Case Name: STATE vs. SAMUEL THAWLEY
Court: Delaware Court of General Sessions
Jurisdiction: Delaware
Decision Date: 1845-04
Citations: 4 Harr. 562
Docket Number: 
Parties: STATE vs. SAMUEL THAWLEY.
Judges: 
Reporter: Delaware Reports
Volume: 4
Pages: 562–563

Head Matter:
STATE vs. SAMUEL THAWLEY.
.Dying declarations; when admissible.
The state of the deceased's health at the time of the injury, is evidence.
His character as a violent man, is not evidence.
Kent,
April term, 1845.
Indictment, murder of Waitman Vickery.
The deceased lived about nine days after receiving a blow on the head from the defendant. On the day he was struck, and every day afterwards, until he became insensible, he said he should die. His declarations as to the cause and extent of the injury were offered and objected to, as not being made under the perfect conviction of a dying state; and as not being competent to prove that the blow was the cause of death.

Opinion:
The Court,
(Milligan
dissenting,) admitted these declarations as dying declarations; though they said that as to the wound being the cause of the death; and also as to the condition of the deceased at the time of the declarations, they would be open to remark before the jury, in connection with general evidence of his intemperate habits, and low state of health. (Ros. Ev. 32; Mosely's Case, 1 Moo. Cr. Ca. 97, a.)
The defence set up was, that the blow was struck in self-defence ; and a witness was asked whether the deceased was not a violent man, and in the habit of attacking others with dangerous weapons!
It was objected that the character of the deceased was not in issue, and, after argument—