Court Opinion

ID: 6698601
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-20 22:02:25.222427+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:01:20.068693
License: Public Domain

Stacy, C. I.,
concurring: In charges of assault with varying degrees of aggravation, the jury may convict of the assault and acquit, in whole or in part, of the circumstances of aggravation. C. S., 4639; 1 Russell on Crimes, 1030; Cornelison v. Commonwealth, 84 Ky., 583, loc. cit. 601, 2 S. W., 235; 6 C. J. S., 915. This is what was done here.
The defendant is charged with an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury not resulting in death. This is made a felony by C. S., 4214. S. v. Clegg, 214 N. C., 675, 200 S. E., 371; S. v. Hefner, 199 N. C., 778, 155 S. E., 879; S. v. Redditt, 189 N. C., 176, 126 S. E., 506; 26 Am. Jur., 577-578.
Under this bill and the record in the case, it was permissible to convict the defendant of “a less degree of the same crime charged” therein, i.e., an assault, or assault and battery, accompanied with circumstances of less aggravation than that charged in the bill of indictment. C. S., 4640; S. v. DeGraffenreid, ante, 461; S. v. Burnette, 213 N. C., 153, 195 S. E., 356; 8. v. Keaton, 206 N. C., 682, 175 S. E., 296; 8. v. Watkins, 200 N. C., 692, 158 S. E., 393 (concurring opinion); S. v. Robinson, 188 N. C., 784, 125 S. E., 617. These less-aggravated assaults as revealed by the evidence and heretofore recognized by our decision, would seem to be:
1. Assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill. S. v. Boyden, 35 N. C., 505; S. v. Gregory, ante, 415.
2. Assault with deadly weapon, without intent to kill, but with intent to injure. S. v. McNeill, 75 N. C., 15; S. v. Smith, 174 N. C., 804, 93 S. E., 910.
*5703. Assault with deadly weapon. S. v. High, 215 N. C., 244, 1 S. E.. (2d), 563; S. v. Elmore, 212 N. C., 531, 193 S. E., 713; S. v. Hefner, supra; S. v. Sudderth, 184 N. C., 753, 114 S. E., 828.
4. Common assault and battery. C. S., 4215; S. v. McNeill, supra S. v. Earnest, 98 N. C., 740, 4 S. E., 495.
5. Simple or common assault. S. v. Strickland, 192 N. C., 253, 134 S. E., 850; S. v. Morgan, 25 N. C., 186; S. v. Davis, 23 N. C., 126.
True it is, that all these less-aggravated assaults are misdemeanors-since the repeal of sections 7 and 8 of ch. 167, Laws 1868-69, in which the first two were made punishable by imprisonment in the State’s-Prison. Ch. 43, Laws 1870-71; C. S., 4171; S. v. Smith, supra; S. v. McNeill, supra.
The practice in respect of a several-count bill, separately stated, where-one or more counts are withdrawn from the jury’s consideration, or the jury returns a verdict of guilty on one count and says nothing about the others, is not to be confused with the practice authorized by O. S., 4640, which permits a conviction of a “less degree of the same crime”' when included in a single count. S. v. Hampton, 210 N. C., 283, 186 S. E., 251.
The appeal presents no question of jurisdiction or limitation of punishment. C. S., 1481-1436-1437-4215; S. v. Johnson, 94 N. C., 863; S. v. Smith, supra; S. v. Tyson, ante, 492; S. v. Bitter, 199 N. C., 116,. 154 S. E., 62.