Valentine v. State

98 So. 483, 19 Ala. App. 510, 1923 Ala. App. LEXIS 298
CourtAlabama Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 27, 1923
Docket8 Div. 974.
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 98 So. 483 (Valentine v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Alabama Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Valentine v. State, 98 So. 483, 19 Ala. App. 510, 1923 Ala. App. LEXIS 298 (Ala. Ct. App. 1923).

Opinion

FOSTER, J.

The appellant was indicted for murder in the first degree, and convicted of manslaughter in the first degree.

The evidence for the state was directed to showing that deceased’s'wife was a daughter of defendant’s stepmother, and was with her children at her mother’s home at the time of the fatal difficulty. Defendant and deceased rode in a car to the home of Mrs. Valentine, defendant’s stepmother, where he was a guest, and when the car was stopped a dispute arose between them about some whisky. An altercation occurred in which deceased struck defendant with his fist, and defendant secured a stick and thr'eatened to break deceased’s head with it. There was evidence that deceased’s brother, Charlie McGill, was holding deceased during this ‘difficulty, and that Charlie McGill went with the deceased (his brother) to deceased’s home, a short distance away. Deceased returned to Mrs. Valentine’s and called for his wife and children. There was evidence that defendant had made threats against the deceased, immediately following the first difficulty, and that when deceased returned to the home of Mrs. Valentine, and entered the house, defendant shot him with a shotgun, and death ensued immediately.

Defendant claimed that deceased came back to the house, threatened to kill him, entered the house with a pistol in his hand, and that defendant fired the fatal shot in self-defense.

The court properly sustained objection to the question propounded to Charlie McGill, on cross-examination by defendant’s counsel, "Vou were afraid ho (deceased) would shoot you, and you let him go?” A witness may not be allowed to testify to his mental status, alleging he was afraid one would shoot him. Witnesses áre not permitted to testify to their motive, belief, intention, or state of mind when secret and uncommunicated. Stewart v. State, 78 Ala. 436.

Objection was properly sustained to the following question: “Is it not. a fact that you said you were afraid he would shoot you and you let him go?” A predicate laid for the purpose of impeaching a witness by contradictory statements, must show the time, place, and to' whom of in whose presence the alleged statements were made, so as to identify the statements as those included in the predicate,- and to fully inform the witness of the particular statements in *513 quired about. McDaniel v. State, 166 Ala. 7, 52 South. 400; Southern Railway Co. v. Williams, 113 Ala. 620, 21 South. 328; 4 Mayfield’s Dig. p. 1198, par. 168.

The court properly sustained objection to the following question to the witness, Charlie McGill: “Is it not a fact that Will nearly tore your clothing off of you trying to gefi away?” The question called for the opinion of the witness that deceased was trying to get away from him. It is a general rule that a witness must state facts and cannot give his opinion as to their existence. 4 Michie’s Dig. p. 206, par. 285(1).

On cross-examination Mrs. McGill testified that she did not remember whether or not she said on the preliminary trial anything about whether defendant said he was going to break deceased’s neck with a stick. It was not error for the court to refuse to permit a repetition of the question and answer. Jones v. State, 181 Ala. 63, 61 South. 434; Louisville & Nashville B. R. Co. v. Dilburn, 178 Ala. 600, 59 South. 438: Dnited Order of Golden Cross v. Hooser. 160 Ala. 334, 49 South. 354; Braham v. State, 143 Ala. 28, 38 South. 919.

It was immaterial to any issue in the casé to show that the witness Mrs. McGill and her mother were undressed about the time of the fatal difficulty. To be admissible the evidence must be relevant to the issue. 1 Wharton, Cr. Ev. p. 24, § 24; Hadnot et al. v. State, 3 Ala. App. 102, 57 South. 383; McCormack v. State, 102 Ala. 156, 15 South. 438.

A general objection to the testimony of Mrs. McGill that she and McGill (deceased) were going to the water bucket just before the fatal shot was. fired presents no question for review here, as the evidence was not patently and palpably illegal or irrelevant. Washington v. State, 106 Ala. 58, 17 South. 546; Gunter v. State, 111 Ala. 23, 20 South. 632, 56 Am. St. Rep. 17; Nickerson v. State, 6 Ala. App. 27, 60 South. 446; McClellan v. State, 117 Ala. 140, 23 South. 653; Brooks v. State, 146 Ala. 153, 41 South. 156. The evidence whs so intimately connected with the time and place of the fatal difficulty as to constitute a part of the res gestee, and was admissible. 4 Michie’s Dig. p. 138, par. 214(2).

It was permissible for Mrs. Valentine to relate a conversation with the defendant occurring just prior to the fatal difficulty in which conversation the defendant threatened to kill the deceased. It was permissible for the witness to relate what she said to the defendant and what he said in reply. Evidence of the threat was admissible. Wims v. State, 90 Ala. 623, 8 South. 566; Barnes v. State, 88 Ala. 204, 7 South. 38, 16 Am. St. Rep. 48; Drake v. State, 110 Ala. 9, 20 South. 450; Lawrence v. State, 84 Ala. 424, 5 South. 33. The evidence was admissible as part of the res geste. L. & N. R. R. Co. v. Stewart, 128 Ala. 313, 29 South. 562; So. Ry. Co. v. Crowder, 130 Ala. 256, 30 South. 592.

It was competent for the state to show by Mrs. Valentine that she knew that the deceased did not have any weapon in his hand at the time he was killed. She was present and testified she saw .the hands of the deceased, and that he 'had nothing in them. She could further testify that she knew he had no weapon in his hands.

During the cross-examination of Mrs. Valentine by defendant’s counsel, the trial judge said:

“Mr. Simpson, you have been over that several times, and I am going to -see that this woman is treated fairly.”

Defendant’s counsel reserved exception to the remarks of the court, and the trial judge then said to the jury:

“That is not for your benefit, gentlemen of of the jury, and you will not consider it on making up your verdict. It is for the benefit of the gentlemen who is cross-examining this woman. She is a woman, and as long as I preside over the court, I am going to see that a woman is treated fairly. The whole cross-examination has been for the purpose of crossing and tangling her up.”

The remarks objected to were in effect withdrawn by the court in his instruction to the jury not to consider them. To the remarks of the court to the jury the defendant reserved no exception, and no question is presented for review here. Doby v. State, 15 Ala. App. 591, 74 South. 724; Woodson v. State, 170 Ala. 87, 54 South. 191.

Objection was interposed by the state, and sustained, to certain questions propounded by the defendant’s counsel to Harvey Clayton as to whether to the best of his knowledge it was Will McGill’s voice that he heard making certain statements. 'Latpr in his testimony the witness testified that to the best of his knowledge it was Will Mc-Gill’s voice. The defendant had full benefit of this testimony, and cannot Complain that , objection was sustained in the first instance.

It was competent for defendant’s counsel to ask Mrs.

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Bluebook (online)
98 So. 483, 19 Ala. App. 510, 1923 Ala. App. LEXIS 298, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/valentine-v-state-alactapp-1923.