Harvey v. State

Nov 30, 1942
No. 35076.
Reporters:
, ,
Before:
Roberds
Roberds, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Appellant was indicted for murder, and convicted and ‍‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‍sentenced for manslaughter. He was the only eyewitness. According to his testimony the shooting was accidental. His version is reasonable and he is not substantially contradicted in ‍‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‍material particulars by any other witness nor by physical facts or facts of common knowledge. Oh this record he was entitled to a directed verdict of acquittal ‍‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‍(Weathersby v. State, 165 Miss. 207, 147 So. 481; Thornton v. State, 178 Miss. 304, 170 So. 541), but we cannot discharge him because no request for such verdict was made ‍‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‍in the trial court.

*563 In case of retrial evidence of a prior difficulty between tbe parties, under the circumstances shown in this record, would be incompetent. Collier v. ‍‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‍State, 106 Miss. 613, 64 So. 373; Floyd v. State, 166 Miss. 15, 148 So. 226.

Eeversed and remanded.