202 N.W. 519 | Iowa | 1925
The first complaint of appellant is directed to the action of the trial court in overruling objections bearing on the competency of the prosecutrix as a witness.
The trial commenced October 15, 1923. The prosecutrix was the first witness called by the State; and before she was sworn, defendant challenged her competency, for the reason that the records in the office of the clerk of the 1. WITNESSES: district court of Johnson County, Iowa, show competency: that the "witness has been judicially declared duty of to be of unsound mind, and that she is a person court to of insufficient mental capacity to understand determine the nature of an oath." Defendant further mental requested that, "if there is evidence offered as competency. to the competency of the witness, that it be taken out of the presence of the jury." The following record was then made:
"The court: `All right, this will be taken out of the presence of the jury.' (Court and counsel retire from court room for a short time.) The court: `The objection is overruled.' Defendant excepts. Witness Blanche Holt at this time sworn by the court."
The record is silent that any evidence was taken by the court. Thereupon the defendant offered to identify the insane records in question by the clerk of the district court, and offered to show that the prosecuting witness, Blanche Holt, was judicially declared to be of unsound mind on April 11, 1923, and further offered in evidence page 475 of the "Insane Records of Johnson County." At this time, further objection was made to the swearing of the witness, for the reason that her competency, in the light of the record, had not been established, and that she is primafacie incapable of testifying as a witness. The State resisted both the offer and the objection, on the theory that the proffered testimony would be a part of the defense, and that: "It is offered at the wrong time." The objection of the defendant was overruled, and the objection of the State was sustained. Counsel for defendant then asked that "the witness be examined as to her competency, to determine the same, and that the same be not done in the presence of the jury." To this the State entered an objection, which was sustained; and the court *817 ordered that the examination take place in the presence of the jury.
I. Our statute provides that every human being of sufficient capacity to understand the obligation of an oath is a competent witness. Section 11254, Code of 1924. Both text and decision affirm that the competency of a witness is for the court, and not the jury, and ordinarily should be determined by the court before the witness is sworn. The rule is well stated in Commonwealth v.Reagan,
"Upon principle, and by an overwhelming weight of authority in England and in this country, we are satisfied that, when a witness is called, and it is objected that, by reason of insanity or youthfulness, he does not understand the nature of an oath, and is therefore incompetent, it is the duty of the judge to examine into the question of his competency, and to reject him unless he is satisfied that he is competent."
In State v. King,
"It may be the witness possessed the requisite capacity; but, if so, that fact should have been developed before receiving her testimony."
See, also, Birdwell v. United States,
The test is whether, at the time the witness is offered in the particular case, he understands and appreciates the obligation of an oath. State v. Yates,
"It is generally accepted that the fact that the witness is, at the time of testifying, or was shortly beforehand, a lawfulinmate of an asylum for mental disease or defect, or an adjudged lunatic or defective, makes it necessary that his capacity should be examined into, and an express finding appear." 1 Wigmore *818 on Evidence (2d Ed.), Section 497, page 917.
See State v. Cremeans,
Not only was the defendant precluded from making a showing of the incompetency of the witness at the initial stage of the proceeding, but he was also denied the right to have the witness examined on her voir dire before she was sworn. The rule of better practice recognizes that it is the privilege of the objector to have the witness tested in this manner. State v.Comeaux,
The charge of imbecility of the prosecutrix, as found in the indictment, did not in itself disqualify her as a witness, and appellant makes no such claim. The controlling question is the right of the defendant to have the competency of the witness tested and determined in the first instance by the court; as it is shown that the witness, when offered, was presumptively insane. Under such circumstances, the question should be determined by the court before the witness is sworn. It is the logical process, and sustained by well defined precedent. If the challenged witness passes the examination by the court, and is sworn, evidence of his mental capacity may be introduced, and considered by the jury, as bearing upon his credibility and his degree of intelligence. Ellarson v. Ellarson,
II. The defendant moved the court, upon the conclusion of the State's testimony, to require the State to elect the offense and date thereof upon which it would rely for a conviction. This motion was overruled, and defendant predicates 2. CRIMINAL reversible error thereon. Rape is not a LAW: trial: continuing offense, and the testimony of the reception of prosecuting witness discloses a number of acts evidence: of sexual intercourse between defendant and election prosecutrix. Evidence of these various acts of between intercourse is admissible; but it is the general acts. rule that the State is required to elect, on motion, upon which offense it will rely. State v. King,
III. Complaint is made of the admission of certain testimony over the objection of the defendant. The witness 3. CRIMINAL Violet Holt was permitted to state, over proper LAW: objection, that she had seen the defendant evidence: strike the prosecuting witness. She testified other that one night Blanche was sitting on the piano distinct stool, playing the piano, and that: offenses.
"He [defendant] had the rest of us believing, — I don't know whether it is true or not, — that he had told Blanche to stop playing. He knocked her down on the floor four times; and the next morning her eyes were bluish and her face was swollen."
This was a distinct offense, and not connected with or related to the charge in the indictment. It did not tend to prove any fact material to the case, and is not within any exception to the general rule that other and distinct offenses than that charged in the indictment are inadmissible.
For the reasons herein assigned, the judgment entered on the verdict is — Reversed.
All the justices concur in the result.
STEVENS, ARTHUR, and VERMILION, JJ., dissent as to Division III.