Opinion ID: 1473631
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Facts in Summary

Text: As was to be expected in a case of this character, the participants and the witnesses are not in agreement as to the nature of the brawl which took place in the Cocktail Lounge and of the circumstances which led to it. The version of the appellee, which the Jury evidently believed, may be summarized briefly as follows: Gouldsberry walked into the bar and ordered beer. Carroll was the bartender in charge. Carroll's wife, who had been but recently divorced from Gouldsberry, was sitting at one end of the bar. Gouldsberry was not expecting any difficulties that evening. For he had taken along his small dog and had left his supper cooking in his home. When he entered the bar, he congratulated Carroll on his marriage, and offered to buy him and Mrs. Carroll drinks. A conversation ensued between Gouldsberry and Mrs. Carroll, during the course of which Mrs. Carroll said that people were telling lies about her. After a little more talk, Gouldsberry told Mrs. Carroll: Well, I don't suppose you bought another man a bathrobe and I had to pay for it. Carroll then struck Gouldsberry in the face with a bottle, knocking him to the floor. Gouldsberry was knocked partially unconscious. A scuffle ensued, with Gouldsberry on the floor. Mrs. Novick had been sitting at the bar. She and Mrs. Carroll and another person, Gouldsberry testified, were hammering on him when he was on the floor. He was not certain, however, whether Mrs. Novick struck and beat him. Nor did he know whether Mrs. Carroll took part in the scuffle on the floor. He suffered injuries, cuts on his lip, face and body and a broken ankle. He became quite bloody. When full consciousness returned, Mrs. Novick had her hands on his shoulders, shoving him towards the door. She told him to get out and shut up. The Chief of Police put him in jail, handling him roughly during a search of his person. He could not make bail that night because it was too late and everybody was in bed. The jail was unsanitary, without drinking water or blanket. He remained there all night without medical care, cold, wet and bleeding. The next morning, the Carrolls signed a criminal complaint against him. He was released on bond, caught a plane to Anchorage, where he sought to obtain counsel, but did not succeed. The brawl had occurred on Friday. The trial on the criminal complaint took place the following Monday, before the Municipal Magistrate at Seward. Gouldsberry was taken from the hospital where he had gone for treatment, and escorted to the City Hall on crutches. He tried to make a defense, but the Chief of Police would not allow him to do so. He was found guilty and sentenced to 75 days in jail or $150 fine. After the trial, Novick said: What's the matter with you, Gouldsberry? Are you crazy? If I had been there, I would have broke your God damn neck. Gouldsberry returned to the hospital. It does not appear how long he remained there, but he did not learn of his sentence until after he was discharged from the hospital. He served a portion of it before being released on payment of the fine. The appeal questions (1) the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the verdict and judgment, (2) the correctness of certain of the Court's instructions to the jury, and (3) the refusal of requested instructions.