Thе appellant, Larry Douglas Childers, was indicted for murder and was convicted for the manslaughter of Jerry Wayne Collins. He was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment, was fined $10,000, and was ordered to pay $10,000 to the victims' compensation fund. In addition, he was оrdered to pay the victim's hospital, doctor, and medical bills, and to pay court costs. The appellant raises five issues on this appeal from that conviction.
The killing in this case was the result of an altercation that arose between the appellant and the deceased at the Wagon Wheel lounge in Muscle Shoals on the night of Saturday, September 29, 1990. The appellant was charged with the murder of the deceased "by shooting him with a pistol." The deceased sustained four "non-survivable" gunshot wounds. The defense was self defense.
On cross-examination of State's witness Muscle Shoals Police Captain David Bradford, defense counsel elicited the facts that the appellant had a "valid and existing pistol permit" issued by the county sheriff and a "valid federal firearms license" (federal license to engage in business as a dealer in firearms). R. 1101-02. Copies of the pistol permit and of the federal firearms license were admittеd into evidence without objection.
On redirect examination of Captain Bradford, the State introduced the city ordinance prohibiting the possession of a firearm "upon the premises of an [sic] business establishment maintaining a lounge retail liquor license." Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Ordinance 1036, § 5 (December 6, 1983), R. 65. Section (5)(a) of that ordinance provides: "It shall be no defense to the offenses listed in section (5) hereinabove that a person has a valid permit to carry a pistol issued by the Sheriff of Colbert County, Alabama, . . . or any other governmental authority within or without the State of Alabama."
On this appeal the appellant argues that the city ordinance is invalid because it conflicts with Article I, § 26, of the Alabama Constitution of 1901 which provides, "That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state." However, the issue of the constitutionality of the ordinance was not presented to the trial court. At trial, the stated ground of the objection was relevance:
*352"And we object. It's illegal, irrelevant, immaterial, prejudicial. The proper predicate is not laid. It has no relevance to the issues in this case because it is contrary to existing State law and does not direct any quеstion as to whether or not it would effect the federal gun license that's been received into evidence.
"It has no probative value. It's prejudicial to the defendant and injects an issue into the evidence to confuse the jury on an issue that is clear by the applicable law that he had a right to possess a firearm at the time." R. 1119-20.
"The statement of specific grounds of objection waives all grounds not specified, and the trial court will not be put in error on grounds not assigned at trial." Ex parteFrith,
Furthermore, the argument is without merit even had it been properly preserved for review. See State v. Dees,
Under the liberal test of relevance in Alabama, "a fact is admissible if it has any probative value, however slight, upon a matter in the case." C. Gamble, McElroy's AlabamaEvidence § 21.01 at 34 (4th ed. 1991). Here, it was proper for the appellant to introduce evidence that he was authorized to carry a pistol. See Pattillo v. State,
Where one party introduces a subject into evidence, that party should not be heard to complain when the other party introduces similar evidence in rebuttal. Cross v.State,
The threat made by the appellant was that he "ought to have shot them son-of-a-bitches." R. 903. Although this thrеat did not identify the deceased by name, the testimony provides a reasonable inference that the deceased was included in the class described by the appellant. "Although the victim is not named in the threat, if the evidence of other circumstances warrants an inference that it was directed against the victim or a class of which the victim was a member, then the threat is admissible." McElroy's at § 44.02(1).
The issue of restitution was not mеntioned until the trial court sentenced the appellant to 20 years' imprisonment and stated:
"You are further ordered to pay the Victims Compensation Assessment of $10,000, and you are further fined $10,000, and you are further ordered to pay the restitution for all hospital, medical and doctor bills that are set out in the report, and the court costs. I have read the report and everything that is contained therein. . . ." R. 1306.
No objection was made to the amount of or the manner in which restitution was awarded at that time. However, in the appellant's motion for new trial objection was made to both the amount of and the manner in which restitution was ordered. The trial court denied that motion without comment.
While the objection to the ordеred restitution was untimely, we are reluctant to summarily dismiss this issue on the ground that it was not preserved for appellate review as argued by the State. First, objection to the matter of restitution does appear in the record. In Ex parte Clare,
Second, there must be some "judicial determination" of the amount of restitution, and such a fact-finding determination cannot be delegated to a probation officer. See UnitedStates v. Weichert,
Third, the trial cоurt never specified the exact amount of restitution imposed other than by reference to the "investigation report."
Fourth, we note that a proper order of restitution is legally enforceable, must be made a condition of parole, and the failure to make restitution may be a basis for parole revocation. Ala. Code 1975, §
Fifth, a remand at this time will foreclose possible issues presented in any collateral attack on the matter of restitution in the future.
Sixth, and finally, is Henry v. State,
For all of these reasons and in an abundance of caution, this case is remanded to the trial court with instructions that, unless the parties agree upon the amount of restitution, seeHumber v. State,
The evidence is sufficient to support the appellant's conviction for manslaughter and the verdict of the jury is justified.
This cause is remanded to the trial court for the reasons stated in Part IV of this opinion.
REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS.
All Judges concur.
