Opinion ID: 313996
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 3 Appellant concededly shot Jessie Toliver at about 6 p. m. on August 21, 1970. Appellant's contention requires that we begin the statement of facts in the light of appellant's testimony, with the crap game that began at approximately 4:20 p. m. at the home of appellant's mother. The game ended after about 15 minutes when appellant and Toliver engaged in a quarrel over appellant's consistent winning and over Toliver's cussing in front of the appellant's mother. When Toliver refused to stop, appellant punched him in the face, and bloodied him. Toliver gathered his belongings and left the house, saying to the appellant, I'll be back. 4 Appellant testified that he took Toliver's parting remark as a threat to come back with a weapon, based upon his knowledge that Toliver had been involved in knife slashing incidents on prior occasions. Appellant decided to go home and arm himself lest Toliver return and, if appellant weren't there, he'd take it out on my sister. Appellant went to his apartment and obtained a pistol and cartridges. As appellant walked back toward his mother's house, he encountered Toliver on R Street. 1 After a brief exchange of conversation, the appellant fired a shot at Toliver, wide of the mark. A second shot also missed its target. Appellant testified that, from the outset, he had backed away from Toliver-a total distance of some 35 feet-and that he pulled the revolver from his pocket only after Toliver continued advancing toward him in a menacing fashion, and suddenly pulled a hawk-billed knife from his belt and made a threatening gesture (indicated to the jury.) Appellant fired and missed, deceased kept advancing, and appellant, still backing up, shot four more times. 5 Appellant's testimony in support of his claim of self-defense diverged from the testimony of two police officers, who happened to be approaching the intersection of Third and R Streets in a patrol car, when they heard the initial shot. They looked down R Street and saw Toliver retreating from the appellant, who had the gun in his hand. During their observation, deceased was backing away the entire time, and made no threatening gestures. One of them overheard Toliver say to the appellant You can't hit me, you're using blanks. Thereupon, the appellant fired three more shots, fatally wounding Toliver. The police officers promptly arrested the appellant and took him to police headquarters, where a search of his person disclosed fourteen extra rounds of ammunition in the pocket of his walking shorts. 6 While appellants version differed from that of the police officers, the Government does not seem to dispute his testimony that deceased had a knife. Indeed, one of the policemen testified he saw what looked to be a knife in Toliver's right hand, held down at his side. And several defense witnesses stated they saw Toliver swing a knife at the appellant. 2 7