Case Title: Cline v. State

Citation: 319 S.W.2d 227

Docket Number: 

State: tennessee

Court: Tennessee Supreme Court

Date: 1958-12-12T00:00:00Z

Document:
319 S.W.2d 227 (1958) Edward CLINE v. STATE of Tennessee. Supreme Court of Tennessee. December 12, 1958. *228 Sidney Davis, Clinton, for plaintiff in error. James M. Glasgow, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State. NEIL, Chief Justice. This is an appeal from a conviction of a conspiracy to dynamite and destroy the Clinton High School at Clinton, Tennessee, the punishment fixed by the jury being from two to ten years in the State penitentiary. The indictment charges that on or about October 13, 1957, Clifford Lowe, Avon Nolan and Edward Cline did "unlawfully, intentionally, willfully, and feloniously enter into an agreement to commit an illegal act or acts capable of producing conditions destructive of life or property by the possession or transportation or use of explosives, dynamite, and for the illegal purpose of destroying the Clinton High School by an explosion or explosions of an illegal nature in violation of Code Section 39-1407 of the Tennessee Code Annotated". The aforesaid indictment was returned on January 29, 1958, in the Criminal Court of Anderson County. The defendants and each of them entered a plea of not guilty. The District Attorney General, however, by permission of the court, entered a nolle prosequi as to the defendant Nolan, and that "he go hence and for nothing held." Thereupon the defendants, Clifford Lowe and Edward Cline, were put to trial upon the indictment which resulted in a verdict of not guilty as to Lowe and a verdict of *229 guilty as to Cline with his punishment fixed as above stated. The defendant was ably represented by counsel, who has filed the following assignments of error with a supporting brief: The bill of exceptions is in narrative form, which was approved by the trial judge and the District Attorney General. The defendant's counsel state at the outset, "The defendant, Edward Cline, had no funds with which to properly defend himself and the evidence was not transcribed by a court reporter." We accept this as true since it is not controverted by opposing counsel. But we are fully satisfied that the record contains an adequate bill of exceptions. Moreover, there is no contention made by the counsel that it is inadequate. It is our well considered opinion that when the trial judge certifies a record to this Court which contains a narrative of the evidence we will hold the same to be adequate to protect all legal rights of a defendant unless the record affirmatively shows that the trial judge abused his authority, or was grossly negligent, in so certifying the record. Considering the evidence in support of the State's case against Cline, it appears without dispute that during the month of September 1957, which was prior to the indictment, the defendants were seen in Clinton associating together on different occasions. The defendant Nolan, whose case was dismissed on motion of the State to enter a nolle prosequi, testified as a witness for the State. We will later on state the substance of his testimony. Sheriff Glad Woodward testified to the following facts: On cross examination Sheriff Woodward testified, as follows: The testimony of Avon Nolan is as follows: On cross examination he testified "that he turned State's evidence because he wanted to do so and that he had not been promised a reward or leniency for doing so." He admitted that he along with Clifford Lowe broke ino Lindseys Store. The next State's witness, one Eugene Enix, testified to the following: One Lester Nation testified that he lived in Cline's home for a year and that at no time did Cline, Clifford Lowe and Avon Nolan bring any dynamite to Cline's home; that Cline, Lowe and Nolan were at his home on several occasions and came and went in Cline's car. The defendant Cline did not testify. His codefendant, Clifford Lowe, testified he was well acquainted with Avon Nolan and Edward Cline. We was positive that he had never talked to Cline and Nolan about blowing up the Clinton High School; that he had no knowledge of any dynamite being stored near the Clinch River Bridge and did not bring any dynamite to Cline's home. Further testifying he said: We have thus quoted at length the testimony of all witnesses who knew anything about the case exactly as the same appears in the bill of exceptions. The jury accredited the testimony of Sheriff Woodward, Avon Nolan and the witness Enix. We think the evidence supports the charge of a conspiracy even though Lowe was acquitted by the jury, and Nolan was permitted his freedom from prosecution by reason of a nolle prosequi. It is earnestly and ably argued by defendant's counsel that Edward Cline's conviction cannot stand because of the foregoing facts, i.e. the acquittal of his alleged co-conspirator, Lowe, and the lack of any evidence showing any overt act on his part in furtherance of the conspiracy. In further support of the first assignment of error that there is no evidence to sustain the conviction it is argued that Avon Nolan "testified that he did not ever agree to help destroy Clinton High School with explosives" and that in order to prove a criminal conspiracy there must be a combination of two or more persons to do that which is contrary to law, citing Delaney v. State, 164 Tenn. 432, 51 S.W.2d 485, 487. It is further argued, "when only two are charged with a conspiracy, and one is acquitted, the conviction of the other is void." We think the fallacy in the foregoing contention is that three persons, including the defendant Cline, were on trial. Only one was acquitted, to-wit, Clifford Lowe. Avon Nolan, who was charged with being one of the conspirators was not acquitted as heretofore pointed out. We thus distinguish the Delaney case from the case at bar. It must be conceded that under the authority of Delaney v. State, supra, that had the jury acquitted both Nolan and Lowe the case against Cline as a joint conspirator would wholly fail. 12 C.J., pp. 616, 617, "Conspiracy", Sections 190 and 191; 15 C.J.S. Conspiracy § 82. The test of Cline's guilt depends upon the effect of the nolle prosequi taken by the State as to Avon Nolan. The proper rule applicable to the case at bar is thus stated: See also annotations in 72 A.L.R. 1180, and 97 A.L.R. 1312, which support the text. We deem it unnecessary to define a criminal conspiracy at common law. Indeed it is difficult to define as adequate to every situation. The authorities, however, are generally in accord that, "A conspiracy once formed, continues to exist until consummated, abandoned, or otherwise terminated by some affirmative act." 15 C.J.S. Conspiracy § 35, p. 1057. While mere knowledge by one alleged conspirator that an unlawful act has been agreed upon, and without participation does not make one a conspirator, yet, "If there is concert of design there need not be participation in every detail of its execution, or knowledge of the scope of the conspiracy." 15 C.J.S. Conspiracy § 40, p. 1062. Contention is made that there is no proof of any overt act by the defendant Cline, and in the absence thereof no crime has been committed. The foregoing common law rule is modified by Section 39-1102, T.C.A., as follows: We think a proper construction of the foregoing Section of the Code when applied to the case at bar requires some evidence of an overt act to sustain the charge of a criminal conspiracy to destroy the Clinton High School by the use of dynamite or other similar explosives. We think that the evidence when considered as a whole sustains the charge, and that the essential element of an overt act by Avon Nolan and the defendant Cline is sufficiently shown. There are cases almost without number dealing with the question of "overt acts" and what constitutes an "overt act" when such an act is an essential element in a particular crime. A number of cases are cited in 30 Words and Phrases, Overt Act, p. 580, from which we quote: We find conclusive evidence of an overt act by the defendant Cline in his unexplained possession of dynamite in large quantities. His possession was unlawful according to the statutes of Tennessee. Moreover, he had made a statement that he had been offered $1,000 to blow up the Clinton Schoolhouse. We are justified in the conclusion that he had thus made preparation for carrying out the criminal conspiracy with his co-defendants. While it is true that Avon Nolan stated "he did not tell Cline he would help", yet he admits that he acted in furtherance of the design by helping Cline to load 156 sticks of dynamite into the latter's automobile and transferred it to his (Cline's) home, knowing the purpose for which it was to be used. The assignments of error are overruled, and the judgment of the trial court is affirmed.