Walker v. State

1951 OK CR 9, 226 P.2d 998, 93 Okla. Crim. 251, 1951 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 211
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 17, 1951
DocketA-11246
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 1951 OK CR 9 (Walker 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
Walker v. State, 1951 OK CR 9, 226 P.2d 998, 93 Okla. Crim. 251, 1951 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 211 (Okla. Ct. App. 1951).

Opinion

BRETT, P. J.

Tbe plaintiff in error Carl Walker, defendant below, was charged in tbe district court of Kiowa county, Oklahoma, by information, with the crime of grand larceny of two turkeys. Tbe crime was alleged to have been committed on or about September 15, 1948. In substance, the information charged tbe defendant, Carl Walker, and Jack Walker, jointly, with unlawfully, willfully, wrongfully, intentionally, and feloniously, by stealth and fraud, taking, stealing and carrying away without the permission and consent of Lahoma Hicks, owner of said turkeys; and that said turkeys were taken with the felonious intent on the part of the said Walker to convert the same to his own use and benefit. A severance was granted' Carl Walker and he was tried by a jury. The jury returned a verdict of guilty and fixed defendant Carl Walker’s punishment at a fine of $75.

The record discloses that about 5:30 p. m., on the day of the alleged crime, the defendant, his brother Jack Walker, and J. N. Parsons, purchased some shotgun shells from a Mr. Brewer, a hardware dealer, for the purpose of going hunting. Thereafter it appears that they drove out on the highway east of Mountain Park, Oklahoma. The defendant, Carl Walker, placed himself out on the left front fender in order that he might better ascertain the presence of game and be in a better position to shoot the same. The record discloses that he was supposed *253 to have shot at some scissortails, sparrows, and rabbits on the way. It is interesting to note, however, proof on this point is not at all convincing. Only the parties involved testified to snch shooting. No other persons along the highway were brought in to testify to snch. It appears further that Albert and Lahoma Hicks lived about two and a half miles east of Mountain Park. When the defendant reached a point about a half mile from the Hicks home and nearly to Jesse Bates’ place, the defendant fired three shots into a drove of turkeys belonging to Mrs. Hicks just inside of the fence on the Hicks farm. Mrs. Hicks said that more than three of the turkeys were missing. The defendant admitted shooting two of Mrs. Hicks’ turkeys, going over the fence and getting the turkeys. It appears that Jesse Bates, attracted by the shooting, saw the defendant pick up the turkeys and take them to his car. In this defense witnesses Jack Walker and J. N. Parsons corroborate Bates. The defendant first denied any knowledge of “any damned turkeys,” then he admitted to Sheriff E. O. Peters and Assistant County Attorney Cunningham he shot the turkeys and. put them in the back of his car. In addition, Sheriff Peters said there were blood and turkey feathers in the turtle-back of the defendant’s car. Moreover, Mrs. Hicks saw the defendant, who was an old acquaintance, drive by as she was proceeding to the scene of the shooting, and recognized him as one of the persons involved in the shooting of the turkeys. The defendant, she said, waved at her as he went by.

The defendant offered as a defense that he was drunk and was not responsible for his acts. He said he remembered shooting the turkeys and getting them but did not remember putting them in the back of his automobile. He further testified he offered to pay the damages by *254 reason of the killing of tbe turkeys. This be offered to do, tbougb not bimself, but through other parties. He said he had never been convicted of a crime. He said he was in the grocery business, but that he did not sell or eat the turkeys or anything like that, but he did not tell what disposition was made of the turkeys. It appears he first denied shooting the turkeys when confronted by Mr. Peters, the sheriff, and admitted it only after J. N. Parsons admonished him he had better admit it or he would get them all in trouble. On the issue of his intoxication Mr. J. N. Brewer, hardware dealer, who sold the defendant the shotgun shells, testified the defendant appeared sober at the time the purchase of the shells was made. The defendant himself said that after purchasing the shells he went by home and took a drink of liquor, leaving immediately thereafter for the hunting excursion which lasted only about 30 minutes. No one saw him take a drink. Hence in this he was not corroborated. J. N. Parsons said he thought the defendant was pretty well intoxicated when he shot the turkeys but did not testify, however, that he was so intoxicated he was unable to appreciate the nature of his act. The defendant’s brother Jack Walker testified in substance as to whether Carl Walker was drunk, “I think he was. I am pretty sure he was”. It is important that neither of these witnesses testified the defendant was so drunk he did not know what he was doing or that he was in what amounted to an unconscious state of mind. The defendant himself admitted a clear recollection as to all the essential elements necessary to a completed act of the larceny of the turkeys. He testified he did not remember putting the turkeys in the turtleback of the car. The evidence that he put the turkeys in the turtle-back of the car in no way constituted an element of the *255 larceny of tbe turkeys. Tbe act of tbe larceny bad been completed at tbe time they were placed in tbe back of tbe car. Tbe defendant’s evidence as to bis not knowing wbat be was doing is certainly not convincing. It does not support bis claim of drunkenness to tbe point of irresponsibility or unconsciousness. Moreover, bis first denial of not knowing anything about “any damned turkeys,” and then his admission that be shot and took them, weakens bis claim of lack of responsibility and of intent. This combined with tbe fact he concealed tbe turkeys and disposed of them without an offer to restore them was evidence from which tbe jury could draw the conclusion of intent to appropriate tbe turkeys to be his own use and benefit. It is well to note, also, that only after this prosecution was instituted tbe defendant through other parties offered to make restitution by payment of damages in tbe loss of tbe turkeys. At no time did be ever account for the disposition of tbe turkeys. His failure so to do is a further cloud upon bis defense. It is apparent that neither tbe facts nor tbe circumstances support tbe defendant’s contention of drunkenness to tbe point of unconsciousness of what he was doing at tbe time. Such is the factual situation of tbe case. Tbe prosecution was brought under the provisions of Title 21, § 1719, O.S.A. 1941, reading in part as follows., to wit:

“Every person who shall take, steal and carry away any domestic fowl, or fowls, * * * shall be guilty of grand larceny, regardless of the value thereof, and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in tbe penitentiary not exceeding five years, or by fine not exceeding two hundred dollars, or by confinement in tbe county jail not exceeding two months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.”

*256 The defendant assigns as Ms principal contention the refusal of the trial court to give his requested instructions Nos. 1, 2 and 3. The said instructions are as follows, to wit:

“1. You are instructed that the intention on the part of the defendant to steal in the commission of the act charged is the gist of the crime of larceny and must be proved by the state. A person who from drunkedness

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Related

Gower v. State
1956 OK CR 49 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1956)
Holt v. State
1955 OK CR 2 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1955)
Ryan v. State
258 P.2d 1208 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1953)
Walker v. State
1950 OK CR 118 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1950)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1951 OK CR 9, 226 P.2d 998, 93 Okla. Crim. 251, 1951 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 211, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/walker-v-state-oklacrimapp-1951.