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People v. Wheeler

Supreme Court of California
Feb 19, 1884
65 Cal. 77 (Cal. 1884)

Summary

In People v. Wheeler, 65 Cal. 77, [2 P. 892], it was held not to be error when the district attorney said to defendant, "You sought this trouble with him and made a cowardly attack on him."

Summary of this case from People v. Foo

Opinion

         APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Modoc County, and from an order refusing a new trial.

         COUNSEL:

         J. J. May, and E. V. Spencer, for Appellant.

         Attorney-General Marshall, for Respondent.


         OPINION

          MORRISON, Judge

         The facts are stated in the opinion of the court and the headnotes.

         Defendant was tried on an information for the crime of an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to commit murder. Verdict of guilty as charged; motion for a new trial and denial thereof; appeal from judgment and order denying new trial. Numerous errors are assigned on this appeal, which will be briefly examined by the court.

         The first point is that there was error in the refusal to set aside the information. In our opinion the information was good and was filed in a proper case. There had been an examination and commitment of the defendant by a magistrate, and that was sufficient to authorize the district attorney to proceed against him by information. (Const. art. i., § 8.)          2. The second assignment is that there was error in summoning a jury. We do not think the objection well taken. The court made an order directing the clerk "to draw the names of thirty-five good and lawful men," to be summoned, etc. This was a substantial compliance with the law, and the jury was properly formed. (§§ 214, 215, Code Civ. Proc.)

         3. In the third place, it is claimed that there was misconduct on the part of the district attorney. The record fails to show any such misconduct as would justify this court in disturbing the judgment.

         4. The fourth objection, conceding that the same is well taken, is too slight and unimportant to call for a reversal of the judgment.

         5. The fifth point presents an objection to the charge of the court on the subject of insanity. In reference to this objection it is sufficient to say that there was no evidence that the defendant was insane.

         6. The last assignment of error challenges another part of the charge. The defendant was a witness on his own behalf, and the court told the jury that in weighing his evidence they must consider the circumstances under which he testified, being the defendant in the case, and having such important interests dependent upon the result of the case. There was no error in this part of the charge, and it was very properly given. ( People v. Morrow, 60 Cal. 146.)

         Judgment and orders affirmed.

         MYRICK, J., SHARPSTEIN, J., and THORNTON, J., concurred.


Summaries of

People v. Wheeler

Supreme Court of California
Feb 19, 1884
65 Cal. 77 (Cal. 1884)

In People v. Wheeler, 65 Cal. 77, [2 P. 892], it was held not to be error when the district attorney said to defendant, "You sought this trouble with him and made a cowardly attack on him."

Summary of this case from People v. Foo
Case details for

People v. Wheeler

Case Details

Full title:THE PEOPLE, RESPONDENT, v. JOHN J. WHEELER, APPELLANT

Court:Supreme Court of California

Date published: Feb 19, 1884

Citations

65 Cal. 77 (Cal. 1884)
2 P. 892

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