Court Opinion

ID: 9586548
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:12:47.076774+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:32:42.899589
License: Public Domain

Harrison, J.,
dissenting.
I would apply Rule 1:8 and reverse to attain the ends of justice.
Defendant and Helen Vessels had been together the evening of the alleged crime at a place called the “Big O”. After separating defendant decided that he would try to “talk her into letting him get in bed with her”. H'e went to her room for that purpose.
Vessels resided with Mrs. Nettie Wright, whose home was also occupied by two of the Wright children and Thomas Williams, an elderly man. Williams and Vessels slept in the same room which was in fact an 'enclosed porch on the ground floor. Vessels was *463awakened when defendant touched her. She recognized Tompkins and asked “How did you get in here?” When defendant replied “she should not worry about how he got in” sh’e screamed for Mrs. Wright to get him out of the house. At that time she says defendant put his hands on her mouth and throat and threatened her. Williams heard no threat uttered by defendant. Mrs. Wright, upon hearing Vessels scream, said “Anybody in there is going on out”. The defendant peacefully and voluntarily “went out” by the front door. And that, in substance, is this whole case.
It is clear that whatever the defendant intended it was not murder. He was interested in sleeping with a live Helen Vessels and entered her room with that expectation. If he ever entertained any intention to do her physical harm it obviously existed only momentarily, and only after his amorous plans were frustrated. If anything it was a transitory idea that died aborning.
Although the record leaves a lot to be desired, the defendant stoutly and correctly maintained in the lower court and here that to sustain a conviction of statutory burglary the Commonwealth must show that he entered Vessels’ room with the intent to commit murder. The surrounding facts and circumstances negate such intent. Hence this dissent.