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Gaston v. StateGaston v. State

Mississippi Supreme Court
Mar 15, 1914
Reporters:
,
Before:
Reed
Reed, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Appellant was convicted on a charge of unlawfully selling intoxicating liquors, and as punishment therefor was sentenced to imprisonment ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‍in the county jail for six months.

We find that appellant was given a fair trial, that the court did not commit.any error in the trial, and that the verdict of guilty is supported by the evidence.

. The statute under which the indictment was returned is chapter‘214 of the Laws of ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‍1912. The’ punishment therein provided for the first conviction for an offense committed after the passage of the law is a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, and imprisonment in the county jail‘for not less than one week nor more than three months. ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‍If the conviction is for an offense under the statute committed after a conviction and punishment for a former offense thereunder, then the punishment is by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars, and by imprisonment in the county jail not less ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‍than sixty days nor more than six months.

In this case the indictment does not charge a former conviction of the offense. Appellant was charged, tried, and convicted as for a first offense. The court should not have sentenced appellant to imprisonment for six months. Under the statute, the imprisonment could ‍​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‍not have been for a longer term than three months.

*486The case is affirmed, and is remanded for the purpose only of resentencing appellant.

Affirmed and remanded.

Case Details

Case Name: Gaston v. State
Court Name: Mississippi Supreme Court
Date Published: Mar 15, 1914
Citations: 65 So. 563; 107 Miss. 484
Court Abbreviation: Miss.
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