Case ID: dc_1/html/0548-01.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "The Court,", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

United States v. Bladen.
    
    If the mortal stroke be given in Alexandria, and the death happen in Maryland, this Court has not jurisdiction of the offence as a homicide, but has jurisdiction of the assault and battery.
    Indictment for manslaughter. The right of peremptory challenge was allowed.
    
      The mortal blow was given in Alexandria, the death happened in St. Mary’s county, in Maryland.
    
      Mr. E. J. Lee, and Mr. R. J. Taylor, for the prisoner,
    contended that the crime was not punishable here, and cited 1 East, C. L. 361; 1 Hawk. c. 31, § 12,13 ; Virginia Law of 29th November, 1792, e. 73, § 16, p. 104.
    
      Mr. Jones, for the United States.
    There is no evidence of the defect of the common law, but the recital of the Statute of 2 and 3 Edw. 6, c. 24. And the common law was not as recited in that act. The Statute of Virginia was made to repeal the Statute of Edward, which was then in force in Virginia, and is not confined to counties in the State of Virginia, but speaks of contracts generally. The Statute of Virginia is no evidence that the common law was defective; it was a substitute for the Statute of Edw. 6.
    The Statute of Virginia speaks of any county, in Virginia, or elsewhere, as in the statute respecting conveyances. Virginia Law of 13th December, 1792, c. 90, <§> 5, p. 157, and 25th December, 1794, c. 179, <5- 1, p. 327.
    The counsel agreed to save the point of law.
    Verdict, guilty.
   The Court,

upon consideration of the point reserved, was of opinion that as the death happened in St. Mary’s county, in Maryland, although the fatal stroke was given here, the judgment must be for the prisoner, the offence not being complete within our jurisdiction. Heydon’s case, 4 Co. 41, (a) ; Horne v. Ogle, 4 Co. 42, (b); 2 Inst. 318, 320; 3 Inst. 48, 49, 73.

The prisoner being also indicted for an assault and battery, was bound over to appear to answer to that indictment, and in the mean time to be of good behavior.