillard testified he was employed by the Oklahoma City Police Department and was so employed on July 2, 1972. He further testified that on that day, in response to a call, he proceeded to 430 N.E. 6th Street where upon his arrival at that location he observed the deceased lying face down. Nearby lay a .38 caliber pistol. He stated that he remembered Detective Snipes making a followup investigation of the incident.

Oline Daniels testified that on July 2, 1972, he had occasion to be in Brown’s Cafe at 430 N.E. 6th Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He testified to the following events which occurred at Brown’s Cafe on the evening of July 2, 1972. The defendant, after having drunk some beer, proceeded to leave the cafe and the proprietor, McKinley Brown, asked the defendant if he was going to pay his beer tab. Defendant questioned whether he owed anything and subsequently left but returned shortly thereafter with another man. Someone in the cafe had paid the defendant’s bill prior to the defendant’s return, and upon the defendant’s arrival Brown told the defendant that he didn’t want him in the place, to which defendant replied, “you can’t make me get out.” Brown turned facing the cash drawer with his back towards the defendant and thereupon the defendant fired a gun. The defendant then ran out the door and Brown raised up with a gun, staggered to the door, and went outside where five shots were fired. The witness went outside and saw Brown lying face down on the sidewalk with a pistol at his feet.

Charles E. Marshall testified that he was a Medical Doctor and was employed as a consultant to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office, and that he was so employed on July 2, 1972. He further stated that on that evening he was called to the scene of the death of the deceased who had been identified to him as McKinley Brown. At the scene, which was the sidewalk in front of a bar on N.E. 6th Street, he performed a preliminary examination and pronounced McKinley Brown dead. He conducted an autopsy later on Brown and in his opinion death was caused by a gunshot wound which resulted in internal hemorrhage with the bullet entering the back two and one half inches to the right of the eighth thoracic vertebra.

Ernest Hamilton testified that he was playing dominos in Brown’s Cafe on July 2, 1972, at which time he overheard the conversation between Brown and the defendant concerning payment for some beer. He stated that the defendant left and thereafter one Collus Bond paid the de *1307 fendant’s beer tab. Upon the defendant’s return, Brown said he did not want the defendant in his place. At this time Hamilton said he saw the defendant with a pistol in his hand. He further testified that at this time he saw the defendant point this pistol at Brown and that as Brown turned to reach under the cash drawer a shot was fired. He said that Brown fell on one knee and the defendant went out the door subsequently followed by Brown who had a pistol in his hand. As Brown passed him headed toward the door, he noticed a red spot of blood on Brown’s back. Hamilton followed Brown outside where he saw Brown firing his pistol toward the ground, and thereafter Brown fell against the building and then fell face down on the sidewalk. He lastly testified that Brown laid there for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before medical help arrived.

N. L. Barber testified that he was employed as an Identification Officer for the Oklahoma City Police Department, and was so employed on the evening of July 2, 1972, at which time he was involved in the case of McKinley Brown. After being shown State’s Exhibit No. 2, he identified the exhibit as a picture he had taken of McKinley Brown at the scene of the shooting at 430 N.E. 6th Street in front of the bar.

Wanda Jean Thomas was the first witness called for the defense. She testified that she was the defendant’s wife and was with him at the cafe on July 2, 1972. She stated that a difference arose between Brown and the defendant concerning whether or not the defendant had gotten some more beer and not paid for it. She stated that subsequently Collus paid what Brown said the defendant owed and when the defendant tendered the money to Brown it was refused. Thereafter Brown called defendant a “bad nigger.” Then Brown told the defendant to leave the bar. She testified that thereafter the defendant produced a gun in his hand and Brown went to the counter at which time she heard a shot. The defendant then ran out followed shortly by Brown, whereafter she heard five more shots. She stated she was across the street looking when she heard the five other shots because the defendant had told her to get out of the bar. She did not see the defendant any more that night but about a week later she received a telephone call from the defendant who said he was in Houston and that he had traveled there by hopping a freight train. He told her that a bullet had glanced off his head on the night of the shooting.

The defendant took the stand to testify in his own behalf. He testified that he and his wife were at the cafe that night and that a dispute arose between himself and Brown over what defendant owed for beer, but the defendant insisted he had paid in full. He stated that he then left to get a friend who would verify his claim and upon his return the dispute resumed. The defendant then testified to the following sequence of events:

“[M]y wife say come on Joe, and I walked on toward the door. About the time I took about two steps Mr. Brown say yeah, you get him out of here before I blow his god damn ass out of here. I say no, Mr. Brown, ain’t nobody going to throw me nowhere.

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Related

Fiorot v. State
1982 OK CR 27 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1982)
Morris v. State
1980 OK CR 11 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1980)
Wilson v. State
1976 OK CR 220 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1975 OK CR 116, 536 P.2d 1305, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-v-state-oklacrimapp-1975.