183 P.2d 419 | Kan. | 1947
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Lawrence Liebeno was charged under G. S. 1935, 21-424, of forcibly ravishing a thirteen-year-old girl. A jury trial resulted in a verdict of guilty, as charged. The trial court overruled his motion for a new trial, and upon competent evidence found that defendant had twice previously been convicted of felony. The court sentenced him under G. S. 1945 Supp. 21-107a to confinement in our state penitentiary “for the period of his natural life, unless sooner released by competent authority.” Defendant has appealed.
The evidence which the triers of fact cannot be criticized for believing may be summarized briefly as follows: The girl was á student in the junior high school in Leavenworth. She lived with her
The matters were reported to the sheriff’s office at Leavenworth and an undersheriff took up the investigation. He talked with the girl and that evening had her go with him over the route defendant’s car had traveled. The investigation, was continued the next day by the sheriff’s force. Near the bridge one of them noticed tracks of an automobile and a truck, and- east of. the bridge again noticed
E. R. Edwards, sheriff of Wyandotte county, and his two deputies, Ray Wélty and W. R. Wilson, went to Leavenworth on April 5 and took the defendant to the sheriff’s office at Kansas City. On the way the sheriff asked defendant if he wanted to tell the sheriff
On reaching his office the sheriff obtained the services of the shorthand reporter of the county attorney’s office and told defendant he would like to have a statement of the facts for the records of his office. Defendant stated that he did not want to sign anything, and the sheriff told him he need not sign it. Answering questions propounded him by the sheriff he told the story of the offense substantially as1 the girl had told it to the officers of Leavenworth county and later on the witness stand, with the exception that defendant said the completed offense was not accomplished, that what he did was only an attempt to accomplish it. At Kansas City he made statements also to a newspaper reporter and to an assistant county attorney which were not taken in writing but were in accord with t,he statements which were taken by- the stenographer.
In this court appellant first contends that the verdict was contrary to the law and the evidence. There was a lengthy trial which began on July 10 and was completed July 17. Capable, experienced attorneys appeared on each side. No detail in presenting evidence or legal questions was overlooked. It would serve no useful purpose to go through this evidence at greater length than the general summary above stated.
Under this head counsel for appellant argues that no penetration was shown beyond a reasonable doubt. The point is not well taken. The girl’s specific testimony on that point is supported by the testimony of the osteopathic physician. The only thing in the evidence which tends to controvert it is contained in the statement of the defendant made to the sheriff of Wyandotte county. The weight to be given to this evidence was for the triers of fact.
Counsel for appellant also argues that the verdict was contrary to the law and evidence because defendant established an alibi. It-
Counsel for defendant argues it was error to permit the stenographer to read questions and answers propounded to defendant by the sheriff of Wyandotte county. When the transcript of the statement was offered in evidence it was objected to as having been obtained by threats which amounted to duress. Preliminary to the ruling upon the objection the court, in the absence of the jury, heard evidence as to the circumstances under which the statement was made. This disclosed no threats or duress. The state did not use the transcript of the testimony, but called the stenographer and had her read from her notes. Testifying in his own behalf the defendant admitted that the questions were propounded to him by the sheriff and that he made the answers as read by the stenographer from her ■notes. His testimony was that the answers he made were not true and that he made them because the sheriff had told him that if he did not answer the questions he, the sheriff, would send for defendant’s wife and for a- Mr. Wycoff, and that he did not want them brought in and questioned. The triers of fact had a right to, and no doubt did, consider his testimony in that regard and all the other testimony bearing upon the question. The testimony of the stenographer was rightfully received. '
Counsel for defendant contends that it was improper to receive the testimony of the osteopathic physician for the reason that a regular medical physician should have been called. The point is not well taken. The witness testified that he had been graduated from the osteopathic college in Kansas City in 1910 and duly licensed to practice osteopathy by the State Board of Osteopaths; that in the school the study of anatomy was stressed and that this included the study of female as well as male anatomy; that he had practiced his profession in Leavenworth for 36 years, the principal portion of his practice being obstetrics, which included the examination of the vaginal tract of female patients. The weight of his testimony was, of course, for the triers of fact. We think the court Correctly ruled him competent to testify.
Counsel for appellant has mentioned in his brief several rulings of the court upon the admission of evidence which he thinks are subject to criticism. We have examined all of those and what counsel has said about them and find that they are. trivial in the extreme and do not need special treatment in this opinion.
We find no error in the record. The judgment of the court below is affirmed.