Court Opinion

ID: 6549154
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-07-19 22:22:29.859442+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:56:03.526954
License: Public Domain

HART, J., (after stating the facts). The indictment in this case was drawn under section 1927, Kirby’s Digest, which reads as follows: “Any pei’son or persons who shall, by any boisterous or other noisy conduct, disturb or annoy any public or private school in this State, or any person not a student who, after being notified to keep off the school grounds during the school hours, by the board of directors or the superintendent or principal teacher in charge of any such school, shall continue to trespass or go upon said grounds, whether at recess or during the session of said school, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor,” etc. The indictment charged. “The said B. B. West and Mrs. B. B. West, in the county and State aforesaid, on the 14th day of July, 1911, did unlawfully disturb and annoy the public school in School District No. 34, in Randolph County, Arkansas, by boisterous and noisy conduct, by quarrelling, by fighting, by using loud, profane, abusive language, and by trespassing upon the school grounds, during the sessions of said school. Against the peace and dignity,” etc. The section of the Digest m question states two offenses, the first of which is disturbing a school, and the second, trespassing on school grounds. It is contended by counsel for the defendant that the indictment in this case charges both of these offenses, and is therefore bad for duplicity. We do not think so. The indictment was evidently framed under the first part of the section. The indictment under the latter part of the section provides that any person, not a student, who, after being notified to keep off the school grounds during the school hours, shall continue to trespass or go upon said grounds, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The indictment in question does not charge that the defendant trespassed upon the school grounds after being notified to keep off the same.. Therefore, we think there was no attempt to charge two offenses, and the clause “and by trespassing upon the school grounds during sessions of said school” should be treated as surplusage. Counsel for the defendant asked the court to give the following instruction: “You are instructed that, if you find from the evidence that the defendant, at the time mentioned in the indictment in this cause, had gone to such school house or grounds for a lawful purpose, and was demeaning himself in a lawful manner, and while there and so demeaning himself he was attacked by one Segraves with a knife and rock, or knife or rock, that he would be justified in defending himself against such assault, and if, in so doing, he disturbed said school without intending so to do, you should acquit him.” The court refused to give the instruction, and in effect charged the jury that, if the defendant while at the schoolhouse became engaged in a difficulty with Segraves and while engaged in such difficulty, by boisterous or other misconduct, disturbed the school, he should be convicted. The court should have given the instruction asked for by the defendant. It is true that an intent to disturb is not a necessary factor in the crime, but, on the contrary, any act which is within the terms of the statute, the natural consequence of which is to disturb, and which is wilfully done, and which in fact does disturb the school, comes under the denunciation of the statute, though the actor may have had no specific intent to disturb the school. See Walker v. State, 102 Ark. 336. The testimony of the defendant tends to show that he went to the school house for a lawful purpose, and was conducting himself in a quiet and peaceful manner when he was insultingly approached by Segraves; and the subsequent fight was thrust upon him. Up to the time of Segraves’s approach no disturbance had been created. The defendant insists that he tried to avoid a quarrel with Segraves, and did not strike him until after Segraves had assaulted him. From the imminent hostile demonstrations on the part of Segraves, as they appeared to him, the defendant had a right to stand upon his self-defense. The defendant’s testimony shows that whatever disturbance was caused by his act was in his necessary self-defense, and that he did not wilfully do or say anything that would have the effect of disturbing the school. Therefore, the court should have given the instruction asked for by the defendant, and for the error in refusing so to do the judgment must be reversed, and the cause remanded for a new trial.