Thompson v. State

143 S.E. 896, 166 Ga. 512, 1928 Ga. LEXIS 346
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedJune 13, 1928
DocketNo. 6357
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 143 S.E. 896 (Thompson v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thompson v. State, 143 S.E. 896, 166 Ga. 512, 1928 Ga. LEXIS 346 (Ga. 1928).

Opinions

Atkinson, J.

1. It was not erroneous in this case to permit a witness to testify that the deceased “usually carried a goodly sum of money on his person,” over the objection that there was “no allegation in” the bill of indictment “to that effect,” and that the testimony was immaterial and irrelevant.

2. Considered in connection with testimony of other witnesses introduced after examination of a witness who gave testimony that was objected to, [513]*513it was not erroneous to permit the witness to testify that at a certain time and place he saw the two codefendants, but did not see the defendant who was on trial, over the objection that such testimony failed to connect the defendant with the offense, and was immaterial.

3. Testimony that a person’s foot “fit it [a track] like he might have been' the one that made it,” considered in connection with other testimony of the witness that he saw the person “place his foot in the track,” that “the shoe filled the track,” was not objectionable on the ground that it was a mere conclusion of the witness.

4. Immediately following the testimony last referred to, the witness testified that when the person “put his foot in the track, it seems there was a change in his countenance; his voice was kinder shattering after that.” Held: (a) This testimony was not objectionable on the ground that it was a mere conclusion of the witness. Roberts v. State, 123 Ga. 146 (6) (51 S. E. 374), and cit. (b) When considered in connection with other testimony tending to show that the defendant and other persons referred to by the witness were conspirators in commission of the crime, the above quoted testimony was not objectionable on the ground that it was irrelevant and immaterial.

5 The remarks of the solicitor-general ’in the presence of the jury, as to what had been proved and was expected to be proved to show the relevancy of the testimony last quoted, considered in connection with instructions by the court given at the time, were not sufficient to require the grant of a mistrial. Macon &c. Ry. Co. v. Parker, 127 Ga. 471 (6) (56 S. E. 616), and cit.

6. “Where the court, over objection, admits evidence, with the statement that he will rule it out unless connected in point of time, and it is not thus connected, although such evidence may be inadmissible, it is not incumbent upon the court, of its own motion, to exclude it.” Sasser v. State, 129 Ga. 541 (3) (59 S. E. 255) ; Cawthon v. State, 119 Ga. 395 (7) (46 S. E. 897) ; Bacon v. Bacon, 161 Ga. 978 (133 S. E. 512), and cit. Under application of this ruling, the sixth ground of the motion for a new trial is without merit.

7. On cross-examination a witness for the State was asked the question: “You were employed as a special investigator in this case?” to which the witness replied: “No sir. I don’t need employment in a ease of this kind. I volunteered my services.” Objection was interposed to the answer, on the ground that it was not responsive to the question. The court stated: “1 think it was responsive.” Whereupon the attorney for the defendant said: “We move the court to declare a mistrial,” and the judge said: “I overrule the motion.” The ground of the motion for a new trial complaining of the matter above stated does not show cause for a reversal.

8. At the conclusion of the examination of a witness for the State the solicitor-general stated: “We would like for the jury to see the car. It is only a short distance from the court-house.” The court inquired if there was any objection. The defendant’s attorney then moved to declare a mistrial on the ground that these remarks in the presence of the jury were improper and prejudicial. The court overruled the motion for a mistrial, and stated to the jury that: “Whether counsel consents or [514]*514does not consent that the jury go over only a short distance from the court-house and inspect the car, that should not be considered by them as in any way affecting the case,” and then said to the defendant’s attorney: “You do not consent?” The solicitor-general then said: “I withdraw even the offer of it, and I withdraw any remarks in reference to it in any way,” and the court replied: “All right. Gentlemen of the jury, you will not consider the remarks of the solicitor-general in reference to the inspection of the car.” In the circumstances of this case the refusal to grant a mistrial is not cause for a reversal. The case differs from Sullivan v. Padrosa, 122 Ga. 338 (50 S. E. 142), where the alleged misconduct consisted of a proposition by the attorney of one of tlio parties to the attorney of the other party, made in the presence of the jury “to submit the ease without argument,” and similar cases relating to the making of propositions where the defendant has an absolute right to decline.

9. A witness for the State, Mrs. Osborn, testified: “I finally called Mr. Osborn after this man insisted on me calling him. I called Mr. Osborn and told him that some fellow was out there, and that he had said he was from Dalton, Ga., and had run out of gas and would be mighty glad if he would get up and get the gas for him.” This was objected to as hearsay. The court announced that the witness would be examined further to ascertain if the evidence was a part of the res gestee; and in that connection the witness on further examination testified: “My husband says to me, of course I guess he heard me and the man talking, I don’t suppose he was asleep, I think he was asleep when the man first called; he says, ‘That’s the same white man and negro that was here the other night,’ which was on Wednesday night, because we had been to preaching the night before. My husband got up and went to the window and talked to the man out of the window, and I don’t remember just the words that they spoke, but anyway he come back and started putting on his clothes, and when he did that I turned the light on in our room, and when he was putting on his clothes he called for his gun.” Held:

(a) The court did not err in admitting this evidence as part of the res gestee, over the objection that it was hearsay. Thomas v. State, 67 Ga. 460 (3) ; Robinson v. State, 118 Ga. 198 (2) (44 S. E. 985) ; Price v. State, 137 Ga. 71 (72 S. E. 908).

(b) The ground of the motion for new trial which complains of the admission of the declaration in evidence fails to state that the declaration was objected to, at the time it was offered or introduced, on the ground that it was an opinion of the declarant. Consequently that ground of objection was insufficient to raise any question for decision on that point.

(c) The ease differs on its facts, as pointed out above, from Travelers Insurance Co. v. Sheppard, 85 Ga. 751 (7) (12 S. E. 18), and the ruling there made is not controlling in this case.

10. The court instructed the jury: “If you find from the evidence that some other person killed Coleman Osborn, as charged in the indictment, and that this defendant was present at the time aiding and abetting such other person in the commission of his unlawful act, and participating in his criminal intent, the defendant would be guilty.” Held:

[515]*515(а)

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Fortson v. State
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Black v. State
199 S.E. 810 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1938)
Pound v. State
178 S.E. 291 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1935)
Gibson v. State
174 S.E. 354 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1934)
Morris v. State
167 S.E. 509 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1933)
O'Neal v. State
158 S.E. 51 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1931)
Thompson v. State
144 S.E. 301 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1928)

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Bluebook (online)
143 S.E. 896, 166 Ga. 512, 1928 Ga. LEXIS 346, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thompson-v-state-ga-1928.