Clendenning v State

Clendenning v State
1910 OK CR 11
106 P. 540
3 Okl.Cr. 379
Case Number: No. A-9
Decided: 01/13/1910
Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals

(Syllabus by the Court.)

INSTRUCTIONS Presumption of Innocence Negative Instructions. The following instruction held to be error: "If you believe from the evidence that the defendant did not, on or about the day and in the county and state aforesaid, deliver to the said Frank Engles whisky, and receive in exchange therefor money, or other valuable consideration, or if there is a reasonable doubt in your mind as to the guilt of the defendant, then it is your duty, under the law, to render a verdict of not guilty."

Appeal from Creek County Court; Josiah G. Davis, Judge.

William Clendenning was convicted of violating the prohibition law, and appeals. Reversed and remanded.

Henry McGraw, for appellant.

Fred S. Caldwell, for the State.

PER CURIAM. The attorney for the state filed the following confession of error:

"Comes now the state of Oklahoma, by Fred S. Caldwell, as counsel to the Governor, and represents to this honorable court that, as appears at page 33 of the record in the above-named cause, the trial court instructed the jury, in paragraph No. 6 of the instructions, as follows: `If you believe from the evidence that the defendant did not, on or about the day and in the county and state aforesaid, deliver to the said Frank Engles whisky, and receive in exchange therefor money or other valuable consideration, or if there is a reasonable doubt in your mind as to the guilt of the defendant, then it is your duty, under the law, to render a verdict of not guilty.' To the giving of the above instruction the defendant duly excepted at the time. This honorable court has, in the case of Weber v. State, 2 Okla. Cr. 329, 101 P. 355, held that an instruction identical in substance with the foregoing instruction constitutes prejudicial error. Wherefore, on the authority of the said case of Weber v. State, supra, the state of Oklahoma prays that the judgment of the trial court in the above named

Page 380

cause be reversed and said cause remanded to the county court of Creek county, state of Oklahoma, for a new trial."