Case Name: Hill v. The State
Court: Court of Appeals of Georgia
Jurisdiction: Georgia
Decision Date: 1925-11-10
Citations: 34 Ga. App. 514
Docket Number: 16732
Parties: Hill v. The State.
Judges: Luke and Bloodworth, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Georgia Appeals Reports
Volume: 34
Pages: 514–514

Head Matter:
16732.
Hill v. The State.
Decided November 10, 1925.
M. J. Head, Smith & Watson, for plaintiff in error.
E. S. Griffith, solicitor-general, contra.

Opinion:
Broyles, C. J.
Upon the trial of this case and while the solicitor-general
was making the concluding argument to the jury he used the following words: "I had no idea that they would put the character of such a man as Luther Hill [the accused] in evidence. If I had, I would have had twenty men here to prove his character by." Counsel for the defendant promptly moved for a mistrial, on the grounds that the statement was unauthorized by the evidence and was highly prejudicial to the accused. The court denied the motion, and failed to rebuke the solicitor-general or to instruct the jury not to consider the statement, and the statement was not withdrawn by the solicitor-general. Held: The refusal to declare a mistrial was reversible error, and the court therefore erred in overruling the motion for a new trial.
Judgment reversed.
Luke and Bloodworth, JJ., concur.