Case Title: State v. Carter

Citation: 275 P.2d 847, 58 N.M. 713

Docket Number: 

State: new-mexico

Court: New Mexico Supreme Court

Date: 1954-10-27T00:00:00Z

Document:
275 P.2d 847 (1954) 58 N.M. 713 STATE of New Mexico, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Henry CARTER, Defendant-Appellant. No. 5785. Supreme Court of New Mexico. October 27, 1954. Easley & Quinn, Hobbs, for appellant. Richard H. Robinson, Atty. Gen., Fred M. Standley, Walter R. Kegel, Asst. Attys. Gen., for appellee. COMPTON, Justice. Appellant was convicted by a jury of Lea County of having violated the provisions of § 61-1011, New Mexico Statutes Annotated, 1941 Compilation, and he appeals. The section in part reads: It is first contended the court erred in admitting in evidence appellant's confession made at the time of his arrest for the reason the corpus delicti of the offense charged had not been otherwise proven. It is a well settled rule that unless the corpus delicti of the offense charged has been otherwise established, a conviction cannot be sustained solely on the extra judicial confession of an accused. In the case before us, however, the evidence proves the commission of the offense charged independent of the confession. Appellant is the owner and proprietor of a cafe in Hobbs known as Cocoanut Grove. The corpus delicti of the offense charged is knowingly permitting the consumption of intoxicating liquor by appellant in his cafe without a license to do so. On the afternoon of October 23, 1950, two police officers, Palmer and Weathers, went to appellant's place as a routine checkup and what actually occurred at the time and place is well stated by officer Palmer and corroborated by Weathers. *848 By district attorney: The appellant, the two customers, also Pearline Stafford, the girl who was later found to be a waitress, were arrested at the time and place, and charged under the statute, after which all except appellant entered pleas of guilty. Incidentally, the beer served by the waitress was cold. Also on the outside of the building there were a lot of empty beer cans. While the presence of clearer proof would have been desirable, the facts and circumstances tend to prove that appellant had a guilty knowledge that intoxicating liquor was being consumed upon his premises. Moreover, appellant's confession being made at the time of his arrest and at the place where and when the liquor was consumed, was a part of the res gestae and for that reason was admissible. Riley v. State, 27 Ala.App. 376, 172 So. 680. It is next argued the court erred in admitting hearsay evidence. On cross-examination by the defense, the witness Palmer was interrogated about whether he had asked another girl in the cafe if she were involved in serving the beer. To understand the claimed error fully, it will be helpful to quote the testimony at length as well as the colloquy between court and counsel. By Mr. Quinn: Obviously, the answers were not altogether responsive, but no proper objection was made to the unresponsive testimony nor a ruling of the court invoked; nor did appellant move to strike it from the *850 record. Appellant's counsel merely stated that the State was attempting to get hearsay evidence before the jury. Such general statement was not sufficient to predicate error on appeal. Mitchell v. Allison, 54 N.M. 56, 213 P.2d 231. The failure to make a proper objection or move the exclusion of objectionable testimony once admitted, waives any question of error in its admission. State v. Jackson, 47 N.M. 415, 143 P.2d 875; State v. Shults, 43 N.M. 71, 85 P.2d 591; State v. Edwards, 54 N.M. 189, 217 P.2d 854; State v. Walker, 54 N.M. 302, 223 P.2d 943. The judgment will be affirmed, and It Is So Ordered. McGHEE, C.J., and SADLER, LUJAN, and SEYMOUR, JJ., concur.