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Griffin v. StateGriffin v. State

Supreme Court of Alabama
Nov 15, 1900
Reporters:
Before:
Sharpe
SHARPE, J.

Where a written instrument is only a collateral incident to the matter in ‍‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍issue, and its existence rather than its contents is the matter desired to be proved, the rule which in general -requires the production of the writing as ‍‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍the best evidence of its contents is not applicable.—1 Green. on Ev., § 89; Allen v. State, 79 Ala. 34. Of this class were the writs in attachment and detinue ‍‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍mentioned in testimony adduced by the State. Here the question was not of the authority of the officer, for the defendant was not charged with unlawfully ‍‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍resisting such authority. It was merely whether the defendant was guilty of an assault with intent to murder, an offense involving-malice and vicious acts on which those ‍‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‍writs had no direct connection or bearing.

There is no error in the record.

Judgment affirmed.

Case Details

Case Name: Griffin v. State
Court Name: Supreme Court of Alabama
Date Published: Nov 15, 1900
Citation: 129 Ala. 92
Court Abbreviation: Ala.
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