Court Opinion

ID: 9862795
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-25 02:11:26.778985+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:33:17.010809
License: Public Domain

Neil, Chief Justice
(concurring).
I respond in this concurring opinion to the contention of plaintiff in error, Hill, that his conviction cannot he sustained based upon the State’s theory that he was aiding and abetting Mrs. Eager in the crime as charged in the indictment. The argument is made that his presence in the car, and not operating it, does not sustain the charge against him. If this were the sole evidentiary fact the argument would be most persuasive, if not entirely convincing. Frankly I could not agree to affirm this conviction if the evidence supported this argument of counsel. But the evidence, as pointed out in the majority opinion, reveals a degree of cooperation between Hill and his co-defendant both prior to and at the time of the accident.
The citation from Wharton’s Criminal Law and Procedure, Yol. 3, at page 162, is peculiarly applicable to this case and cannot be seriously controverted when applied to the facts detailed in the majority opinion. The general rule there stated rests upon the authority of Story v. United States, appealed from the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and reported in 57 App.D.C. 3,16 F.2d 342, 53 A.L.B.. 246. The facts are almost identical with the case at bar. It will be noted that the Court distinguishes People v. Scanlon, 132 App. Div. 528, 117 N.Y.S. 57, wherein there was a reversal on the ground that the proof showed no culpable or criminal negligence by the *172chauffeur which was imputable to the owner in that the latter had failed to give timely warning, etc. There are other cases cited in the annotations involving criminal liability for accidents resulting from the illegal operation of an automobile as in Moreland v. State, 1927, 37 Ga. App. 180, 139 S.E. 361.
Considering the case of Story v. United States, supra, liability of one who occupies an automobile with a drunken driver is dependent upon the degree of cooperation between them. The criminal negligence of the drunken driver is imputable to drunken occupants of the car when the evidence shows some degree of concert of action. Moreover the majority opinion is sound as holding that the defendant, Hill, is equally liable with with Mrs. Eager as “one who aids and abets” another in any criminal transaction.
“A person is a party to an offense if he either actually commits the offense or does some act which forms a part thereof, or if he assists in the actual commission of the offense or of any act which forms part thereof, or directly or indirectly counsels or procures any person to commit the offense or to do any act forming a part thereof.” 22 C.J.S. Criminal Law sec. 79, p. 143.
We can readily visualize a situation where one might be present in a car, and be more or less under the influence of an intoxicant, who should not be held to be guilty as one who aids and abets in the wrong of a drunken chauffeur. In all such cases the party accused of crime on the theory that he aids and abets another in a criminal transaction, and even a common law act of negligence, the State must show that he not only failed to protest against the alleged wrongs but that he had an ample *173opportunity to do so, and finally that he was in some manner a participant in the wrongful act, which brought about the death or injury to another.
It is argued that there was no intention by these defendants to harm anyone. Conceding that neither intended to commit the crime of manslaughter, yet there is no escape from the conclusion that an intention to commit an unlawful act may be reasonably imputed to them by reason of their conduct. In Wade v. State, 174 Tenn. 248, 124 S.W.2d 710, 711, it is said:
“Involuntary manslaughter necessarily negatives, of course, any intent on the part of the accused to kill another, but does not negative an intent to do the unlawful act, or the act not strictly unlawful in itself, but done in an unlawful manner and without due caution. Hence, one may be an aider and abettor in involuntary manslaughter because of a common purpose to participate in the unlawful act the natural and probable result of which was to kill another”, citing cases.
Thus as between Hill and his co-defendant there was a voluntary association in a night of drunken revelry, she driving an automobile with Hill’s permission, if not his actual encouragement, from one beer tavern to another, wholly indifferent to any consequential injury to others. In so doing each was cooperating with the other in an unlawful act and are equally guilty of this crime.
I concur in the majority opinion by Mr. Justice Burnett. It is clear and concise upon every issue. The question of legal liability cannot be viewed in the light of any hypothetical or imaginary situations.