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Commonwealth v. OaksCommonwealth v. Oaks

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Sep 15, 1873
Reporters:
Before:
Colt
Colt, J.

The whole of the instructions given to the jury are not reported. We are- ‍​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‍to presume that a correct definition of the offence charged was given. An indictment for a public nuisance by uttering loud cries and exclamations in a public street must allege ‍​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‍that it was to the great damage and common nuisance of all the citizens of the Commonwealth there being. This is the technical description, but the proof need not ‍​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‍be as broad as the allegation. It is sufficient- if the acts proved are of such a nature as tend to annoy all good citizens, and do in fact ‍​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‍annoy any one present and not favoring them. The instructions asked could not have been properly given; and the instruction given, accompanied as it must have been with a correct ‍​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‍definition of the offence, could not have misled the jury. Commonwealth v. Smith, 6 Cush. 80. Commonwealth v. Harris, 101 Mass. 29.

Exceptions overruled.

Case Details

Case Name: Commonwealth v. Oaks
Court Name: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Date Published: Sep 15, 1873
Citation: 113 Mass. 8
Court Abbreviation: Mass.
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