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Commonwealth v. BentleyCommonwealth v. Bentley

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Oct 15, 1867
Reporters:
By the Court.

There was sufficient evidence of the identity of the liquor Which ‍​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‍was subjected to a chemical analysis, to be submitted to the jury. The objection goes to the weight, not to the competency of the ‍​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‍evidence, and cannot avail the defendant on exceptions. It does not appear that any erroneous instructions were given to the jury.

On the same ground, ‍​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‍the objection to the details of the analysis must be overruled. In any view of the evidence, the liquor seized was beer, and contained ‍​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‍some alcohol. The acetous fermentation, which would operate to turn it into vinegar, had not taken place when the analysis was made. This evidence ‍​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​​‌‍was therefore material and relevant to the issue, and was rightly admitted. Exceptions overruled.

Case Details

Case Name: Commonwealth v. Bentley
Court Name: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Date Published: Oct 15, 1867
Citation: 97 Mass. 551
Court Abbreviation: Mass.
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