Lead Opinion
The defendant, Bobby Bluejacket, was charged by information, tried by a jury and convicted of the crime of first degree manslaughter against the life of Bill Klein. The information alleged that the defendant, on May 29, 1948, shot Klein with a sawed-off shotgun inflicting upon him mortal wounds which tore away the back part of his head and killed him instantly. The jury
We have carefully examined the record and find that it presents one of the most pitiable and uncalled for altercations, resulting in Bill Klein’s death. It is pitiable because of the fact that it presents a tragic picture of misdirected youth, spending its energy in the counterfeit of youthful, gangdom. Two gangs fed by a loyalty wasted upon false idols. Idols exerting an unwholesome leadership over the weaker minds of the gang. One of these idols was Bobby Wilson, 20 years of age (a professional boxer of no mean ability), and apparently the leader of his gang. The other gang was led by Bill Klein, 21 years of age, the victim, an amateur wrestler whose breast was covered with medals of attainment in that field of sports. The defendant herein, Bobby Bluejacket, an Indian boy, was 18 years of age, the stooge to his gang leader, Wilson. Here, as in gangdom, wherever it may be.found, the leader is supposed to rule by braggadacio and bluff, except when unavailing, then he must be the master of force. In event of combat, he is supposed to be bestially brutal, commanding respect of the weaklings who follow him through fear, and demanding loyalty to the point of blind obedience. Bobby Wilson and Bill Klein had cast such roles of leadership for themselves, but they didn’t live up to their billing. They never rose above the level of bluff and spar. Instead it fell to a poor fatherless Indian boy to play the principal part in this tragedy. The record discloses that he possessed a blind loyalty and
The state produced an array of 16 witnesses, who testified substantially as follows : On Saturday afternoon before the killing on May 29, 1948, Charles Jackson was playing pool with Don Meeker, Bobby Bluejacket, the defendant, Bobby Wilson, and Larry Frazier came into the pool hall. Wilson asked Charley Jackson if he was a friend of Bill Klein, to which the reply was “I am a very good friend”, whereupon Wilson asked him “Will you take a message to him for me? Tell him there is a guy looking for him”, to which Jackson replied “Where will he find the guy”? To the question Jackson asked, Wilson said “out at the Rightway Rink tonight at 8 or 8:30 o’clock.” He was told to tell him not to bring a posse, someone would get hurt. Apparently, the message was conveyed to Bill Klein who the record reveals was of a pugnacious, overbearing, turbulent and violent disposition, given to fighting. Shortly afterwards Bluejacket, Wilson and Frazier met Herbert Spencer outside the pool hall and arranged for a sawed-off shotgun. They went to Spencer’s home and got the gun and brought it back. The gun was in three pieces wrapped up in paper, together with 4 shells. They brought Bluejacket back and let him out in front of the Rialto Theater. They then took the gun wrapped in a funnypaper to Wynn’s hamburger stand at Utica and Pine Streets in Tulsa, Okla. They left it with Mr. Whitehead, who placed it beneath the counter, we presume not knowing what the package contained. They then left and returned later. Frazier ask
The evidence offered on behalf of the defendant Bobby Bluejacket was produced by seven witnesses. In substance, it was that he had been reared by his mother and that he had never known his father. The record discloses that he had three brothers and one sister. It appears from the record at the age of 10 he had some juvenile trouble and was sent to the Pauls Yalley Training School. Shortly thereafter he was paroled, only to be sent back again. In 1945 he ran away and went to New York City at the age of 15. He lied about his age and registered for the draft and was inducted into the army. Shortly before that one of his older brothers, Dennis, was killed in Romania in the service of his country. His brother, Tommie, Avas captured in the Battle of the Bulge. Finally, when 16 years of age, his true age was discovered and he was discharged from the army. Later, with his mother’s consent he enlisted.
In connection Avith the killing herein invloved it appears that Bluejacket had been told about Bill Klein and Bill Klein’s many fights. It appears from the record that Klein was arrogant, quarrelsome and wanting to fight all the time, many times with boys smaller than he was,
On May 29 Bluejacket, who knew nothing of the Rod-rigues episode with Klein, went to Doc’s pool hall at Third and Boulder, where he met Bobby Wilson and Bud-die Wilson and Rafael Zuniga. From them he heard for
Such is the record from an evidentiary standpoint. In some particulars the evidence is conflicting, but the conflicts do not extend to any material points. In any event, it was the jury’s province to weigh the same and determine the defendant’s guilt or innocence. In considering the sufficiency of the evidence to support the jury’s verdict, the “Criminal Court of Appeals is limited to ascertaining whether there is a basis, in the evidence, on which jury can reasonably conclude' that defendant was guilty as charged”. Jackson v. State, 84 Okla. Cr. 138, 179 P. 2d 924, 926; Peterson v. State, 86 Okla. Cr. 302, 192 P. 2d 286, and numerous other cases to Same effect.
We have examined the instructions and find they present the defendant’s theory of his defense, and are otherwise in keeping with the law.
This case presents the hazards incident to membership in a gang, whether it be organized for crime or impulsively bred in undirected high school rivalries. Its temper is uncontrollable and its acts unpredictable. This is necessarily true because a gang insanely acts from impulse and not from reason. Its leadership is generally unblessed by wisdom and its methods seldom peaceable. Its bent is usually destruction and, as in the case at bar, sometimes not even short of death. Men, however, when faced with the temptations of a gang, find their powers of perception circumscribed and their wills watered down. It takes character and courage not. to be swept by the current of the gang, and its unworthy leadership. Unfortunately Bobby Bluejacket was not so disposed. Though intending only to play the role of stooge to the champion, he found himself suddenly cast in the principal role of the killer.
The record being free from prejudicial errors amounting to a denial of a fair and impartial trial, the judgment and sentence of the trial court is accordingly affirmed.
Rehearing
On Rehearing.
On petition for rehearing, having again reviewed the record herein, and in light of cases of a similar nature, Maloon v. State, 38 Okla. Cr. 34, 259 P. 173; Littleton v. State, 19 Okla. Cr. 461, 200 P. 716; Wing-
