Court Opinion

ID: 9636882
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 14:47:03.455148+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:54:51.755928
License: Public Domain

LEWIS and McDERMOTT, Circuit Judges
-(concurring in the result).
We agree that the case must be reversed. In addition to the part of the charge quoted in the opinion, the trial court told the jury that: “It seems to me, gentlemen, that this defendant is guilty of this crime; it seems to me that he has put up a defense here that will not hold water under this evidence.” That is going too far.
But we cannot agree with the statement in the opinion that: “It [the government] depended for conviction on circumstances, and in view of the contrary evidence they might reasonably be considered as consistent with his innocence. The jury should have been left free to decide the issue.” If they are so consistent the trial court should have directed a verdict.
The rule is stated in many ways, one of which is: “Unless there is substantial evidence of facts which exclude every other hypothesis but that of guilt, it is the duty of the trial court to instruct the jury to return a verdict for the accused; and where all the substantial evidence is as consistent with the innocence as with guilt, it is the duty of the appellate court to reverse a judgment of conviction.” Grantello v. United States (8 C. C. A.) 3 F.(2d) 117, 118.
There are so many cases from the Eighth Circuit that it is needless to cite them all. A considerable number of distinguished jurists from the circuit approved of the rule, and none ever dissented. A few of the, cases are: Bishop v. United States (C. C. A.) *29016 F.(2d) 410; Beck v. United States (C. C. A.) 33 F.(2d) 107; Sullivan v. United States (C. C. A.) 283 F. 865, 868; Union Pacific Coal Co. v. United States (C. C. A.) 173 F. 737, 740; Willsman v. United States (C. C. A.) 286 F. 852.
A glance into the Digests discloses that the First• Circuit has so held: Roukous v. United States (C. C. A.) 195 F. 353. Also the Second: Becher v. United States (C. C. A.) 5 F.(2d) 45; Romano v. United States (C. C. A.) 9 F.(2d) 522, 523; Nosowitz v. United States (C. C. A.) 282 F. 575. Also the Third: McLaughlin v. United States (C. C. A.) 26 F.(2d) 1; Yusem v. United States (C. C. A.) 8 F.(2d) 6; Ridenour v. United States (C. C. A.) 14 F.(2d) 888. Also the Fourth: Garst v. United States (C. C. A.) 180 F. 339. Also the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia: Cady v. United States, 54 App. D. C. 10, 293 F. 829.
In 16 C. J. 763, the rule is stated: "In order to sustain a conviction on circumstantial evidence, all the circumstances proved must be consistent with each other, consistent with the hypothesis that accused is guilty, and at the same time inconsistent with the hypothesis that he is innocent, and with every other rational hypothesis except that of guilt.”
Cases are cited from thirty-nine jurisdictions in support of the text.' No contrary authority is cited.
The rule is right. The government must establish guilt. The court must direct a verdict if no substantial proof of guilt is offered. When the proof rests on circumstances which lead as rationally to the conclusion of innocence as of guilt, there is no proof of guilt, and nothing to go to the jury. Juries are not permitted in civil cases to speculate as to the negligence of the defendant (A., T. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. Toops, 281 U. S. 355, 50 S. Ct. 281, 74 L. Ed. 896, and cases there cited); they should not be permitted to guess at the guilt of a defendant in a criminal case.