Court Opinion

ID: 9811381
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 22:19:05.465672+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:13:16.213184
License: Public Domain

Barnhill, J.,
concurring: I concur in the conclusion that the sentence imposed in the court below should be vacated and defendant discharged. My conclusion is bottomed on reasons other than those stated in the majority opinion.
The trial judge submitted issues but inadvertently failed to instruct the jury that if they answered both issues in the affirmative they should, upon the facts thus found, return a verdict of guilty, and the jury failed to return a verdict on the principal issue of guilt or innocence.
It is fundamental with us that a defendant charged with crime, other than a petty misdemeanor, who pleads not guilty, can be punished only after conviction by a jury. Art. I, secs. 11 and 13, N. C. Const. As there was no verdict of guilty, the court was without power to impose sentence. It follows that the motion in arrest of judgment should have been allowed.
As pointed out in the majority opinion, the record fails to disclose evidence sufficient to support the answer to the second issue or to warrant a conviction. Hence a verdict of not guilty of a willful failure or refusal to support his illegitimate child should be entered.
On the other hand, there is evidence in the record tending to show that the defendant is the putative father of the bastard child of the prosecutrix sufficient to sustain the answer to the first issue. Whether the court, on the answer to that issue, may now enter a decree adjudging the paternity is not presented for decision. Discussion of that question is not now in order.
WiNnoRNE and DeNNv, JJ., join in this opinion.