Title: State v. Key

State: north-carolina

Issuer: North Carolina Supreme Court

Document:

102 S.E.2d 844 (1958) 248 N.C. 246 STATE v. Robert (Bob) KEY. No. 362. Supreme Court of North Carolina. April 16, 1958. *845 George B. Patton, Atty. Gen., Claude L. Love, Asst. Atty. Gen., for the State. Julius A. Rousseau, Jr., J. H. Whicker, Sr., North Wilkesboro, for defendant, appellant. HIGGINS, Justice. The evidence made out a case for the jury. Motions for a directed verdict were properly denied. The evidence of the mother of the prosecuting witness was admissible for purpose of corroboration. The defendant's assignment of error No. 10 involves the following part of the court's charge: The defendant especially objects to that part of the charge which states in substance that the court and jury may judicially notice that the normal period of gestation is seven, eight, nine, nine and onehalf, or ten months. In support of the objection the defendant cites the case of State v. Forte, 222 N.C. 537, 23 S.E.2d 842, 844: "And it is a matter of common knowledge that the term of pregnancy is ten lunar months, or 280 days." The evidence is to the effect the defendant had intercourse with the prosecutrix one time. She fixed the date of this act as November 1, 1956, immediately changed to November 1, 1955, and, another time in her testimony said the act occurred in November, 1955. She testified that was her only act of intercourse with any person. The defendant testified that he never, at any time, had intercourse with the prosecuting witness. The jury resolved the sharply conflicting evidence against the defendant. No doubt, his admission on cross-examination weighed heavily against him and induced the jury to find for the State. So unusual it is for a married man to go to the home of a 16-year-old girl whom he had seen only twice before to present her a wrist watch as a Christmas present that the jury failed to believe his story. In view of the evidence in the case, the court's charge is not deemed prejudicial. The record fails to disclose any valid reason why the verdict and judgment should be disturbed. No error.