Title: Shropshire v. State

State: indiana

Issuer: Indiana Supreme Court

Document:

279 N.E.2d 225 (1972)
James Edward SHROPSHIRE, Jr., Appellant,
v.
STATE of Indiana, Appellee.
No. 670S140.

Supreme Court of Indiana.
February 25, 1972.
Frank E. Spencer, Indianapolis, for appellant.
Theodore L. Sendak, Atty. Gen., Robert Zaban, Deputy Atty. Gen., for appellee.
DeBRULER, Justice.
The appellant was convicted by a jury of first degree burglary in the Criminal Court of Marion County. The evidence in this case indicates that a homeowner, returning to his home at approximately 8:00 p.m. one evening, surprised several men inside his house. The homeowner was armed with a revolver, and ordered the men to stop. In the ensuing confusion, several shots were fired, including two by the homeowner. Several people then emerged from the front door apparently carrying someone. The people who emerged from the inside of the house got away, and the witness could make no identifications. He testified that a TV and a rifle had been moved inside his house, and that he found blood on the rug and the chair near the door. Later the appellant was located in a hospital with a bullet wound in his leg. Ballistics tests indicated that the bullet taken from the appellant's leg came from the revolver of the homeowner in this case. The appellant took the stand in his own behalf and denied *226 any intention to burglarize the house, testifying that he and his friends were looking for someone who had cheated them out of some money.
The sole allegation of error in this case is that the cross examination of the appellant violated his due process rights and that the trial court erred in requiring the appellant to answer certain highly prejudicial questions. The prosecuting attorney questioned the defendant on cross examination as follows:
THE COURT: The answer is in the record. All right, go ahead.
Somewhat later in the cross examination, the following questions and answers appear:
Still later, when cross examining the appellant's mother, the following colloquy occurred:
The appellant here does not raise questions of guilt or innocence, but argues that he did not receive a fair trial. In this regard, it is well to recall the words of Justice Arterburn in Wasy v. State (1956), 236 Ind. 215, 138 N.E.2d 1, which are as relevant today as when they were written:
The appellant argues that the prosecuting attorney in this case violated his duty to avoid the use of unethical or inflammatory tactics in an attempt to convict an accused when he cross examined the accused in the above manner. We agree, and hold that the appellant was denied a fair and impartial trial in this case. Wasy v. State, supra. While it is true that when a defendant takes the witness stand the State may cross examine him concerning his credibility, it has always been clear that this attack on credibility is limited. Specifically, "the State is not permitted to inquire into specific acts of misconduct other than prior convictions." Hensley v. State (1971), Ind., 268 N.E.2d 90, 92, and, in addition, actual convictions in a juvenile court are inadmissible for impeachment purposes. I.C. 1971, XX-X-X-XX, being Burns § 9-3215; Woodley v. State (1949), 227 Ind. 407, 86 N.E.2d 529.
The State argues that the appellant has waived his objections to this cross examination by failing to object to the questions at the proper time. However, we do not find a waiver in this case where the appellant himself attempted to invoke the protection of the court in not answering the objectionable questions, and appellant's counsel did inject two objections which were ignored.
The judgment of the trial court is reversed and a new trial is ordered.
ARTERBURN, C.J., and GIVAN, HUNTER and PRENTICE, JJ., concur.