Opinion ID: 1714118
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Alabama Cases

Text: In Cooper v. State, 86 Ala. 610, 6 So. 110, the prosecuting witness testified that he had told defendant that, if he would make tracks on a carpet and defendant's tracks did not correspond with the tracks made by a burglar on the carpet, the witness would release defendant; but that defendant declined to make tracks. This court held that it was unlawful to force defendant to make evidence against himself and that, in receiving evidence of the offer made to defendant to make tracks and his reply and conduct consequent thereon, the court erred to reversal. The evidence involved was not clothing or shoes taken from defendant, but his own testimonial or communicative act in refusing to make the tracks. In Potter v. State, 92 Ala. 37, 9 So. 402, a burglary case, evidence that defendant's foot fit the tracks was held admissible where defendant was carried at his own request and voluntarily placed his feet in the tracks. In Davis v. State, 131 Ala. 10, 31 So. 569, the court held it reversible error to admit evidence that defendant declined to consent to taking away his shoes for the purpose of comparison with certain tracks, citing Cooper v. State, supra. In Moss v. State, 146 Ala. 686, 40 So. 340, the court held it was not error to admit testimony of a witness, in regard to the description of the shoes worn by defendant when he was arrested, where defendant took off his shoes voluntarily and handed them to the witness. In Crenshaw v. State, 225 Ala. 346, 348, 142 So. 669, 671, the court held that evidence that defendant had been required to put on his cap was admitted without error. The court said: That he was required by the officers to put his cap on was not requiring defendant to make evidence against himself in violation of constitutional guaranties. The right of public authorities to take such reasonable measures for purposes of identification, we do not question. It was their right and duty to ascertain whether the party was the man they were after, and for such purpose put him in best position for observation by the witness who had seen him at the time of the homicide. In Burks v. State, 240 Ala. 587, 200 So. 418, a witness testified that he put his own shoe in a track and it fit perfectly; that he had defendant arrested and had him pull off his right shoe; that witness pulled off his right shoe which he had measured the track with and asked defendant to put on the right shoe of the witness. Witness was then asked did defendant have difficulty in getting the shoe on. Objection was made that the question called for a conclusion and immaterial evidence. Objection was overruled and witness answered: No, sir. As to self-incrimination, the court said: But the fact that he put on the shoe is not an admission of an inculpatory nature. True, he could not be required to say or do anything having a tendency to incriminate him. But a predicate is not required under such circumstances as to a purely collateral matter. The statement of the witness that the defendant's foot fit the shoe when he put it on was excluded by the court. The fact that his foot went in the shoe was of a physical fact open to observation, and was observed by him then and there looking at it, as we understand the evidence. It was in no sense the expression of the conclusion of the witness. (240 Ala. at page 589, 200 So. at page 419) The majority of the court, however, reversed, saying: Not controverting the foregoing features of this opinion, a majority of the Court, consisting of GARDNER, C. J., BOULDIN, KNIGHT, and LIVINGSTON, JJ., are of the opinion that the evidence of the witness Bryan as herein outlined relating to his act of putting his own shoe in the track, that it fit the track, and that defendant's foot went into that shoe of the witness, was all irrelevant and probably prejudicial, and that the judgment should be reversed for not sustaining the objection on that ground..... (240 Ala. at page 589, 200 So. at page 420) In Myhand v. State, 259 Ala. 415, 66 So. 2d 544, defendant was arrested and in jail. He removed part of his clothes and put on some that belonged to an officer. Defendant's clothes were delivered to the toxicologist and introduced in evidence at the trial. This court held that this was not error and affirmed, saying: Appellant's counsel recognizes the rule of our cases to the effect that the wearing apparel of a defendant, identified as that worn by him at the time of the crime, when tending to shed light on the issues is properly admitted in evidence. Taylor v. State, supra [249 Ala. 130, 30 So.2d 256]; Robinson v. State, supra [243 Ala. 684, 11 So.2d 732]; Daniels v. State, 243 Ala. 675, 11 So.2d 756. Counsel for appellant insist, however, that appellant's clothing was improperly admitted in evidence for the reason that appellant was compelled to remove his clothes and give them to Officer Prier and hence to permit the introduction of the (sic) in evidence was tantamount to compelling appellant to produce testimony against himself, in violation of the provisions of Art. 1, § 6 of the Alabama Constitution. Without passing on the question of whether such articles of clothing would have been admissible if the evidence showed that appellant was compelled to deliver them to Officer Prier, we are of the opinion that the trial court did not err in permitting the State to introduce the clothing in evidence for the reason that under the evidence adduced the trial court was amply justified in finding that appellant was not compelled to take off his clothes and give them to the officer, but that he did so readily and voluntarily upon being told by the officer that the latter wanted to keep the clothes for evidence. Moss v. State, 146 Ala. 686, 40 So. 340. (259 Ala. at page 519, 66 So.2d at page 547) Myhand was decided Without passing on the question of whether such articles of clothing would have been admissible if the evidence showed that appellant was compelled to deliver them ... to the officer. In Aaron v. State, 271 Ala. 70, 122 So.2d 360 [21], this court held that certain clothing in possession of defendant at the time of arrest was admitted into evidence without error. The court said: .... The fact that the shirt, trousers and socks were taken from the defendant by officers did not render them inadmissible. (Citations Omitted) . . . . . . . . . . .... The fact that the small pieces of wallboard were recovered from defendant's trousers without his express consent and without the defendant being advised that the result of an examination of his personal effects might be used against him does not affect the admissibility in evidence of the small pieces of material. (Citation Omitted) . . . . . . . . . . Section 6 of Article 1 of the Constitution of this state provides, in part, that an accused `shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself.' This provision has been construed as protecting a person from being required against his will from doing any positive act tending to operate as evidence against himself in a criminal case. But it does not violate this rule for another person to do an act against the will of the defendant which relates to his person, and thereby cause to be revealed matter material as evidence against him. (Citation Omitted) . . . . . . . . . . . It was not error to permit the State Toxicologist to testify that he found on the shirt which was introduced in evidence and identified as having been worn by the defendant at the time of his arrest, calcium sulphate or gypsum similar to some of the material of which the closet wallboard was made. [271 Ala. at pages 81, 82, and 83, 122 So.2d at pages 370, 371) In Seals v. State, 271 Ala. 142, 122 So. 2d 513, testimony, concerning a shirt allegedly worn by defendant when first questioned, was considered. The court said: The defendant was first interrogated concerning the crime on Monday afternoon, June 16, at the home of some colored persons by the name of Coulston, which was located almost next door to the service station and telephone booth. At the time the defendant was wearing a plaid shirt. Some of the plaids were a light blue with a greenish tinge. Other plaids were gray, brown and black. On the following day when the defendant was again questioned by the police officers he was not wearing that shirt and upon inquiry stated that the shirt was at his home. He accompanied the officers to his home and went through the motions of trying to locate the shirt but finally admitted that he had given the shirt to a friend of his by the name of John Middleton or Millender. The State produced Middleton, alias Millender, as a witness, who testified among other things to the effect that he had been questioned by the police authorities of the City of Prichard and had been released; that after his release he told the defendant, Seals, that the police were looking for a boy wearing a shirt similar to the one which Seals was wearing. When such advice was given him, Seals turned over the plaid shirt to Middleton, alias Millender, who then loaned Seals a shirt. The testimony of Middleton, alias Millender, was admitted without error. Any indication of a consciousness of guilt by a person suspected of or charged with a crime or who may, after such indications be suspected or charged is admissible evidence against him. McAdory v. State, 62 Ala. 154. (271 Ala. at page 147, 122 So.2d at page 516) We do not understand that the holding with respect to defendant's clothing, and matter found in them, in Aaron v. State, 273 Ala. 337, 139 So.2d 309, is in anywise different from the holding on the first appeal in 271 Ala. 70, 122 So.2d 360, supra. Under the recent decisions of the United States Supreme Court in Schmerber and Wade , the clothing and hairs were admitted without violating the privilege in the instant case. The act of defendant in taking off the clothes and surrendering them to the sheriff was not a testimonial or communicative act. The clothing was the witness, not the defendant. As we understand the Alabama cases discussed above, our rule is not different from the federal rule or the rule followed in other jurisdictions. The opinion on original deliverance suggests the proposition that if the clothes of the instant defendant had been manually and forcibly removed from his body by police officers, then the clothing would have been admissible in evidence, but that, because defendant was compelled to remove his clothes himself with his own hands, then he was compelled to give evidence against himself and the evidence thus given, i. e., the clothing and hairs, is not admissible because it was compelled in violation of the constitutional privilege. We do not think that this proposition is sound. The privilege is against being compelled to be a witness or give evidence against self. If the clothes of defendant are taken from him forcibly and manually by police officers, he is compelled to surrender the clothes and thus give evidence against himself just as much as if, as in the instant case, he is compelled by the show of overwhelming force to take off the clothes and surrender them himself. Where the police officers manually remove the clothes, the force is actually exercised. Where defendant removes the clothes himself, the force is merely threatened to be exercised. In either case, defendant is compelled and the evidence is equally admissible or inadmissible. The defendant is not compelled in either case to be a witness against himself. He is not the witness, the clothing is. In the instant case, we are of opinion that defendant's clothing and the hairs from his body were real or physical evidence and were not evidence of a testimonial or communicative nature. Accordingly, we hold that admission of the clothing and hairs into evidence did not violate defendant's privilege under the constitution which guarantees that, in a criminal prosecution he shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself. In his brief, defendant asserts that the court erred in giving to the jury a certain oral charge. The record shows that after the court finished giving the oral charge, the following occurred: (Whereupon, the Court read the written charges requested by the Defendant marked, `Given'.) THE COURT: What says the State with respect to the Court's oral charge? MR. McDONALD: State is satisfied, Your Honor. THE COURT: What says the defendant? MR. SEAY: The defendant is satisfied, Your Honor. THE COURT: I can't hear you. MR. SEAY: The defendant is satisfied, Your Honor. THE COURT: Now, gentlemen MR. HAWKINS: Excuse me just a moment, Your Honor. I don't know whether there is any significance to it, but I believe when you were discussing expert testimony you did not mention Mr. Johnson who is an expert in criminal biology. You left his name out. THE COURT: I am sorry. Gentlemen, it has been called to my attention, even though, I think I didn't mention biochemistry, that I did not call to your attention the name of the witness, Robert Johnson, who took the stand here. His qualifications are such that the Court designates him as an expert, and as I indicated to you with respect to the testimony of the other people who testified as experts, that testimony, of course, is not binding upon you, but you will take it into consideration with all of the testimony that you have heard from the witness stand in arriving at your verdict. Now, gentlemen, you have had some considerable number of exhibits that have been offered in this case. You will have those with you, some offered by the State and some offered by the defendant, and you will have these forms that I have prepared here for you, for your verdict. They are not in any wise suggestive of a verdict, but they are the forms that you may use should you arrive at a verdict. You have in evidence the big blackboard over here which will go out with you, and the small board over here (indicating), and then, these smaller articles that have been admitted into evidence. You will have with you the indictment. You will have with you the charges that the defendant has requested, which the Court has read to you. All right, gentlemen, you may take the case. (Whereupon, the jury was retired to the jury room at 9:35 P. M.) Defendant says that the further instruction given to the jury was an instruction requested by the state, but not in writing, and giving it violated Title 7, § 273, Code 1940, which provides that: Charges moved for by either party must be in writing, and must be given or refused in the terms in which they are written.... Defendant appears to contend that the court erred in giving the additional charge because it was not requested in writing. Defendant cites Mason v. State, 19 Ala.App. 473, 98 So. 137, to support his contention. In Mason, the Court of Appeals held that the trial court did not err in refusing defendant's oral request to charge that the jury might convict defendant of a misdemeanor. The court said: Unless it affirmatively appears that the charge asked was in writing, the appellate court will not review the action of the lower court in refusing it. (19 Ala.App. at 474, 98 So. at 138) The court did not hold that it was error to give a charge that was not requested in writing. Defendant cites also Pate v. State, 29 Ala.App. 78, 191 So. 640, where the court again held that the trial court will not be reversed for refusal to give a requested charge unless it appear that it was asked in writing as the statute requires. Also, defendant cites Pinkerton v. State, 31 Ala. App. 599, 20 So.2d 604, where the court refused to consider defendant's requested charges because they were not endorsed as required by statute. We do not think a court errs in giving a requested charge simply because the request is oral and not in writing. Defendant says giving the additional oral charge was error because it called attention to the testimony of the state's witness Johnson, at the very time it would be most impressive, after both sides had accepted the court's oral charge. We are not to be understood as intimating that giving the additional charge was error, even if defendant had properly reserved an exception; but, defendant did not except to the additional oral charge. Not having seasonably reserved an appropriate exception to the part of the oral charge now asserted for error, the appellant does not present for review on appeal the action of the court in so instructing the jury. McPherson v. State, 198 Ala. 5, 10, 73 So. 387. Under the automatic appeal act, we are not required to review the oral charge of the court in the absence of exception thereto. Byrd v. State, 257 Ala. 100, 105, 57 So.2d 388. Error in giving the additional oral charge has not been shown. The case was carefully tried. On examination of the entire record, we are of opinion that error to reverse does not appear. Accordingly, the rehearing is granted and the judgment is affirmed. Rehearing granted. Affirmed. LIVINGSTON, C. J., and LAWSON, SIMPSON, MERRILL, and HARWOOD, JJ., concur. KOHN, J., dissents.