Case ID: sw_160/html/0353-02.html
Source: Caselaw Access Project
Author: {"author": "HARPER, J.", "license": "Public Domain", "url": "https://static.case.law/"}
Date Created: 2024-08-24T03:29:51.129683

McGILL v. STATE.
    (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas.
    Oct. 22, 1913.)
    1. Assault and Battery (§ 96)—Prosecu-tion—Instruction.
    In a prosecution for aggravated' assault upon a female, where defendant claimed that she invited the fondling of her person, his theory should be presented to the jury.
    [Ed. Note.—For other cases, see Assault and Battery, Cent. Dig. §§ 142-150; Dec. Dig. § 96.]
    
      2. Witnesses (§ 337*) — Credibility— Conviction — Remoteness.
    In a prosecution for aggravated assault upon a woman, evidence of the fact that accused had been convicted of an assault with intent to rape some 23 years before is too remote to affect his credibility.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, spe Witnesses, Cent. Dig-. §§ 1113, 1129-1132, 1140-1142, 1146-1148; Dec. Dig. § 337.]
    3. Criminal Daw (§ 1169*) — Review—Haemless Error.
    In a prosecution for aggravated assault upon a woman, where accused claimed that he acted with her consent, and there was evidence tending to show that fact, the improper admission of evidence of the fact that he had been convicted of an assault with intent to rape some 23 years previous is prejudicial.
    [Ed. Note. — For other cases, see Criminal Daw, Cent. Dig. §§ 754, 3088, 3130, 3137-3143; Dec. Dig. § 1169.*]
    Appeal from Johnson County Court; J. B. Haynes, Judge.
    Will McGill was convicted of aggravated assault, and he appeals.
    Reversed and remanded.
    R. S. Phillips, of Cleburne, for appellant. C. E. Dane, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State.
    
      
      For other cases see same topic and section NUMBER in Dec. Dig. & Am. Dig. Key-No. Series & Rep’r indexes
    
   HARPER, J.

Appellant was prosecuted and convicted of an aggravated assault, and his punishment assessed at two years’ confinement in the county jail, and a fine of $500.

If the testimony of the prosecuting witness presents the correct state of case, the punishment assessed is none too severe. However, appellant and his witnesses present an entirely different state of facts, and he has a right to have his theory of the case, based on' adequate testimony, presented to the jury. He testified the girl phoned for him to come, and that she went with him willingly. In this he is supported by several witnesses.. He testified she exposed her legs and asked him “how he liked that.” He admits placing his hands on her, but he says she did not object, but by her acts and conduct invited the fondling of her person. He requested the court to instruct the jury: “At the request of counsel for the defendant you are further instructed that if you believe from the evidence that the prosecuting witness, Dora Nickell, invited the defendant to visit her, at the time of the alleged assault, and that the defendant went to see her in response to said invitation, and that said prosecuting witness by her conduct toward and with the defendant was calculated to lead him to believe, and he did believe, that his visits and attentions to her were agreeable to the said prosecuting witness, and that he did not intend to do her any injury in person or to her feelings, without her consent, and if you have a reasonable doubt as to such facts, you will find the defendant not guilty.” This aptly presented his contention, and should have been given.

By another bill it appears that while appellant was testifying in Ms own behalf, on cross-examination, the county attorney asked him, “Is it not a fact that you were convicted of an assault with intent to rape in Hamilton county?”, to which question appellant, by his counsel, objected on the ground that such evidence was immaterial and irrelevant, and was too remote, as shown by the bill. The objection was overruled, and appellant answer, “Yes.” The evidence further shows that the conviction took place 23 years before this trial. It was too remote, and it was error to admit the testimony. The court, in approving the bill, states that when the fact that it had occurred 23 years prior to this trial was brought out, no motion was made to exclude the testimony. While, if the proper objection was not made, of course, no reversible error would be presented, but after such hurtful and harmful testimony had been admitted, the more careful the court should have been to have seen that the defensive theory was fully and aptly presented to the jury. That appellant was once convicted of assault to rape, no matter how remote, would necessarily under the facts of this case, have considerable bearing. His conduct was morally reprehensible, even though he had the young lady’s consent, but he committed no legal crime, if she invited him to take the trip, voluntarily went with him into the woods, and exhibited her limbs to him, for he went no further, according to the testimony of both, than to fondle her person. He says it was with her consent, she says it was not, and she makes out a plain case of aggravated assault. But, whether with or without her consent, he shows that they were caught by neighbors, and would insist that this is the reason for the prosecution. On another trial the court will not permit the county attorney to ask appellant if he had been convicted of assault to rape in Hamilton county, for it is now known that it is too remote to be admissible, and even the asking of such question would be very hurtful in this character of case.

The other matters assigned need not be discussed, but on account of the above errors the case is reversed and remanded.