Court Opinion

ID: 9473062
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 04:18:14.706993+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:43:17.854111
License: Public Domain

FAY, Circuit Judge,
specially concurring,
in which RONEY, HILL and HENDERSON, Circuit Judges, join:
While concurring in the judgment and most of the opinion of the court, I dissent from the position taken by the majority in sections IIA and B of The Sandstrom Claim. The jury charge given by the trial judge is set forth in its entirety in the margin.1 As Justice Rehnquist pointed out in his special concurrence in Sandstrom:
[W]e have consistently recognized, “a single instruction to a jury may not be judged in artificial isolation, but must be *1526viewed in the context of the overall charge.” Cupp v. Naughten, 414 U.S. 141, 146-147 [94 S.Ct. 396, 400-401, 38 L.Ed.2d 368] (1973). And surely if this charge had, in the words of the Court, “merely described a permissive inference,” ante, at 514, it could not conceivably have run afoul of the constitutional *1527decisions cited by the Court in its opinion.
442 U.S. at 527, 99 S.Ct. at 2461.
The trial judge and the attorneys made it abundantly clear to the jury on numerous occasions that the State had the burden of proving each and every element of the offense charged beyond a reasonable doubt. This was repeated in the final charge to the jury. The language dealing with the “presumption” is both short in length and totally in accord with human behavior. Acts generally speak for themselves, particularly in the absence of any contrary explanation. More importantly, however, each sentence containing the presumption language • concluded with the words, “but the presumption may be rebutted.” Such language was not present in the charge reviewed by the Court in Sandstrom. See Sandstrom, 442 U.S. at 525 n. 12, 99 S.Ct. at 2460 n. 12. Justice Brennan emphasized that:
“They [jury] were not told that the presumption could be rebutted, as the Montana Supreme Court held, by the defendant’s simple presentation of ‘some’ evidence; nor even that it could be rebutted at all.”
442 U.S. at 517, 99 S.Ct. at 2455.
In my opinion, the holding of the Supreme Court in Sandstrom has no application to the charge given in this case. Sandstrom condemns any “presumption”, or other charge, which would shift to the defendant the burden of disproving an element of the crime charged. The jury trying this case was instructed in clear terms that (1) criminal intent must be established by the State and (2) they should look at all the surrounding circumstances of the shooting to determine whether or not such existed. The charge said:
“A person will not be presumed to act with criminal intention, but the trier of facts may find such intention upon consideration of the words, conduct, demean- or, motive, and all other circumstances connected with the act for which the accused is prosecuted.”
Such language hardly shifts any burden of proof to the defendant.
The majority opinion finds support for its holding in our court’s opinion in Franklin v. Francis, while at the same time criticizing, but not reversing or overruling, our court’s opinion in Com v. Zant. My own view is that both are inappropriate. We are considering this issue and this case as an en banc body. We are bound only by existing precedents of the United States Supreme Court.
In my opinion the charge given is in complete accord with Sandstrom.

. Appellant’s Complete Jury Charge as contained in the transcript of the first trial, pp. 174-180.
THE COURT’S ORAL CHARGE
The State accuses and charges Curfew Davis, who must be identified as the Defendant on trial, with the offense of murder, for that the said Curfew Davis, on the 19th day of July in the year of 1974, in Troup County, Georgia, did then and there unlawfully, and with malice aforethought, killed one Ann Starnes, a human being, by shooting the said Ann Starnes with a certain pistol, contrary to the laws of said state, the good order, peace and dignity thereof.
Now, what I have done, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, I have read to you the material allegations of the State’s bill of indictment against the Defendant on trial. To this indictment, the Defendant has entered his plea of not guilty, which along with the indictment of the State, from the issues which are to be resolved in this case.
I charge you, Ladies and Gentlemen, this indictment by the State will be out with you during your deliberation, but I caution you, that it is not evidence and should not be regarded as evidence by you. While the indictment of the State is net evidence and has no probative value, it may and should be referred to by you for the purpose of ascertaining in detail the charges against the Defendant on trial.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a crime is a violation of a statute of this State in which there shall be a union of joint operation of acts, or an omission to act, and an intention for criminal negligence. The acts of a person of sound mind and discretion are presumed to be the product of the person’s will, but the presumption may be rebutted. A person of sound mind and discretion is presumed to intend the natural and probable consequences of his act, but the presumption may be rebutted. A person will not be presumed to act with criminal intention, but the trier of facts may find such intention upon consideration of the words, conduct, demeanor, motive and all other circumstances connected with the act for which the accused is prosecuted. Every person is presumed to be of sound mind and discretion, but the presumption may be rebutted.
I charge you, every person concerned in the commission of a crime is a party thereto, and may be charged with and convicted of commission of a crime. A person is concerned in the commission of a crime only if he:
*1525(1) Deliberately commits the crime; or (2) intentionally causes some other person who commits the crime, under certain circumstances that the other person is not guilty of any crime, either in fact or because of legal capacity; or (3) intentionally aids or abets in the commission of a crime; or (4) intentionally advises and encourages, hires, counsels or procures another to commit the crime.
Now Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, a person commits murder when he unlawfully and with malice aforethought, either expressed or implied, causes the death of another human being. Expressed malice is the deliberate intention unlawfully to take the life of a fellow creature, which is manifested by external circumstances capable of proof. Malice shall be implied where no considerable provocation appears and where all of the circumstances of the killing show an abandoned and malignant heart. A person also commits the crime of murder when in the commission of a felony causes the death of another human being, irrespective of malice.
I charge you, a person convicted of murder shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for life. But, in this connection, Ladies and Gentlemen, at this stage of the trial, I charge you that you are not to be concerned with the punishment of the Defendant at this stage, only as to his guilt or innocence.
Now, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, I charge you that the Defendant enters upon the trial of his case with the presumption of innocence in his favor, and this presumption remains with him, until and unless, the State shall overcome it and remove it by the introduction of competent evidence in your presence and hearing, sufficient to convince your minds beyond a reasonable doubt of the guilt of the accused.
In this connection, Ladies and Gentlemen, I charge you that it is the duty of the State to prove each and every one of the material allegations in the indictment, and the guilt of the Defendant, sufficient to convince your minds beyond a reasonable doubt of the guilt of the accused.
Ladies & Gentlemen, a reasonable doubt is a doubt for which you can give a reason, and means just what it says. It is a doubt of a fair-minded, impartial juror, honestly seeking the truth. It is not an arbitrary or a capricious doubt, but a doubt arising from a consideration of the evidence, or from a lack of the evidence, or from a conflict of evidence. Whether dependent upon positive or circumstantial evidence, the true question in criminal cases, is to know whether it would be possible at the conclusion for which the evidence may be false, but whether there is sufficient evidence to satisfy the minds and conscience beyond a reasonable doubt. If after considering all of the facts and circumstances of the case, your minds are wavering, unsettled and unsatisfied, then that is the doubt of the law and you should acquit the Defendant. But, if that doubt does not exist in your minds as to the guilt of the Defendant, then you should convict.
I further charge you, Ladies & Gentlemen of the Jury, that you are the judges of both the law and the facts in criminal cases, the law you take from the Court as given you in charge, and the fact you get from the evidence introduced, and to the one you apply the other, and then make your findings as to the truth of the case. The charge of the Court is the law of the case, and by that you are bound, except you are the judges of it in applying it to the facts as you find them to be.
Ladies & Gentlemen, you are made by the law the exclusive judges of the credibility of the witnesses. In passing upon their credibility, you may consider all of the facts and circumstances of the case, the witnesses manner of testifying, their relationship to the parties, if any, their intelligence or lack of intelligence, their interest in the results of the case, their bias or prejudice, if any exist, their means of knowing the facts to which they testify, the probability of their testimony, and of the occurrences to which they testified, and also, their personal credibility sofar [sic] as the same may legitimately appear upon the trial of the case. If upon the consideration of the evidence in this case, you find that there is a conflict between the witnesses, or a conflict between a witness or witnesses, if any, it is your duty to reconcile that conflict, if you can, without imputing perjury to any witness. If you cannot do that, it then becomes your duty to believe that witness or those witnesses that you think are best entitled to believe, and you may consider their interest, or want of interest, in the results of the case, their bias or prejudiced, if any appears, the reasonableness or unreasonableness of the statements they make, their familiarity with the facts to which they testified about, and their personal and the personal credibility of a witness, sofaras [sic] the same may legitimately appear upon the trial of the case. But, the Jury as stated, are at last the sole and exclusive judges of what witnesses they believe or disbelieve, and what testimony they will credit or discredit.
Ladies & Gentlemen, I charge you object [sic] of all legal investigations is the discovery of the truth. Direct evidence is that which points immediately to the question at issue. Indirect or circumstantial evidence is that which tends to establish the issue by proof of various facts and circumstances, sustained by their consistency the hypothesis claimed.
Ladies and Gentlemen, before you would be authorized to convict the Defendant on circumstantial evidence alone, the proven facts must not only be consistent with the hypothesis of guilt, but must exclude every other reasonable hypothesis save that of the guilt of the accused. The term hypothesis, as used in this connection, refers to and means such *1526reasonable inferences as are ordinarily drawn by ordinary men in the light of their experiences in every day life. The guilt of the Defendant must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt and must not rest upon conjecture or bare suspicion. Where all of the facts and circumstances of the case, and all reasonable deductions therefrom, presents two theories, one of guilt and the other of innocence, then you should acquit the Defendant.
Ladies & Gentlemen, the STATE has introduced into evidence certain alleged admissions by the Defendant, which the State contends are incriminatory. I charge you, an admission as applied to criminal cases, is the avowal of a fact or circumstance by the Defendant, not amounting to a confession of guilt, but tending to prove the offense and from which guilt may be inferred. An incriminatory statement is one made by the Defendant, which tends to establish the guilt of the accused, or one from which, together with other proven facts, ifany [sic], guilt may be inferred, or one which tends to disprove some defense set up by the accused. Admissions and incriminatory statements are not direct but circumstantial evidence and should be scanned with care and received with great caution. The Jury may believe admissions or incriminatory statements in whole or in part, believing that which they find to be true, and rejecting that which they find to be untrue, unless the State relies entirely upon such admissions or statements.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, I charge you that in this state, in a criminal case, if the Defendant wishes to testify, and announces in open Court his intention to do so, he may so testify in his own behalf. If so, he shall be sworn as any other witness, and may be examined and cross-examined as any other witness. However, I charge you the failure of a Defendant to testify, shall create no presumption of guilt against him and no comment shall be made because of such failure.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, as previously charged, our law provides, that a person commits murder when he unlawfully, and with malice aforethought, either expressed or implied, causes the death of another human being, In this connection, I charge you that expressed malice is that deliberate intention unlawfully to take away the life of a fellow creature, which is manifested by external circumstances capable of proof. Malice shall be implied where no considerable provocation appears and where all of the circumstances of the killing show an abandoned and malignant heart. There can be no murder under the laws of this state without malice, either expressed or implied. The law presumes it to be malice until the contrary appears from circumstances of alleviation or excuse, or justification and under the laws it is incumbent upon the Defendant to make out such circumstances satisfactory to the Jury unless they appear from the evidence offered against the Defendant.
Ladies and Gentlemen, while it is true that the law presumes malice when a homocide [sic] has been shown, yet that presumption of malice may be rebutted by the Defendant from evidence offered by him, or from evidence offered by the State or from both.
Now, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, after careful consideration of all of the evidence, facts and circumstances of this case, under the rules of law that I have given you in charge, if you believe beyond a reasonable doubt that this Defendant committed the crime for which he is charged, it would be your duty to find the Defendant guilty, and the form of your verdict would be, "We, the Jury, findthe [sic] Defendant guilty.” If on the other hand, after careful consideration of all of the evidence, facts and circumstances of this case, under the rules of law that I have given you in charge, you do not believe beyond a reasonable doubt that this Defendant committed the crime for which he is charged, it would then be your duty to acquit the Defendant, and the form of your verdict would be “We, the Jury findthe [sic] Defendant guilty.” If on the other hand, after careful consideration of all of the evidence, facts and circumstances of this case, under the rules of law that I have given you in charge, you do not believe beyond a reasonable doubt that this defendant committed the crime for which he is charged, it would then be your duty to acquit the Defendant, and the form of your verdict would be, "We, the Jury, find the Defendant not guilty.”
Whatever your verdict may be, it must be unanimous and you will write it on the back of the indictment. There is a place provided there for it, which you will have out with you, date it, and one of you sign it as foreman. And, when you have reached your verdict, you then may return it into Court.
With these instructions, Ladies and Gentlemen, you may retire to the Jury Room to consider your verdict.